The Swift Adirondack Pack 12. A review & how I outfit it.
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- Опубліковано 2 сер 2024
- A demonstration and description of my new solo canoe - the Adirondack Pack 12 by Swift Canoe & Kayak - and how it performs and how I outfit it.
Link to the Swift Canoe & Kayak page about their pack boats:
www.swiftcanoe.com/pack-boat
This vid helps a prospective buyer understand the pros & cons of this canoe (but all solo canoes). Informative and brought up a number of considerations. Highly recommended.
Thanks so much for that generous comment.
Cheers,
- Martin
Great video. I have the Pack 13.6 with grinding pads front and rear, as it was a rental boat for 5 years before I bought it. Even with back issues, I can load and make short carries. Keep up the good work!
thanks for the detailed review and tips. I love the big smile at the end when you are paddling!
Thank you so much for this video. Very informative and gave me some added perspective. For instance, for a bailor bucket I've always gone with those emergency kits that double as a bailor bucket, and thought that anything so versatile should be people's #1 choice. However, you're setup just makes more sense from the perspective of access and storage for travel. In the end I love your way better.
Thanks so much for that feedback. I'm delighted you found the video helpful.
Happy paddling,
- Martin
Just an incredible detailed informative video Martin! Thanks for sharing your knowledge with us! Doug
It's my great pleasure. Thanks for the lovely comment.
Cheers,
- Martin
I just came back from a 3 day trip to Algonquin while using the 13.6 that i rented from Algonquin Outfitters. Absolutely loved it! It was a joy to carry at about 26lbs (+45lbs pack) i did a kilometer with no issues and it was really stable in high winds, no control problems.
I'm not surprised. The 13.6 is very popular. I test-paddled it three times myself before opting for the Pack 12. Both boats handle admirably on windy lakes.
Thanks for leaving a comment.
Cheers,
- Martin
@@PineMartyn That was not my experience; I love mine too, better than my Hornbeck Classic 12 but I was in bad weather when testing it and had not a good time at all; I lost control to the elements several times and was afraid for my life and freaked out several times before i could survive the situation safe on shore again; check the incident in my 17 minutes video here; ua-cam.com/video/sQOuJlgAz00/v-deo.html I cut the more grueling moments because I was frequently screaming in terror of being thrown on the water, not because i can not swim but because the temperature, conditions and solitude of the situation; i would have been a high risk of hypothermia with nobody to help out, not to mention losing the canoe, paddle and gear! -- That said, I am not an experience paddler and maybe my fears can be conquered if I get on bad weather again like this but with an experience paddle with me who can show me how to handle it when it turns against you; with someone there to help if necessary I would be more calm probably but my ordeal tells me no solo pack boat should be in the water when poor conditions exists; they are not meant for that! -- That is my experience so far, and yes, I will keep my boat and foresee lots of fun with it to come in the future in normal weather paddling adventures.
@@fireyourrocketts Ya I got freaked out too on an early wind/wave experience in this boat - but it was stolen before I knew whether the swamping fear was the boat or me. Judging from a few UA-cam videos which weren't around when I had this experience, I now think it was me..and am about to buy it again.
@@lisadale7605 Wow sorry to hear it was stolen, It is because of that possibility I am considering setting a GPS locator in mine for same reason, they are really expensive boats and one wants peace of mine. A GPS locator can be concealed in the boat and before a thieve knows it, you would be knocking at his door with the police. Surviving an ordeal with weather is something not many people talks about it, I expended a good 20 minutes talking with Joe Robinet about the subject but we only learn when we are right in the middle of the situation; the larger the boat, the better it handles rough weather but also tracking suffer and there is the weight penalty for portaging. I think a good way to overcome the fears of capsizing is to face bad weather with a friend close by, other adventurer or a group of people, alone it is scary no matter how many times experienced paddlers tell you it is ok and that the boat will keep you in! These Swift have a good balance between weigh, capacity and handling; I am overweight even for mine but it carries me better than the Hornbeck Classic 12, my total weight in the boat comes around 250 pounds, they are rated to 320 max capacity I believe; of course, the least weight you float in, the better the boat will track and handles.
@@fireyourrocketts thanks for the GPS tracker tip! However this was part of a pretty comprehensive property B & E. But will get a tracker for any new boat due to you.
Great video! Beautiful canoe, I love how you can carry it like it's a briefcase! I have an Old town guide 147, she's a great craft and basically indestructible, but she is a bit on the heavy side! I would love to get a canoe like yours one day, I gotta save my shekels!
Yes, that boat is blessedly light. Though I can easily carry it one-handed that way over short distances, I attach a homemade portage yoke for long distances.
Good luck with finding that light boat you are looking for.
Cheers,
- Martin
Hi Martin, great videos. Thanks for taking the time to help others.
Got my pack 13.6 this summer and it has been a blast, glad your enjoying yours sir.
Thanks. They are fun boats, for sure.
Cheers,
- Martin
Its been great to see so many videos this summer Martin! Hopefully there are some good Ontario autumn videos coming later this year. All the best.
Thanks! We have all kinds of content in the works for the autumn and winter. :-)
Cheers,
- Martin
Thanks for the video. I'm in a buying cycle and evaluating solo vs tandem that can solo. Your video was very helpful.
Quality review of an excellent boat. Well thought out, pros and cons, etc. thanks for the extra efforts. ~~Peace~~
Thanks for that kind comment. Glad you found it of some value.
Cheers,
- Martin
Great video! Lots of useful information packed in there.
Cheers!
-Chris
Thanks for taking the time to say so, Chris & Kim.
Cheers,
- Martin
Great review. You guys have a wonderful you tube site, keep up the good videos!
Thanks very much Jon; that's a pleasure to read. More content to come soon.
Cheers,
- Martin
Looking like a natural with that double bladed paddle, Martin! Big thumbs up.
Thanks. I have to say, it feels pretty natural now, but took some hours on the water for it to become so. I have to laugh when I look back at the clip of me paddling at the beginning of this video because I'm not, in that moment, doing a good job of using core rotation, and relying too much on my arms, but I think it still illustrated how how quickly and effortlessly the boat goes from a motionless state to a decent cruising pace.
Cheers,
- Martin
Nice boat. Me and my wife love our 13.6‘s. A real joy to paddle.
They are just a ton of fun to paddle, for sure, being light, fast, and maneuverable.
Happy paddling,
- Martin
Thanks for the review! I might go with the 13’6” just because I’m - 200 pounder.. I like to keep things as small as possible but I think I’d swamp it with me and my gear.. every outdoor channel I subscribed to recommends the swift brand.
I purchased a fishing kayak (AKA The Barge) years ago. At 70+ lbs I don’t like having to handle it. And since I trashed my back I don’t use it that often. I use it more for day trips now. I’ve looked at the 13.6 a few times, maybe time for an upgrade. Great review thanks.
I'm sorry to hear about your back. I too have back trouble (lingering sciatica, from a herniated disk over a year and a half ago). Heavy boats are really not for me. Prior to buying the solo boat in this video, I sold my 60 lb. tandem Prospector for a much lighter Swift Kipawa in Kevlar. I'm all for a lighter boat.
Give the 13.6 a test paddle, as it may be the boat for you. There is one caveat though, and that is in a pack boat one sits low with one's legs stretched out straight or slightly bent (as one does in a kayak), and some people with back injuries might find that unmanageable.
Cheers,
- Martin
Just a slight correction on kayak paddles.... there are two styles of using kayak paddles, one is low angle and one is high angle. Low angle uses longer paddles. High angle uses shorter. It isn't about being able to keep the kayaks (or canoes) in a straight line though, since the counter strokes offset the drift anyways. But which style is used more depends on the person and conditions. A low angle is seen more with recreational folks, but also in windy conditions since the paddle stays out of the wind (closer to the water with each stroke). A high angle is seen a lot with whitewater or other conditions that require a potentially deeper stroke, or is more aggressive. These however are not fast hardened rules, but just generally what is seen. The reason for a long or short paddle has nothing to do with water dripping into/onto the boat. That is why European kayak paddles have drip rings on them, and each person can position them to where they work best for their style of paddling, their height in comparison to the boat, and other factors. As many folks say, when kayaking, water is involved... you will get wet. That said, there is also the Greenland style kayak paddles and those are ANOTHER story. ;) Cheers!
That is all very good to know. Thanks for that correction.
Happy paddling,
- Martin
Thanks Martyn . Was looking for a lightweight canoes for the last 2 months and couldn't find a good reviews.
Thanks Roman,
I hope this was informative and helpful.
Good luck in your search.
Cheers,
- Martin
Hey my friend! Awesome video! Looks like an awesome piece of kit! Thanks so much for sharing!
Stay Blessed!
Thanks. Never thought solo canoeing could be this much fun. I hope you have a great autumn.
Cheers,
- Martin
Great review. Thank you.
Thanks. I hope you found it helpful.
Cheers,
- Martin
Excellent well presented review! When I bought our kayaks a few years back I swore I was done with canoes but those Pack Boats certainly are attractive to me. As I get a bit older lighter is better haha. Looking forward to your yoke and canoe dolly videos. Cheers, Wade
Thanks so much Wade. As an avid backcountry canoe-tripper, canoes are the vessel of choice for me (over kayaks), but a pack boat really is a best-of-both-worlds solution: the practicality of a canoe (for portaging and carrying capacity) and the ease of paddling and speed of a kayak.
The portage videos and canoe cart videos are already completed and will be published soon.
Cheers,
- Martin
Appreciate your comments and impressions of the Pack Boat 12. Scott down at Swift convinced me to go with the Keewaydin 15 over the 14 as I am over 200 lbs and would be able to handle extended trips/capacity with the 15. The gunwale is only .5" wider than yours but the tumble home gives me a full 29.5" for better primary stability with the higher canoe seat. I was inclined to go with the kayak seat but love my paddling too much so compromised. Think I should have gone with a 250 cm kayak paddle sitting even higher. The Canadian stroke with my canoe paddle at midship is very sharp and immediate compared to a traditional canoe.
Always bring both a canoe and kayak paddle and use gear ties to hold them down across the thwarts for portages and works well. Couldn't bring myself to pay $350 for carbon yoke plus taxes and shipping either. At 29 lbs this Kevlar Fusion is less than half the weight of my 16' Prospector so hard to beat though would have liked the 14' as I do feel the cross winds more than the shorter boats. It handles the waves beautifully. I'll be sure and open the flotation valves for winter this time lol.
On my last back country trip met a couple of paddlers coming back from their trip and they couldn't believe how far along I was from the boat launch already. I said it's easy with 2 paddles (kayak that is, and a Swift hybrid). Be sure and tie both ends of this canoe for the night, would probably sail through air like a kite for awhile!!
Great points all around there. You should consider doing a video review of the Keewaydin 15.
Cheers,
- Martin
I'm more of a radio guy than a video guy lol. Maybe next summer while out there in the back country. Was just thinking, a canoe route my sons and I have done numerous times usually takes us 4 hours with 2 paddlers. I did my last trip in 4 hours solo (carrying more pack weight than tandem) and that in stormy weather!? These Swifts live up to their name!
That's been my own experience. I recently did a solo canoe trip along a route my wife and I did together in our tandem boat. On the solo trip I had a headwind the whole way, and I still made better time in my solo Pack 12 than I did in our tandem boat. It's aptly named Swift, alright.
Cheers,
- Martin
i have a 13.6 pack boat from swift. i use the paddle as my yoke, i split it in half use pool noodles on the shafts of the paddle halfs and use 4 large gear ties to connect the paddle halves at four points on the cross beams of the boat works well
Great boat Martin! I have wanted one of those for a long time. Out of reach for now but I will be coming home with my canoe in 7 days. Cant wait. Great video. Did you do a DIY video on that yoke? I want to make one. My buddy thinks I am crazy to carry an 80lb canoe but I am stubborn as a mullein sure I can do it. I carried my 185lb drunk buddy home 3k on my shoulders after he fell down a ramp. I was 20 then but at 43 I think I can handle 80.lol
I did record the DIY yoke video and I'll be posting it in the next few days. In the meantime, I'd posted a little how-to on my canoe cart, in case you're interested.
I'll bet you can't wait to finally come home with your canoe! P'raps we'll paddle together someday.
Cheers,
- Martin
How is it like to get in and out of boat. Thanks for posting this.
Lots of information thnxs for sharing
Great lesson thanks
I'm considering buying a Swift Pack 12'6" from a shop here in the UK. Currently trying to decide between that, and a Swift Prospector 13. I worry that the Pack is a hybrid and neither one thing or the other, but maybe i shouldn't be so concerned with what the purists think! 😂
Very good description of the boat. I have been considering the 13.6, as I am starting to portage more, and may do some fishing as well. I really like my Delta 14.6, and travel at around 7-8 kph on long trips, so I am worried the pack boat might be slower? If I could be so bold as to suggest getting a better paddle, I had that same Aquabound and after upgrading to Werner Cyprus/Kaliste the old paddle might as well be a log. Thanks for all the information.
My sense is that neither the Pack13.6 (nor the 12) would be as fast as your Delta 14 kayak, for at least 2 reasons. First, a Pack boat will have a much higher profile at the bow than a kayak because it's an open boat, whereas a kayak hull has a closed deck to the bow doesn't need to ride up out of the water, and your Delta seems to have a narrower, dart-like front end, compared to a pack boat, which is comparably wider to accommodate back packs and other canoeing-tripping gear.
Thanks for the suggestion about the paddle. In fact, I began with a Werner Skagit paddle, but lost it (long story omitted). I then test paddled a very high-end Werner and the Aqua-Bound I now have, but actually preferred the Aqua-Bound. This may be owing to the fact that I'm new to double-bladed paddling and don't yet have the skill and efficiency built up to take advantage of what the pricier paddle has to offer, but so far, I am very pleased with how it performs.
Thanks for the comment and suggestion.
Cheers,
- Martin
Thanks for the extra info, and your paddle is not a bad paddle...it is an excellent all around paddle, where as the high end Werners are more specific to either high or low angle paddling styles.
Great video and review Martin. Very thorough! One other thing about it being light. Be careful loading it on top of your car on windy days. It can fly off easily if you take your hand of it before lashing it down. Love your paddle tether.......great idea. I'm curious if the adjustable straps on your seat open up wide enough so the backrest leans on the back thwart?
Thanks Kelly. To hear it was a thorough video from you means quite a lot, given your tripping experience with the Pack 13.6.
You're right, I should have mentioned that the Swift pack boats are so light that one has to exercise caution when resting them atop one's car for car-topping. A sudden gust could easily knock it off before one has begun tying it down.
With respect to the seat straps allowing the backrest to lean back on the rear thwart, I don't think so. The rear thwart is close behind the backrest in the Pack 12, but not that close. I will double-check to make sure and get back to you.
Thanks for the comment, suggestion, and question. I look forward to your future video content.
Cheers,
- Martin
Thanks great information.
You're welcome. Glad you found it useful.
- Martin
gosh, I would really love one of those, thanks. I've always wanted a solo canoe as well. If you were paddling it beside a traditional canoe with two people paddling. Both putting out the same effort roughly. Which boat would be moving faster ? The solo boat or the canoe with two people paddling ? thanks
I can't rightly say, as I have not attempted it in a controlled comparison, but I routinely overtake people paddling in tandem boats. But I don't know if we tried to race, what the outcome would be. I'm inclined to think the solo packboat would win out against a tandem prospector, for instance (but again, I could be wrong). There are tandem boats though which are sleek, light, and faster than something like a prospector style tandem boat. My Swift Kipawa tandem boat, for instance is quite a lot faster than my prospector was. I may have to put this to the test soon. Thanks for the suggestion.
Cheers,
- Martin
Spends money where it's important and saves money when he can! I was thinking of getting a longer canoe (13.6 - 14.8) but think this might be more than enough
I would test paddle various sizes, as I did, before making up your mind which size to get. Much depends on your own size and weight and the amount of gear you like to bring on day trips and camping trip. It took me a long time to decide between the Pack 12 and the Pack 13.6, even after test-paddling both. I'm about 150lbs, so even with my camping gear and a week or two of food, I had plenty of freeboard in the Pack 12. Because I like to explore lots of narrow, winding creeks, the shorter boat was the better choice for me.
I hope you get to try them out soon.
Best wishes to you,
- Martin
I thought I would go with the 12 footer but tested it in Madison (Rutabaga water sports) and it felt really small, and I’m 5’ 10” and 150 lbs. Got the 13.6 and glad I did!
@@zootycoon246 That's good news, I ordered the 13.6
What is the thickness of the throw rope you are using. I also have the Pack 12 but an older model , 2013 or 2014. Very nice boat.
I'm curious about how you transport on your vehicle. Do you tie down just to your car's crossbars, and is there places on bow/stern that you can fasten a cord to the front/rear of your car? I didn't see any in this video. Thanks.
Steve I have the Thule Portage Canoe Carrier 819 holders that secure to the cross bars, I tie the boat with 2 12 footers MSR lines which are rubber coated on the tie mechanism to protect the hull no matter how much pressure you apply and the bow to hood hooks on the side of the van; I do not tie it down on the rear at all because the pressure you tie it down with just the two MSR lines is so great and secure that it is obviously not needed in my opinion, unless you would intent to drive into a Hurricane weather condition! I drove from Madison Wisconsin where I bought the canoe at Canoecopia recently back to Las Vegas, most of the time doing 10-12 miles over limit; there were long driving sections at constant speeds of almost 90, I never go over 90 in my van even if the limit is 80 but many times the highway speed was between 75 and 85-87, with crosswind and all sort of weather. The canoe did not moved an inch in the roof; that is how securely you attach it to the vehicle; it just goes nowhere. I may even make a video someday about how to do it you gave me a good idea to show others how safely this method is. I would think it is the same if you use canoe pads and the ties but I have not tested it that way. The Thule system I use I bought for $130.00 in Amazon; it just attaches to the van crossbars keeping the boat securely in place. Although I am short and use a step ladder to get the canoe in the roof of my van and out, the Swift ADK Pack 13.6 is very easy to load single handed as it only wights 27 pounds (mine, you can find it sightly lighter or heavier, depending on your options) Hope that helps.
Really nice! -- QUESTION -- Like that hat that you are wearing. What made and model it it?? Can you say where you got it and how much it was? Looks just perfect..
It's a Tilley hat. They have many models and styles to choose from. I found mine in a secondhand shop.
Cheers!
- Martin
I can't decide between the swift pack or solo canoe. Have you ever fished out of both? I would think fishing out of the solo canoe would be better (seat a little higher up). Also how long does the pack seat take to dry out? I would hate seating down on that when it gets wet and stays wet.
Fantastic expose PineMartyn , I wonder if you could name the others that you tried , it might help with my choosing a model.
There were several solo boats which I test-paddled this spring - some of them repeatedly in various weather conditions, loaded and unloaded.
I had the pleasure of trying out two different skin-on-frame solo boats by Backcountry Custom Canoes during a demo day last April. Each boat is custom-built by the owner (Jon Babulic) of Backcountry Custom Canoes, based on each person's needs and uses for the boat. I test-paddled the Brookie and Aurora models, both of which handled really well and are very light and surprisingly tough. Unfortunately, it was bitterly cold and windy that morning and it was a late thaw this last spring so the water was icy cold with still some crusts of ice at the shore, so I could not be very thorough in my test-paddling for fear that a clumsy move could tip me into the icy water. I came close to buying one, but wanted to test-paddle them again in milder conditions and with a loaded boat. Sadly, I wasn't able to get back south, that spring so never got to try them again.
Closer to home (Muskoka), I tried several models by Swift repeatedly in various conditions, both loaded and unloaded. First, a 15' Keewaydin. It was sleek, fast, and light, but way bigger than I needed. It tracked very straight, but too long for the narrow twisting channels I like to explore. I tried their new 14' solo Prospector. It's a good tripping boat, but longer than I wanted and much slower than I wanted, though it sure holds a lot of gear. I tried the Adirondack Pack 13' 6" and it was fast and had everything I wanted, but the Pack 12 had the advantage of being a little shorter (for negotiating tighter turns) and climbing waves rather than plunging through them on those very windy, rough days, and it was a little lighter. If I were a bigger person or had heavier tripping gear, I'd have gone for the 13.6, but the Pack 12 has proven perfect for me and what I want in a solo boat.
Hope this helps,
Martin
Thank you for your clear response. I have a Nova Craft 16 Prospector in Tuff Stuff, It is all anyone could want , but I, like yourself do mostly solo boating so I am looking to go your way and sell or trade the Prospector. The names you mentioned are high on my list , so I will keep analysing and will eventually get to the right decision. You are smart to do all the testing you did to arrive at your purchase. Thank you and enjoy.
I too owned a Nova Craft 16 Prospector until just this past spring. Mine was made of Royalite (a lighter layup of Royalex), but still weighed in at a hefty 60 lbs. It was a very tough boat and the scratches and scars on her hull were testimony to my lousy white water skills. lol It was a terrific workhorse of a tripping boat, being virtually indestructible, no matter how badly we abused it on our canoe trips. But I eventually bought a much lighter kevlar tandem boat - The Swift Kipawa - for greater ease of paddling and portaging and eventually sold the Prospector.
What angle/offset do you find works best on your kayak paddle to avoid the twisting of your wrists?
The offset will differ from one paddling situation to another and from person to person. In my own case, because this is a pack boat and not a kayak, the angle of the shaft is low because this boat requires a long paddle which one uses in a more leisurely, horizontal touring style of paddling, as opposed to a more vertical movement in a kayak. As such my wrists don't wrote as much as they would if I were in a kayak using a narrower grip and a more vertical paddling style. So, my offset is usually set to just 15 degrees, but sometimes as much as 30 degrees.
Hope this helps,
- Martin
All great points! I guess it really is based on personal preference and what you’re paddling. Thanks for your input, good to know.
I'm in hopes to get my canoe rigged out with a set of oars. Its a Swift Prospector 15
I have test paddled Swift's Prospector 14. It's a nice boat, though not nearly as easy to handle in winds (obviously) and not as fast as a pack boat. I have done head-to-head speed tests, so can confirm that. I have not tried the 15'.
Cheers,
- Martin
PineMartyn I use it solo and tandem, I also enjoy standing and poling very handy in shallow waters. We are so lucky to have such a wide variety of boats available that fit many needs.
Can you tell me what size screws you need for making a homemade yoke? Appreciate it thanks
That would depend on the thickness of the two pieces of wood you are screwing together. The one's I used were about an inch and a quarter long. Remember to use some wood glue, in case a screw should fail.
Cheers,
- Martin
So what speed can you maintain for hours? I ended up moving to a packraft since I go solo and am too old to carry a heavy boat. But I didn't know about these. In my longer packraft I can do about 4 km/h for a couple hours (before I need to get out and stretch). It's actually a bit faster and holds a line better when I load my pack on the front compared to when it's just me. Lengthens the waterline a bit (It's only a bit over 9 ft long)
That's a very good question. I have not yet measured my speed over a long distance, but that's an experiment I intend to undertake.
What sort of packraft do you have? I have considered a packraft myself as I sometimes come across remote lakes accessible only by bushwacking off-trail through forest and wish I had an inflatable boat to backpack in and paddle.
Cheers,
- Martin
I bought an Alpacka Dinali llama about 4 years ago (from their surplus bin on line when they made some minor changes and were selling off last year's models a bit cheaper) and used that for a couple years. Then I thought I'd get a second one so I could take someone along sometimes. This time I went to the surplus bin and got what I think was the last fjord explorer they ever sold. A bit longer and a lb heavier at 6 lbs. I use that one when on my own, but I've gone packraft camping with my son and 6 year old grandson. They take the longer one and I take the llama.
I recently heard of a lake nearby that is stocked with rainbow trout that you need to hike into for an hour or so, so I've thought about that as an outing.
Neither raft shows any sign of use at all and I've not had to do any repairs.
Also, I'm an apartment dweller so these are much easier to store in my space and in the trunk of my car.
Unfortunately, in this mini trade war we're having with the americans right now, I think we've added a 10% duty to american inflatable boats coming into Canada.
Thanks for the info. I am certainly keeping my eyes open for a packraft.
Cheers,
- Martin
I have been drooling over this boat for some time.I am in Illinois, state side.Is there a place that sells them close by? Or do I need to go to Canada?
Connie waite. They are a special order canoe . I am not sure if they are available in the States. They are expensive but the lightest canoe you ever lifted, easy to move around and portage. If you cross the border at Niagara Falls you are about 3.5 hours to the closest store in Gravenhurst , Ontario on Hwy 11 . I would suggest though you get it at the Algonquin Outfitters at Oxtonge lake . They let you test paddle any canoe there. You are only minutes from Algonquin Park , which is paddling Heaven
I know that Swift Canoe and Kayak have some distributors who sell them in the USA, and I know that Swift also take entire trailer loads of boats down to various paddling shows and events in the USA to show to prospective buyers. My suggestion would be to contact Swift by going to their website and ask them directly if they have a vendor in your area and if they are bringing boats for demos and test: paddling close to where you live.
Cheers,
- Martin
Thank you!
Hi just wondering how tall you are and if you think someone over 6 feet would fit ok in the 12 foot version. Thanks.
Great question. I'm 5'10", but slender. The Pack 12 is certainly long enough for a taller paddler. I could easily paddle it if I were 6'3", as the foot braces easily extend that far and there's no loss of carrying space. However, taller people tend to be heavier, so it's more a function of weight rather than length. It's also worth noting that both the Pack 12 and Pack 13.6 are very narrow boats, so better suited to people who are not too wide around the middle. On that note, Swift does have other solo boats that are ideal for very large people, including the Keewaydin 15' and the Prospector 14'.
Thanks for the question,
- Martin
Thanks for the info! I'm pretty slim so a narrow boat wouldn;t be a problem.
You didn't take on excessive water over waves? I wish someone would video use of this boat in waves..mine was stolen before I could even get used to it and was unnerved my first experience with wind & waves with it..maybe just needed getting used to it?
I routinely take myPack 12 out into a big windy lake right near where I live. I too was unnerved the first couple of times in big waves, but I quickly learned that it's a stable ride because of the low, low center of gravity. Furthermore, the 12' model climbs and then rides down the waves much like a prospector would because she is so short but the bow flares enough to prevent it from knifing into the waves which is what tends to cause a boat to ship water into it. I noticed the 13' 6" model tended to pierce the waves and took on board more splash water as a result. This difference is one of the reasons I favour the 12 over the longer model. In fact, I love the roller coaster feeling when I head out into waves and white caps. Another advantage of the shorter model is that it's easier to change course and turn around in waves. Longer boats take longer to turn around, leaving you vulnerable longer to being broadsides when turning around.
I will try to get some video of myself paddling in big waves in a future video.
I'm very sorry your boat was taken.
Best wishes to you with your next boat!
- Martin
CANADA? You have a video on what you pack for the lite boat?
If you mean what sort of camping gear I bring, no I don't have such a video, but I am thinking of making one that shows what I bring and how I pack for a solo canoe trip.
Cheers,
- Martin
Very nice ! I have a Placidboatworks carbon/Kevlar canoe. 15 ‘ and the weight is 22lbs. Just a joy to paddle and carry. Tracks great ! Actually it tracks better with a bunch of gear in it. These boats are fabulous. Kayak hulls with the open top. Much more efficient when camping and paddling than a kayak. Also much easier to get in and out of. Congratulations on the boat ! I will Be up in Vermont this coming weekend with a great friend camping and paddling ! Cheers !🏕
Seriously...if you're in my neck of the woods someday, we must meet up and enjoy a paddle.
Cheers friend,
- Martin
PineMartyn Sounds like a great idea ! Cheers !
Hay, Martin; Great Can-U Easily glides along without a sound Q= Where is the coffee ! Ha ! Be Well, Friend
Terry, I actually enjoy bringing along a thermos of coffee on my morning paddles. Doesn't get much better than paddling with hot coffee on a cool morning.
Cheers,
- Martin
I suggest paddling with straighter arms.
how wide is it?
She has a beam of 26.5 inches. The newer model are slightly narrower.
All about the things, little about performance.
sound not loud enough, can't hear him
Fair criticism. I'm looking for an affordable wireless mic to avoid this problem.
Cheers,
- Martin
Go buy a kayak. A canoeist doesn't use a double blade paddle.
LOL, always someone in the crowd wanting to stir up some muddy water.