I have been inspired by “This is Canoeing” to try to learn to use a single blade while solo canoeing.I have decided to use an ottertail.
I have 3 canoes. A Rapidfire, a Malecite,and the BHC.
Which is best for this purpose?
I’m guessing the Malecite ,since the RF is more of a deck less kayak, and the BHC is a tank.
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I would pick any of the three and go for it. I did the same thing last week with my Old Town Pack and had a wonderful time.
you mean you haven’t got
the Kruger yet?!!
The Malecite
If you use a RapidFire (and some folks do ) its best that you kneel unless you have a very short paddle like a kids paddle.
And if you kneel, the boat should have been reinforced with two bellybands. The construction is different for the kneeling and sitting paddler. So unless you have that reinforcement, dont use it.
The BHC looks pretty wide and you will have to roll it over to the rail to get a vertical stroke. Boats with lots of flare tend to be hard to heel over!
The Malecite ought to work just fine. Heel it over a little so you can get a vertical stroke. THe boat leans and not you. You perhaps could also sit backward on the bow seat but that station doesnt give quite the same control.
The Well Heeled Malecite
A heeled Malecite has a tendency to carve to the outside.
Which is to say that it will turn away from the low/paddle side even harder than other boats might.
My preference, with the Malecite, is to paddle her flat unless I want to turn. Flat, she holds a line pretty well. If I want to turn, I heel her away from the direction I want her to turn to, much as I would a touring kayak.
Malecite
And talk to clarion about that.
SEAT IN THE RAPIDfire?
I think if you can kneel in your rapid. then that could be good to learn your steering in , because you cn see more result and then the difference between an good and bad stroke is easier to spot. The malecite is aslo fine but probably more difficult to turn. without heeling.
have fun learning It is nice to paddle solo single blade.