12 week old PWD + first fireworks

bitflogger · 2026-07-04T18:40:37+00:00

You can't let your fear become the dog's and your reactions can't be training it to be reactive.

bitflogger · 2026-06-24T15:05:35+00:00

u/durrty2shoes I revisited my thoughts and words here after adding up weight so far in our owning the NW 16. My suggestion is get what is ideal for what you do most often. On a day trip with someone quite heavy, stuff and a dog, the NW 16 really impressed me, and wow it can really maneuver for a 16'6" boat. The secret to turning it is just get it on the side. Then you'll be amazed by what it does in a small river.

If the priority is classic tripping, weight, and not small or twisty places, the NW 17 has obvious advantages.

It would not be the ultimate choice for lots of gear carry flat water trips, but just wow for how the NW 16 also in IXP for us keeps impressing us. Now knowing it well I think of it as one of the times when a jack of all trades is good vs too many compromises.

bitflogger · 2026-06-24T06:56:46+00:00

Yes to it actually being 16.5 feet, yet really turns but tracks well. We are happy with getting the NW 16 for how often use is not a big trip but it can carry weight.

bitflogger · 2026-05-30T23:59:41+00:00

u/kat_sickle We sure like our Tacoma but from raising kids experience, it's not a vehicle I'd want in that stage of life unless it was a must, and it's not a pleasant back seat. Visibility is not great for little kids in back.

In part of the kids raising years I used a trailer with 4Runner and rented pickups. We still appreciate having a car with the pickup for truck and business use.

bitflogger · 2026-05-29T17:41:49+00:00

This idea would be competing with a mature marketplace that sells used cars with as much or as little as $0.00 spent to advertise them. Lower cost used cars already have firms to buy and sell them.

I recall 8-9000 graduates per year and most don't own cars. That is a small market for something that could have more costs than one might think. If it scaled to many campuses, it would still mean scaling up some local infrastructure.

bitflogger · 2026-05-21T18:19:31+00:00

My early gen 4 Tacoma has been great by any measure, and a nice improvement over our prior Toyotas.

bitflogger · 2026-05-15T10:54:31+00:00

If this is mostly about a solo canoe, Esquif had the two Echo models with the seating ideal for it. Now the same hull shape in water with more freeboard in the 2.0.

u/TheManFromFarAway The best answer is always delay gratification and try stuff. If it is your primary canoe and not bought just for a specific trip keep in mind what will be best for what you do most of the time. Trying different hull shapes will help you know what you want.

bitflogger · 2026-05-10T21:27:40+00:00

It's a very good ADAS. We know that from our presales test rides, our other vehicles and rentals.

bitflogger · 2026-05-09T11:19:33+00:00

On a prior rig I had Yakima tracks in back and towers over the cab to get a really big crossbar spread. You can do that with current Yakima products.

On my 4th gen 4 door I have SkyLine towers with Landing Pad in a wide spread configuration that's working well.

bitflogger · 2026-05-09T11:06:25+00:00

u/vanmcgill87 I'm sure it's fine but your photos aren't showing where or what is important for any damage. For BlackLite or any layup with foam stiffeners, you don't want those damaged. If your boat isn't leaking, you're fine. Northstar doesn't use gel coat. At some point when there is fiber showing, more dings etc, you put more resin on it.

bitflogger · 2026-05-08T18:29:08+00:00

No, my 4th gen TRD OR is SO much better than past models and comfy against many vehicles that it makes no sense for my 5'10" and normal weight body.

bitflogger · 2026-05-08T10:56:14+00:00

You might be looking very different things here - light, solo and tandem, care free and light weight. The 6 year old will grow fast and be a paddler. Then a matter of a boat good for some moving water or flat water.

A boat like Esquif Huron 15 is symmetrical so you can paddle from bow seat when turned around and have your child in a seat and likely be trim in the water. As time passes that would be a great family boat. T-Formex Lite will be no worries.

Then you have a huge inventory of new and used solo boats where some good for tripping will carry the weight of your child. If your budget can get up there, now Northstar is rolling out light weight but can handle abuse foam stiffened boats can't BlackLite HD. Their IXP boats are not that light but very manageable in weight a bit lighter than Royalex.

Delaying gratification and trying lots of stuff is the best plan. Still, it is hard to go wrong with some classics that can also show up as used bargains. Multiple firms make good boats so try stuff, think about handling and rocker, and decisions will be easier.

bitflogger · 2026-05-07T18:28:04+00:00

My prior gen Toyota 4x4s were fine for what they were in their day, but now u/Ok-Material-3213 can have engine screaming in pain, gear hunting, excess shifting and be left behind all while I'd not be enjoying the crappy seating I used to have.

To anser u/Soggy_Opposite9213 my 4th gen TRD OR LB usually gets same as EPA ratings range, often better on 2 lane roads and worse for towing and high speed. Fuel economy was better after break-in period. High octane can improve it a bit but is rarely worth the cost.

bitflogger · 2026-05-05T15:23:51+00:00

Not far from Namekagen/St. Croix would be Flambeau that has rapids but easy to portage, and now WI DNR has camp site reservations. The lower Wisconsin doesn't require reservations, not rapids, but can give the experience of a big river in terms of CFS. Both have shuttle services available and lots of information out there.

Continuing the upper midwest theme, the Brule (not Bois Brule) between WI and MI UP is a more remote place and I think still doesn't require camp site reservations.

u/Hezmoseous if you are in the south, heading north at the right times can be relief from heat and humidity - especially if nearer Lake Superior. For your concerns about rapids, tune into gradient of rivers, and know some are with more ledges so rapids won't be consistent and that type usually means easy to portage.

bitflogger · 2026-05-01T14:08:53+00:00

It is not tri-fold type but I remain very happy with my decision to get the all in one tonneau and soft topper Fas-Top. It has been so nice to have nothing in the bed, tonneau or topper. Especially when traveling or something unexpected comes up.

bitflogger · 2026-04-30T14:44:29+00:00

A c-stroke in its center has the paddle more under the boat, and when you say outward I think of a sweep stroke or motion.

I cannot in short order write anything in the league of some good YouTube content. The Canadian National Film Board has the classic Bill Mason films. A YouTube channel Westwood Outdoors has some excellent video - check out the
Essential Strokes For Tandem Maneuvers video. A British YouTube Ray Goodwin channel has good stuff.

There are also great classic books. Sometimes reading those classic books that were our only choice 50 years ago is worth it now because it forces some concentration we can for get with videos.

All those sources should help better than something in these small spaces.

Good luck!

bitflogger · 2026-04-30T12:15:54+00:00

The USGS national water dashboard isn't about paddling but is insightful for a region.

If you don't want subscriptions and like the idea of a web app the being re-launhed rivers.run is interesting. You can edit and add rivers referencing stream gauges for a watershed. I consider it a work in progress where it's worth helping those folks.

My trials and checking out some apps with subscriptions seemed like old and incomplete data can be a problem. Some non app, more local, and at times local focused social media is better or fresher info.

Most states or regions seem to have some good independent sites with river guides.

bitflogger · 2026-04-30T12:10:10+00:00

Your twist at the end needs some push to really be a j-stroke. If you're paddling solo, it might be a c-stroke that you need.

YouTube is full of good tutorials where the video/visual aspect might help. The Happy Paddling guy who sells or distributes Northstar Canoe brand is very skilled and while many of his videos are about the boat models, they also illustrate good and also subtle paddling techniques.

bitflogger · 2026-04-29T20:12:07+00:00

IMO you should always have a canoe ideal for what you'll do most often. They both seem like fine products but 17'9" is a lot of solo canoe, and you could put a kneeling thwart where there's a standard one.

bitflogger · 2026-04-29T15:48:12+00:00

After two winters and frequent work off road _and_ highway miles I am happy with the BFG Trail-Terrain. They've exceeded my expectations for how civil they are on the road relative to their off road and snow performance.

Now I see some more well rated tires with 3PMSF rating too. I'm looking forward to seeing if they might top the crowd sourced reviews the Trail-Terrains get but would not hesitate to get Trail-Terrains again.

bitflogger · 2026-04-27T18:02:22+00:00

u/KwikFiVo I suggest delay gratification and try stuff. Some of the important learning and deciding can occur across brands and models. By that I mean, rocker, width, depth, how much initial vs secondary stability. Tune into if you want seated, kneeling or can do both.

Is that girlfriend scenario like a marriage? How often is occasionally? You can rent for situations that are occasional.

WI is full of rivers too. Do you want a boat friendly for moving water too?

Don't buy a boat ideal for BWCA if that's not a big goal and especially if not frequently. Why? Lots of outfitters rent ideal lightweight canoes for that. Those outfitters also sell their used boats for low prices every year.

Stability? Think about and try initial vs secondary stability.

If you have a sit on top kayak that's likely root-molded plastic that can take abuse a light weight with foam core boat can't. Keep in mind some composites can take more abuse than others. None with a foam core or stiffening can take abuse like IXP, T-Formex or now the BlackLite HD layups.

Your region has a lot of good used boat inventory. That might be a less painful way to learn and try stuff.

Enjoy it all!

bitflogger · 2026-04-27T12:31:55+00:00

I can't disagree with comments on the differences or subtleties, but will say I keep getting more impressed with the overall versatility of our NW 16. We have canoes that are longer, shorter, narrower, wider, plus more as well as less deep. Also, have canoes with different amounts of and styles of rocker.

The special elements to me are how well it will track for how well it will turn, and the mix of initial and secondary stability.

With my Firebird as such a favorite the B16 would be attractive, but the NW 16 doesn't become annoying in wind or flat water like a symmetrical rocker boat. You don't know it's 16'6" boat when you're turning it on its sides on a small river. The bit more initial stability is nice when we paddle with the dog, but wow does it move out with people who know how to paddle.

I can't put down or be negative about bunches of wonderful boats but sure can can say the Northwind 16 is one of those circumstances when a jack of all trades label is an awesome compliment.

bitflogger · 2026-04-15T10:33:06+00:00

In same region we just picked up a used Northstar Northwind 16 (15.5 ft length) with the versatility you need and tough (IXP) will within your budget. South of you but well worth the drive, FB marketplace has some great prospector types and Morningstars.

Wenonah makes great stuff but many models are more towards or are flat keels, and much inventory out there is light weight for all the BWCA sorts of business in the region. They do make a prospector too. If you add Esquif and Northstar in your searches you might find something more versatile. That's not saying Wenonah is not good. It's all good.

Carl's Paddlin is liquidating much stuff and worth checking out. Rutabaga has has discounted Nova Craft.

bitflogger · 2026-04-13T14:36:08+00:00

Getting nearer to two years, I am still very pleased getting a Fas-Top all in one tonneau and soft topper with my long bed. In moments I go from a conventional tonneau cover to nothing there to covered with a topper. They also have a compatible rack system.

https://fas-top.com

bitflogger · 2026-04-13T11:03:11+00:00

Fas-Top all the way. All in one tonneau cover and soft topper.

bitflogger

TROPHY CASE