C-Forum

I have a Shaman that is factory outfitted. I got it about a year ago and am looking at buffing up its performance. Any recommendations? I was thinking of changing the vinyl gunnels for wood to lighten /stiffen things up. What about tweaking the beam? Does anybody have any thoughts?

Replacing vinyl with ash will not stiffen the boat. A stiff wood like Sitka spruce might stiffen it, and would be lighter than ash, but having had a boat with spruce gunwales, I can say that they are strong, light, but much more likely to split under stress than ash, and also rot more easily.

I don't think you will notice much increase in speed from pulling the gunwales in. The Shaman was designed by Deal to compete in "combined" class, where it has to do fairly well in slalom AND fairly well in downriver. Just see that your Shaman is trimmed level and paddle it with short strokes, reaching well toward the bow and ending before your lower hand passes your hip. Try not to horse the boat, so that the hull can run smoothly.

Actually, I beleive that the Shaman is designed so that the "spin zone" is behind the paddler's torso, so you have to lean way back to really initiate a fast spin. See the writeup by the designer Harold Deal here:

https://www.mohawkcanoes.com/shapub.htm

If you've ever watched him paddle, he paddles up front, and then if he needs to do a really fast pivot for some reason, he leans way back and does one of various correction strokes.

Soooo, I don't think it would be a good idea to adjust the trim at all.

Nate

If you're interested in stiffening up the Shaman try converting the outfitting to bulk-head. I modified the Mohawk outfitting by adding foam across the front of the saddle for thigh braces an adding an extra thwart. It's a little heavier, but you can tell it's stiffer. I'm happy with the set-up.
Scott