Very excited to have just picked up my first whitewater canoe - a Mohawk XL 13 in decent shape. And of course there's a forum! I've done a lot of whitewater kayaking and rafting, but I've only paddled WW canoes a few times, and looking for some advice on the outfitting. The canoe came with a foam saddle with adjustable foot pegs and foam knee pads. There are attachment points installed for thigh straps and float bags. I picked up the boat for $200 and hoping to not have to spend a ton of money to get the thing rigged up. I'm going to be using for day and multi-day trips up to mellow class III.
So, here's my burning questions:
- Anyone have any used float bags or thigh straps that would work for this boat they wanna sell me?
- Any recommendations on where to buy float bags and thigh straps new if it comes to that? Types of either that I should get?
- Why are there two rectangular metal attachment rings on the points where I assume the upper ends of the thigh straps will attach?
- Is there a general guideline for determining appropriate paddle length for this type of boat? I have some rafting paddles I was hoping to just use to start.
If you are a really tall beginner, you will want a paddle not-over 57". Really short beginners won't want anything shorter than 50".
If you have a disposable raft paddle...most are easy to cut down to canoe length.
For a paddler with a 200 boat...new float bags are crazy expensive. Keep an eye on Ebay for used ones. There are also non-paddling-products which could work out for a while. I mean, they are just bags of air.
I have never had what one would call quick-releases straps. Whatever system you end up with, just make sure you can get out of the boat without messing with non-quick buckles. Do you have any OC friends? They might have a set of loaner straps (that they might not want to actually sell).
Starting you OC paddling with those foot pegs removed will make wet-exits easier.
The Xl-13 was my first WW boat and I stopped paddling it 20 years ago when I switched to decked canoes. Never had a problem wet exiting that boat with foot pegs and thigh straps engaged. The saddle is too high. If you cut it down below 6" then I would be concerned but not at the stock saddle height. It was my learner boat and I swam alot but not because of the boat. I have seen it on the Upper Yough running class V so it is the skill of the boater not the boat. I don't have any advice on outfitting suppliers. The options are very limited due to the decline in the number of boaters on the river since the 90's both kayak and canoe. Looking local is the best I can suggest because you will have an opportunity to meet actual paddlers who might be a resource down the line. There is nothing like playing the currents even on rivers you've done many times.
