I tentatively have my first solo trip planned for late May, having done all my tandem tripping in June and September where dangerously cold water was not the concern it will be for me in May. All of my tripping has been done in "lively" Wenonah tandem canoes, but even so, I have never capsized or felt in danger of capsizing, even in rough conditions.

My May trip will be the first time ever I will sit in and paddle a true solo canoe, as I plan on renting a Wenonah Encounter, given I'm a rather large paddler at 6'3", 260. The combination of cold water and first time in a solo boat has got me wondering about the possibility of capsizing. Of course I'll wear my PFD, which will have a few basic survival and fire starting items in it, and I have a general plan on what to do if I capsize, but my main question is what are the main reasons people capsize so I can try to avoid those situations.

quote thinblueline: "...but my main question is what are the main reasons people capsize so I can try to avoid those situations. "

being in a hurry...meaning pushing it when you shouldn't.

I have never gone for a swim but I have came close once. We were in a Kevlar canoe fishing and the wind can up. Thinking back we should have lowered the center of gravity and gone to our knees.

Solo canoes tip when you try to keep the hull under you by stiffing up. You have to let it float under you, keep your nose over your navel and both inside the gunnels.
Reaching over to pull a fish in or get water can get you going over.
Being able to kneel helps lower your center of gravity. practice Kneeling around home to let your body get stretched out for kneeling.

Get some time in a solo canoe before you show up to rent for the trip.

quote kanoes: "

quote thinblueline: "...but my main question is what are the main reasons people capsize so I can try to avoid those situations. "

being in a hurry...meaning pushing it when you shouldn't."

Exactly

quote DanCooke: "Solo canoes tip when you try to keep the hull under you by stiffing up. You have to let it float under you, keep your nose over your navel and both inside the gunnels.
Reaching over to pull a fish in or get water can get you going over.
Being able to kneel helps lower your center of gravity. practice Kneeling around home to let your body get stretched out for kneeling.


Get some time in a solo canoe before you show up to rent for the trip."

Surgeries on each knee has made the idea of kneeling impossible. Pretty sure getting time in a solo canoe before my May trip isn't going to happen either, since I don't know anyone around where I live that has one and my schedule is not going to allow for trying to find time in the relatively short gap between ice out and my trip. I'm afraid I'm going to have to depend on my experience in composite tandem canoes to help me adjust quickly to a solo canoe.

What about going up a day early for the trip and spending that practicing. The advantage of that practice is that if you do capsize then you can do it with people around to help and a warm shower nearby.

I know it is rare but we now try to do a daytrip with our newcomers before the real trip. I think it pays off in everyone being a bit more comfortable when we leave the EP for real. It also gives everyone a chance to enjoy Ely a bit.

I'm relatively new to solo canoes myself. I kayak a bit also, and I find that I try to "wear" a solo canoe kind of like you "wear" a kayak. Kneeling helps me to do that. If kneeling is not an option, Swift offers a "pack boat" option in its solo canoes - basically it's a kayak seat in a solo canoe. Not sure if others offer that, and unless you live in the NE or near Toronto it's not easy to try one out.

quote andym: "What about going up a day early for the trip and spending that practicing. The advantage of that practice is that if you do capsize then you can do it with people around to help and a warm shower nearby.


I know it is rare but we now try to do a daytrip with our newcomers before the real trip. I think it pays off in everyone being a bit more comfortable when we leave the EP for real. It also gives everyone a chance to enjoy Ely a bit. "

+1. If you can, schedule a cushion day to try it out. I did that last time and was able to try out a few different canoes prior to actually leaving. Added plus was being able to spend time in Ely and have a good meal and a couple beers the night before heading out. I was on a tandem trip, but the outfitter had some solo's around. I mentioned that I was interested and he let me take them for a quick spin to get the feel for things.

Jan (kanoes) has said that the first time you get in a solo, no matter what you will feel like you're gonna fall out, and that was confirmed when I tried to sit down. Felt like I was gonna be on the bottom of the lake in no time flat.

Good luck, and let us know how it goes.

Brandon

quote andym: "What about going up a day early for the trip and spending that practicing. The advantage of that practice is that if you do capsize then you can do it with people around to help and a warm shower nearby.


I know it is rare but we now try to do a daytrip with our newcomers before the real trip. I think it pays off in everyone being a bit more comfortable when we leave the EP for real. It also gives everyone a chance to enjoy Ely a bit. "

I do hope to get to the outfitter in the afternoon before entering the following morning, so maybe the outfitter will let me paddle around for an hour or so to get used to it. I've been paddling canoes for 35 years since I was 9 years old so I'm hoping the transition to a solo canoe won't be too overwhelming.

quote thinblueline: "

quote andym: "What about going up a day early for the trip and spending that practicing. The advantage of that practice is that if you do capsize then you can do it with people around to help and a warm shower nearby.



I know it is rare but we now try to do a daytrip with our newcomers before the real trip. I think it pays off in everyone being a bit more comfortable when we leave the EP for real. It also gives everyone a chance to enjoy Ely a bit. "

I do hope to get to the outfitter in the afternoon before entering the following morning, so maybe the outfitter will let me paddle around for an hour or so to get used to it. I've been paddling canoes for 35 years since I was 9 years old so I'm hoping the transition to a solo canoe won't be too overwhelming."

Good idea, especially considering every solo canoe is different. I did a short solo out of Sawbill last summer in my " new" Blackhawk. The day before my trip, I took it out (with a pack to simulate the real deal) and while it took a bit of getting used to, I felt comfortable after a couple of hrs paddling.

The most important thing about soloing is take everything slow and calculate every risk before you take it. You'll be fine

You can accomplish the same "lowering your gravity" by lowering the seat and using a back band and foot brace. Kayakers don't kneel. ..they "wear" the kayak. You can do the same in a canoe with a lower seat, foot brace, back band or brace, and a way to lock in your knees. I have a Wenonah Wilderness and can turn it on a dime with this configuration.

Like the prism your center of gravity is pretty low,isn't the encounter the same?

Seat height is the same in the Encounter as the Prism. The walls are higher. It's a stable steady ride- subject to wind but easy to stay upright if you keep your head inside the gunwales.

quote Banksiana: "Seat height is the same in the Encounter as the Prism. The walls are higher. It's a stable steady ride- subject to wind but easy to stay upright if you keep your head inside the gunwales."

That is why I was wondering why they are talking kneeling to lower your center of gravity. In this case your better off sitting in the lowered tractor seats.
Yes in many tandems with raised seats in a big wind you could lower your center of gravity by kneeling.

Also first time solo you may want to experiment trying a kayak paddle.

Lots of good information, but nothing will help as much as "Seat time" in that canoe. I would explain your concerns to the outfitter and I bet they will get you some practice time? Someone mentioned a kayak paddle? I'm the oddball out on that one, BUT everyone else, including my wife, feels they get more control with a kayak paddle; especially paddling in the wind. I think it's worth a try?

I got into trouble on solo trips biting off too large of crossings to save mileage. Don't forget, you only have the one person supplying "Horsepower," so those crossings take more time. Just use your head, spend a little time in the boat and you'll be fine!

Nosing into current and around a point and catching wind and any of the other things that even in a tandem can trigger a tip will also be true for a solo, but more so. Staying inside the gunwale and watch turning around and trying to look behind you. Wind and wave at rear quarter can trigger an unexpected roll much more than quartering into wind or wave.
With your experience you will likely pick it up quickly, but solo paddling has a different feel.

Where you going in and when? I have an encounter that will be idle in may... Using my new north wind and later may my spirit. I live 100 miles west of Ely on the range. You can sure use mine to get a feel. I may have an extra yak paddle too. Shoot me an email..

kneeling lowers the center of gravity, but more importantly gives you much better control of the canoe. just like in a whitewater kayak your knees will help you wear(feel) the canoe. being 6'3" this might not be an option.

i'd suggest an entry point like the nina moose river. you'll have several miles of nice shallow river to get used to the way the canoe feels. by the time you get to the border you should feel much more competent.

I was in similar position several years ago - first time in a solo was loaded and going. First entry was disconcerting but settled in within a few moments. I had pretty smooth water all week, but was prepared to sit on shore if it was at all rough. I dumped in a tandem some years earlier and believe it was just not a day to be on the water.

You have lots of tandem experience,Don't overthink it and have fun.

The first time I was in my Magic it definetly felt tippy for me. Once properly balanced with gear it will feel better and once in motion even better yet. A kayak paddle helps also. If you fish a lot I would try a SRQ16 solo.

Be mindful of your head.Getting our head outside of the gunwales invites your body to follow.

Lower seats not only lower your center of gravity ( though a tripping load helps that a lot), but also lessens the head lever arm so to speak.. Less of you is above the gunwales and its harder for your head to get out of bounds.

I think your chances of falling in are greater if you look in back of you ( that head gets out of bounds ) are stiff( makes your muscles start to tremble) are not paying attention..

Seems like in weather paddlers are way more alert.

If you can outfit the canoe so it has a foot bar and you can brace your knees against the sides so much the better but I have no idea if rentals are so outfitted

Thank you all for the tremendous information you have shared. Thank you also NTCRY for the very generous offer, but I would not feel comfortable using a member's boat because of the inevitable additional scratches it would suffer, even with wet footing. The Northstar Northwind 18 I bought new last spring that you delivered to Carl's Paddlin' is already all scratched up after my two trips this past summer and I wet footed and tried to avoid rocks like the plague. Thank you though!

quote thinblueline: "

quote andym: "What about going up a day early for the trip and spending that practicing. The advantage of that practice is that if you do capsize then you can do it with people around to help and a warm shower nearby.



I know it is rare but we now try to do a daytrip with our newcomers before the real trip. I think it pays off in everyone being a bit more comfortable when we leave the EP for real. It also gives everyone a chance to enjoy Ely a bit. "

I do hope to get to the outfitter in the afternoon before entering the following morning, so maybe the outfitter will let me paddle around for an hour or so to get used to it. I've been paddling canoes for 35 years since I was 9 years old so I'm hoping the transition to a solo canoe won't be too overwhelming."

The first time I used a solo was when I rented one from Williams and Hall. They let me take it out for a test run when I arrived the day before heading out. I just wanted to make sure I was comfortable in the model they were providing me. They said I was a natural...LOL So if you are using Williams and Hall just ask and they will let you take it out for a test drive. I'm sure if you asked your outfitter they will let you take a test run. The majority of outfitters up there are very customer friendly....just ask.

Best to stay really close to shore line until you are certain you can handle the solo in mid lake conditions. Keep eye on weather when on water to assure control on your part of where you will be in regards fro incoming weather.

Fastest way I know of capsizing in a canoe is not using a landing-net on a large fish. Hand landing is a recipe for an unscheduled swim.

quote bwcadan: "Best to stay really close to shore line until you are certain you can handle the solo in mid lake conditions. Keep eye on weather when on water to assure control on your part of where you will be in regards fro incoming weather."

a little additional detail: the shore that the wind is blowing from
Not the shore the wind is blowing to. That latter shore often has incredibly rougher waves, that worse, reflect giving you waves from two directions.

First year we took a group of 17 (3 groups). Coming back across Lake ONe it was windy and the water was capping. One of the guys in the front of a canoe turned to hand a map to the guy in the back. The wind caught it. The guy in the back reached to grab the map and that's all it took. Both guys and all the gear went in. Day temps were in the upper 40's (mid May). Water was COLD. One of the canoe picked up one guy and had him hold on to the back while they paddled him in (about 75 yards off shore). The other guy paddled the empty canoe back to shore. The remaining canoes gathered the gear.

When we got to shore, had to strip the two, build a fire and warm them up.

The other capsizes have been kids goofing around, and one guy paddling a tandem solo from the rear position with no weight in the front.

What we learned: NO cotton of any kind. We wear only fast drying clothes. Footwear is wool socks with Keenes (or similar), or neoprene style boots. WE don't wear leather boots in the canoes. Most of all, we have a hard fast rule of PFD's on and secured at all times. . .no exceptions.

quote 2old4U: "Fastest way I know of capsizing in a canoe is not using a landing-net on a large fish. Hand landing is a recipe for an unscheduled swim. "

Whenever I hooked up with a pike 40 inches or bigger in a solo canoe I paddle or scull to shore to land the fish.

One of the first things I did when I bought my solo (a Magic) was to take it out to a local lake and, wearing a PFD and swimming suit, capsize it intentianally to get a feel for its limits. What I found surprised me. If, like Yellow Canoe says, I kept my head inside the gunwale, I almost had to stand on the gunwale to make it capsize. Of course in May you might want to do that.

quote QueticoMike: "

quote 2old4U: "Fastest way I know of capsizing in a canoe is not using a landing-net on a large fish. Hand landing is a recipe for an unscheduled swim. "

Whenever I hooked up with a pike 40 inches or bigger in a solo canoe I paddle or scull to shore to land the fish."

Once you have a fish that big in the boat, doesn't it become a tandem?

I have never tried to solo. I am contemplating a solo this year and I'm in the general size and shape give or take a few lbs. and a few inches. The reading that I have done leads me to believe that you will have a tendency to tense up and over correct at first. The other tip that I thought was helpful was to make sure that you have plenty of weight at the bottom of the canoe and don't get let the center of gravity creep up on you because of your pack configuration. Secure your packs so that nothing moves around because as you are listing to one side you don't want a pack falling over that direction and doing you in. I agree with the not looking back. A few years ago my son was with me for his first time in canoe. He was 14 and big for his age. He kept looking back to talk to me and I told him to keep looking forward. Next thing you know we were up to our knees in moose crap and up to our necks in very cold water dog paddling towards shore.

two words....loose hips. if you have those youll be fine.

Loose hips sink ships. Wait, that's loose lips. Sorry.

I had only paddled my Wenonah wilderness about one hour total before I did my frost river loop. if you are the least bit coordinated youll be fine.

quote kanoes: "two words....loose hips. if you have those you'll be fine."

Ohhh man...so many inappropriate puns come to mind. ;)

Dan Cooke said it all; keep your head in line over your belly and keep them both inside the gunnels.

The first solo I paddled was a Magic on Sag heading to Cache Bay after a tow. Really weird feeling in some moderate chop. Thing I really noticed was when I tried to look behind me....really weird tippy feeling, even today. Sure as sh**t, a few trips later after a short portage, I got lazy and tried to lean back and grab something laying on the canoe floor near the stern and next thing I know, I'm wading in chest deep water trying to find my hearing aid on the lake bottom...embarrassing as heck, but I did find it and it still works...

Other than that, paddling a solo canoe even in rougher water was not that bad after a couple hours or so....unless you try to look behind the canoe....

I have only gone for an unintentional swim once and it was at a landing. I loaded the canoe and didn't realize the stern was on a rock. I put one foot in and was immediately ejected over the edge into the water. Just a week after ice out. Very refreshing. Luckily I was headed into Alice and the temps were rising and it was sunny. I warmed up quickly.

The closest I have come to capsizing in open water was at a local paddle night... I turned around to say something to one of the other paddlers and just about tipped. My nose was NOT over my navel :-)

I find that all of my mishaps happen on the portages! I get tired towards the end of the day and tend to trip and fall. So far no serious damage but have had some close calls.