single blade Northwind

[stripper]

From what I see on blogs, etc. most folks paddle the Northwind and other Kruger style boats with a kayak paddle and sit low in the boat. I am a traditional canoeist, like to paddle a single blade and am used to kneeling (whitewater) or curling one leg under the seat (flatwater). So how will the Northwind paddle with a high--say 9 "--mounted seat, no rudder, single blade?

[jem]

Verlen Kruger designed his Sea Wind (which the North Wind is inspired by) to be paddled with a short single blade and rudder.

If you're using a single blade, I think you'll have to switch every few strokes depending on your technique.

[JGood]

I got tired of getting wet by my kayak paddle and took it apart and used one blade. I like that so much better that I made a doulble bent shaft canoe paddle and I will only carry my kayak paddle for a spare now. My seat is vertically adjustable and when the water is calm, I sit about 10" up. I have paddled with my rudder up and it handles ok, but with the rudder down, I only switch sides for a tight turn or to get equal exercise for my arms. I can also remove my seat and kneel if I want to. There is a picture of my NW on the Jemwatercraft facebook page. The yellow on the floor is a foam pad for kneeling. The seat is similar to the Kruger seat accept it can also be adjusted fore and aft in 8 1/2" increments to make trimming variable loads easy. The Northwind is one sweet and fast boat. I love mine.

[stripper]

This is to Jesse. My first attempt at blogging so I hope this is going to the right one, but anyway.....Your boat is gorgeous. Beautiful detailing. Where did you get your seat and rudder?

[JGood]

I made the seat with several layers of 6oz and epoxy, using an old metal lawn mower seat for a mold. I bought the tractor style seat at a mower grave yard for $5. I covered the mower seat with packing tape and pulled a mold off of it, then I faired and waxed the mold and formed a finished seat.

The seat is mounted on 2 pieces of 1 1/2" closet rod that is reduced to 1" on either end. I made the seat brackets from 3/8" plywood, glass and epoxy. The vertical slots are 8 1/2" apart and 1 3/4" wide to match the placement of the rods on the seat. The smaller horizontal slots that give it the crooked E look are 1 1/8" wide and 2 3/4 inches apart. The seat can be slid back and pushed to one end to remove it or move it fore or aft. It took quite a bit of fiddling and figureing to get all the component lengths to work smoothly and the pedal location only works for the back 2 seat locations, but the end product is worth the effort.

You can be sitting in the seat and slide it back and let it drop to a lower position if water conditions get rough and it is unstable sitting up high. Being able to move the seat also helps with fatigue and blood flow on long paddles. I would probably only use the front seat location if I had a shark or firewood tied on the back deck the the rudder pedals can be used, but they are closer to you than is real comfortable. The NW will handle well without the rudder also. I just spend alot of time on open water that gets very windy and a rudder is great for those days. I have been in 3 foot seas and being able to sit low and use the rudder made it almost comfortable.

The rudder is from Sealect Designs that I purchased from Duckworks, I think. The gudgeon is fastened to the hull end pour, between the hull and the deck. It works great with the toe control pedals. I have made my own rudder and pedals in the past, but buying them is easier and faster. The pedals that I made were not nearly as easy to adjust fore and aft.

[stripper]

Your creation of the seat sounds very resourceful, comfortable and practical. I did not see a clear view of it from the facebook pics. Do you have anything better than that you care to show off? It sounds like you make these canoes/kayaks as your business and I do not expect you to give away proprietary information so I understand if you do not want to give away all your hard earned knowledge. But thanks for the idea and rudder lead.
I just got Northwind plans in the mail tonight. Very exciting! Cutting bait is over. Time to fish! and make a canoe.

[tx river rat]

I paddle the NW nearly fulltime with a yak paddle. But there are several reasons for using it ,I paddle a lot of shallow water where you just cant get a bite with the canoe paddle, second I can vary my hieght of the paddle and it really helps in the winds we have her and last but most important of all I hate canoe paddles.
My NW has no rudder and I can do just about any thing I want to it her and my seat is 11 inches high ,never had a problem with it being to high.
Ron

[Mick]

Mate,

I have a Southwind 17.9, A similar, though not identical boat design to Northwind but the concept is the same. A decked, open water capable canoe.

I paddle my boat exclusively with a single blade and no rudder and with an effective 'J' stroke (I have yet to properly master this) without problem.

I think Northwind might be a superior boat but in saying that, Northwind would need to be a very good boat indeed to be better than Southwind.