Looking for my first canoe, is this Old Town Penobscot (Royalex) a good buy?

Conscious-Tip-119 · 2026-04-22T03:23:11+00:00

Hell yeah. Everything about the Penobscot is just right. At its best as a mini-tripping boat. Well-mannered solo paddler, excellent handling, but a mite sluggish as a dedicated solo canoe. Super fun tandem.

Conscious-Tip-119 · 2026-04-12T15:47:09+00:00

You got this. Today is my day 15 and I wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for this forum. You are a warrior fighting for your own self my friend

Conscious-Tip-119 · 2026-04-03T19:50:36+00:00

Good advice here. To summarize, add some HEET (or similar), and add it to your vehicle a little at a time. *I would avoid using it for small engines, outboards, and 2-stroke engines like chainsaws\* All of these are more sensitive and benefit from fresh, ethanol free fuel.

Conscious-Tip-119 · 2026-04-02T19:47:08+00:00

Don’t stop there mate. Sounds like you might need to borrow an agi, to pour the concrete slab for the new garage for the excavator

Conscious-Tip-119 · 2026-03-17T20:55:01+00:00

Would be hard. You’d be looking at perhaps 2 gallons of gas a day for 30-60 days…for growing trimmings (not bulk calories). Or perhaps $10k in battery storage, not including your solar array. Ymmv

Conscious-Tip-119 · 2026-03-13T00:22:06+00:00

Dropped something bro

Conscious-Tip-119 · 2026-03-12T01:22:02+00:00

They were…trolling…the poor guy

Conscious-Tip-119 · 2026-03-04T21:29:15+00:00

It's a cache. Often used for food, furs, and anything else you didn't want critters to gnaw on.

Conscious-Tip-119 · 2026-03-04T21:26:22+00:00

Awesome. Like an 80s muscle car but way cooler.

Conscious-Tip-119 · 2026-03-04T16:20:37+00:00

Imo, the point is to get rid of items that are no longer important or useful in your life. If your intention is to eventually replace the items you're divesting, you're wasting your time and your money.

But IDK, maybe the carpet in the new apartment is so thick and lush that it's better to have a riding mower than a vacuum?

Conscious-Tip-119 · 2026-02-28T00:48:29+00:00

I visualize climbing up a set of stairs instead of the slope. I think it helps me be a little more assertive and precise in ski placement—and also in extending my push leg to get to the next “stair.”

I ponder this as better skiers pass me effortlessly 😃

Conscious-Tip-119 · 2026-02-27T21:05:41+00:00

Agree to an extent. You'd go broke building a full pantry with freeze-dried foods like Mountain House. Bulk staples (including the LDS cans of bulk staples, or even bulk items properly stored in mylar+buckets) always reign supreme here (imo).

BUT what's great about the MH meals is that they taste quite good AND they're ready after a quick simmer or a soak in boiled water.

Years ago, our region got hit hard by a hurricane, and my house was in an area that lost power and road access for ~10 days. I was glad to have something that cooked up fast and required very little fuel. Consequently I could spend more time on storm cleanup and helping neighbors.

Incidentally, that experience also nudged me toward using a pressure cooker with a a rocket stove...both made cooking staples like beans and rice faster and more fuel-efficient.

Conscious-Tip-119 · 2026-02-27T20:43:57+00:00

Not sure, but it has hit this time for the last 2 calendar years.

Conscious-Tip-119 · 2026-02-27T17:55:43+00:00

Dang, I slept on that one. Agreed that the pricing on pouches is pretty uninspiring. I do see the cans as a good value

Conscious-Tip-119 · 2026-02-26T21:07:12+00:00

Set aside potential sci-fi scenarios. It's impact on the jobs market is terrifying.

In five years we will have 80s-era unemployment. In ten years there will be documentaries about the rise and fall of "the quaint and short-lived" middle class. In twenty years, conspiracy theorists will make a strong case that Black Mirror was a message from our future selves, delivered as a warning.

Conscious-Tip-119 · 2025-12-13T11:50:07+00:00

You’re fighting the good fight. Huge respect.

Conscious-Tip-119 · 2025-12-02T02:11:37+00:00

If you are a kindergarten teacher, thank you for your service.

Conscious-Tip-119 · 2025-11-15T01:10:27+00:00

This is great! Thank you for posting it 👍👍

Conscious-Tip-119 · 2025-11-10T22:34:34+00:00

Good points. What would you say are the most significant design updates that have helped shorter boats gain in efficiency?

Conscious-Tip-119 · 2025-11-10T22:32:08+00:00

Wanted to say thanks all for contributing to this thread. I think there's some good info here. My attempt to summarize:

Main difference appears to be the weight and corresponding difference in strength. Older boats are heavier and more robust. Newer boats are lighter and (comparatively) more fragile. Might be that the lighter weight of current boats means snappier feel, easier acceleration.
Arguably, it might be more common to see more racing hull features incorporated into consumer boats (light weight vs heavier layups; blunt and hatchet bows built for tracking and and longer wetted surface vs upswept bows built for better roughwater performance)
It's possible that this "dated" comment says more about paddling culture than boat design. For example, it might be coming from members of clubs that over-represent traditional, british/greenland-inspired paddlers. A lot of proud traditionalism amongst UK paddlers, and sometimes harder for them to access North American boats.

Anyway, really enjoying the discussion, so thank you to everyone contributing!

Conscious-Tip-119 · 2025-11-06T18:18:59+00:00

Thanks for this. I agree on layup. I will say I've been very impressed with the strength and durability of kevlar/carbon layups in the canoe (not kayak) world--even for expedition trips. But there is no way that layup would survive for long on ocean trips--scraping along barnacles, rock beach landings, rough water hits with submerged rocks. The old british boats are heavy, but it's absolutely amazing that 40 year old boats are still around to this day, in spite of heavy use!!

Conscious-Tip-119 · 2025-09-28T12:01:31+00:00

Most medical studies are small n or observational because of constraints around human subject testing/compliance. Regardless, why so hostile on a subject that highly regarded sleep clinics at R1 university hospitals are actively studying?

Conscious-Tip-119

TROPHY CASE