is that it turns and spins for views and photos back upstream. I first noticed this on a San Juan canyons trip where all the other paddlers were in Dagger Reflections, MR Explorers, etc. Not hard tracking boats, but still they had to invest much more effort to turn their boats to look back up where we had been. Otherwise it was screw-your-neck-around, and that didn’t work well if you wanted a photo.
I was in a MR Synergy which tracked acceptably as long as I directed it into its sweet spot, but spun as easily as thought, could be stopped at any angle, and spun again until facing downstream and tracking again.
Now, I know, it is hard to paddle a WW canoe all day on a flattish river with variable headwinds, but with experience it is not THAT hard. For me, facing up as well as down rivers is an essential part of the experience, and to do it, I need a boat which spins easily.
You go on ahead, I’m going to turn around for another view and maybe a picture.
Yup
I swear that’s why flat water paddlers have such a hard time staying together.
In my whitewater boats any time I want to check the group I just take the paddle out of the water, the boat spins and I get a 360 visual.
In flatwater boats I’ve got to horse the boat around or twist myself up like a corkscrew.
For paddling pleasure though I still prefer each boat in its element.
Tommy