So, will one of these Millbrook boats work for my trip?

[Oci-One Kanubi]

Check out the Hemlock Canoe Works SRT. Dave Curtis is a master of composite construction and the canoe's designer knows a bit about moving/whitewater hull dimensions as well.

Thanks, Kevin. I am an admirer of Harold Deal, his paddling,a and his designs.

Why d'you s'pose it is that Hemlock, Bell, Wenonah, and Sawyer all seem to be 50% or 60% more expensive than Millbrook? Is it the materials?

Price aside, I'd rather support Kazimierczck or Deal with my business, then maybe Bell (since they've started making great whitewater boats).

[Oci-One Kanubi]

Of course, I see that you only have .6 miles of portage on the Potomac listed -- and that at Difficult Run. I'd assume you're not planning to attain Great Falls (or even Little Falls in a loaded boat)? I'd imagine the stretch from Little Falls to Brookmont Dam wouldn't exactly be a picnic. And it's not like attaining Wet Bottom or O-Deck is exactly easy. Man, you've got your work cut out for you!

In the itinerary I posted, each line is "From" (a point), "To" (a point), "paddling miles" (to the second point), "portage miles" (FROM the second point to the first point on the next line), then "cumulative miles".

So that 0.6 is from Fisherman's Eddy (behind Rocky Island) to the top of Great Falls. I am expecting to line the boat up Little Falls and the Little Falls Dam (and probably those two surfable wave trains between the two). I've attained Difficult Run and the Gorge in a whitewater boat so I should be able to do it in a fast cruiser. I might have to line White Horse, but I've attained most of the Needles in the past, and then there's nothing before the Mouth of the Savage except a few dams.

But yeh; it'll be work! I'd hope to get to the Eastern Continental divide before the end of January and to the Mississippi by the end of February. I'm told the Mississippi is attainable, but I won't be too shocked or disappointed if I have to get from Cairo Point to St. Louis towing the boat behind my folding bicyclce. Then the real grind will begin -- uip the Missouri and the Madison.

The only real obstacles I see are (1) my possible inability to tolerate the cold for the first three months or so (though I assure you I will accept any and all hospitality that I am offered along the way!), and (2) possibly dry river beds on the Madison, Henry's Fork, and Snake in late summer/early fall.

[TommyC1]

I just did a 4 day trip across 4 lakes in Maine including a 3 mile cart portage up along the Rapid River in my Osprey. It attains well and I have poled it a bit though I don't think it's an ideal poling boat. It's a great boat but I think it might be a bit small when you add the folding bike and long provisions. The Shearwater is a similar design but larger. I have not paddled that so I can only speak of its reputation. The Hemlock SRT is about the same size as the Osprey and IMO does not attain as easily.
If you expect to do a fair bit of poling ask Kaz about his Ed Hayden boats the Souhegan and Coho. One of those might do the trick.

~Tommy

[ezwater]

Oci, do you have "fear of flying"?

[Oci-One Kanubi]

Oci, do you have "fear of flying"?

No.

[jim gross]

richardo never mind that man behind the curtain. pay no attantion to him

[Oci-One Kanubi]

OK, so I kept working until I was 70, so now that dream is out the window.

It was a good route, though. A good plan. Unfortunately age overtook me.

[Roy]

Your trip is kind of a mini-Kruger trip. He logged several tens-of-thousands of miles. I suspect he had plenty of time to think about what would make the ultimate tripping boat.

The Kruger design was molded by several companies. They are partly-decked 17' canoes which are generally paddled with a bent-shat canoe paddle. They have reasonably-low ends to avoid the sail-area problem associated with most canoes on flatwater...they also have retractable rudders. They can be poled and run downwind with a small sail.

Here are his boats:

https://www.krugercanoes.com/Welcome.html

Here is his story describing his first trip (28,000 miles):

https://www.amazon.com/Ultimate-Canoe-C ... way&sr=8-2

Roy

[wildwaterc2]

Look for a used Mad River Monarch - you are welcome to try mine out. If I (sadly) could only have one boat that would be it. It is very similar to the Kruger Sea Wind - it is the Gen 2 hull, and more like the Sea Wind hull than the Gen 1 Sawyer Loon.

Fast, forgiving, carrries a big load, integrated portaging yoke, rudder for windy stretches. I’ve paddled mine in the ocean with surf launches and down 2-3 whitewater, but mainly on calm water.

Mine was about $ 1000 used. A great value compared to the Sea Wind which sells at far higher cost.

A Loon is probably viable too but the stern has a lot less volume than the Monarch.