provide added hull protection. Keelless canoes turn more quickly but don’t track as well. Beginners, fisherman and families with children like the user- friendly feel of keels. Experienced and whitewater paddlers tend to prefer the manoeuvrability a keelless canoe provides. Generally speaking, as the user
skills increase, the need for a keel decreases – vee-hull canoes are keelless, but a good paddler can make one bite the water much like a keeled boat. Canoe stem shape: The profile
of the bow or stern as seen from the side is called the stem. There
22 ottawaoutdoors
are three basic stem shapes: plumb (vertical), raked (slanted) or re-curved. Each shape has its own advantages. A plumb design maximizes hull speed. A raked stem provides more volume in the ends for drier handling in waves. A re-curved stem has a traditional look and turns quicker. Carrying capacity: This is the
weight of people and gear a ca- noe can hold while still providing optimum performance and retain- ing at least six inches of freeboard for safety. Unfortunately, most manufacturers vastly overstate capacity by listing weights
hundreds of pounds too high. So, TEST-paddle first and determine which canoe meets your capacity needs. There’s no such thing as a
perfect canoe, but by now you have figured out that a canoe de- signed to excel in one area must compromise its performance in another. Happy shopping! «oo
~ Larry and Christine Showler are
lifelong paddlers with boats for sale from their Frontenac Outfitters Canoe & Kayak Centre.
www.ottawaoutdoors.ca
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