Some thoughts on using the latest solo/tandem pedal drive canoe prototype in solo mode: I love paddling/pedaling this boat! I was afraid that the pedal drive would steal some of the magic of normal canoeing, but it turns out that it’s just a different flavor of addictive. With no paddle tipping in the water it’s super quiet, and using the largest muscles in your body, speed is trivially easy to maintain.
Weaving through narrow channels with the rudder takes more knack than you’d think and it’s fun to use the the canoe paddle at the same time for extra tight maneuvers.
Just like I mentioned a few days ago, the solo tandem compromise makes this a little small for a tandem, it’s also a little too big for a solo! This is just the nature of compromise boats, and that’s why I normally don’t build them! The solo tandem compromise also causes it to trim a little bit stern heavy. Personally, I’m OK with that because it’s not hard to add a little weight upfront when needed. I am going to need to add a slightly bigger rudder, however, to keep it under control in the wind. Most of these issues would disappear just building this as a properly sized solo canoe.
Right now we are working hard to create plans and videos for how to build this, and we will probably release it as an add-on to our normal canoe building course.
Video taken with the @skydiohq drone, song is A fool in Chains by Headlund.
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