Solus
what got me to pull the trigger so fast is thus.
I own and like kayaks. Their seaworthiness in rough water is something canoes can't compete with IMO. There are a few substantial drawbacks for me however. My rear starts hurting after half a day in one and I dislike the carrying capacity.....limited. That and they're not especially portage friendly. But I love the glide man.

So when I became interested in paddling the glades lots of factors went through my head. Big surf on the outside, nasty oyster bars, the super swift new and full moon tides, carrying capacity (water!!), stability to load and unload gear etc. I have spoken to several people who run carbon fiber boats with spray covers with good results but my heart wasn't in it. Besides I detest the thought of dragging my boat back and forth from Fl to MI every year.....hassle city with everything else I'm already pulling.

The biggest difference I can see with this boat as compared to the loon is size. Supposedly this boat can stuff a full sized deer in the hull with room to spare. A nice option should a man want to do a 10 day trip. I also suspect this vessel can handle considerably bigger water than the loon. That broadens paddling prospects considerably. While I may never be able to paddle South Island (tasmanian sea.....New Zealand) I might be able to swing a trip around Isle Royale. That was just fantasy land in the not so distant past. How cool would that be!     

The boat is in the works. I'll pick it up sometime this summer. Nightly "husband school" training sessions are also commencing. First 1/2 hour session was last night. Sort of fun actually Nice little break from the night shift.

One of the guys on the Everglades Exploration Network (who provided the blasted link in the first place) sent me a PM with a pic of the boat rigged as a catamaran. What a hoot that would be! He wants to paddle it when I get it in.

After I get this thing wired in the Ten Thousand Islands we should have a QJ rendezvous in sunny south florida. Come one come all sort of thing. Could be fun. I'll introduce you to some of my finny friends. You will like them .

Life is good....Thank you Lord!

marlin55388 wrote on Jan 19^th, 2011 at 7:41pm:


Your a camera guy. Check out some of these photos a guy took on a trip from the everglades and the ten thousand islands. He's a paddler out of Colorado. I might have to get some telephoto lenses for my SLR and get a pelican case .
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I bet I would probably not want to come home except for the paddle season up here ...one lens MT one lens...And then a boat, or rather a spray cover. Your dangerous

Bad self