by Red Rock Wilderness Store

Paddling a tandem canoe while solo is no big deal. It can be done with various tandem canoes if the seat will allow it and the front thwart is removable.

The Reason For Sitting In The Front Seat Facing Backwards

The front seat is located closer to the center of the canoe. Distributing weight closer to the center (that'd be you) maximizes wetted surface or in other words the amount of canoe hull resting on the water.

If you sit solo in the back seat, the canoe rides a HUGE WHEELIE and is very unstable. This is because the stern seat is very close to the back of the canoe. And what is the shape of the end of the canoe? Is it a big flat square area or a relatively sharp point? I'm using my years of experience to opt for the "sharp point" as being the correct answer.

Well then, which would be easier for you to balance while on hard ground: Balancing on the flat side of a triangle with the sharp point on the ground or balancing on a square with one flat side on the ground and you on other flat side on top?

Go for the square being easier to stand on. If you can get more canoe to rest flat on the water while you are in it, you'll be more stable. You'll also travel faster and have more control especially in the wind.

For a solo paddling a large tandem canoe, you'll still need to add ballast to hold the nose down. Making the bow just touch the water a bit will greatly reduce the wind's ability to just whip the canoe around in a circle as you are flailing about in the back searching for some semblance of control. Most people seek out a large rock. Rocks are great but they weigh more than people do in water and if you happen to swamp your canoe, you might not get your canoe back as it sinks into the abyss weighted down by less than forgiving rocks in the bow. That sucks all the fun out of paddling a canoe. Plus portaging your perfect rock because there might not be one on the other side, seems somehow wrong.

Then there's the Iowan Technique of using 5 gallon pail full of sand. This, too, portages like crap, not to mention the silliness of using white 5 gallon pails for anything at all on the portage. I get to see this hobo technique all summer long here by those who don't want to buy a Duluth pack, a camping chair, or a dry bag. Just because MacGyver would have done it while the Soviet agents were chasing him, doesn't mean that you should, too. Then there's the wilderness dignity issue.

Just because you're in a really beautiful place doesn't mean you have to look totally sloppy with 5 gallon pails and black garbage bags laying all over the portage. (I have actually witnessed this several times) Get some real gear already!

Without delving further into other silly ballast ideas and inventions, lets make use of the resource upon which we rest our canoe...

1. Behold the Perfect Rock! It weights about 6 ounces. It's a 13" X 36" Dry bag Heck, unless you are from Iowa, you may already own one of these baby's!

2. Here I am filling the Perfect Rock with infinitely adjustable (and abundant) water. If there's no water there, having the canoe there doesn't make a lot of sense, either

3. Still filling by holding the big mouth open.

4. Picking up the Perfect Rock.

5. Rolling the Perfect Rock shut. 

6. Squeezing a little air out of the Perfect Rock. 

7. After rolling several rolls on the Perfect Rock down, I snap the Perfect Buckle together.

8. Picking up the Perfect Rock for perfect placement.

9. Set the Perfect Rock in the canoe up against the air tank and in front of the seat. Unlike buckets, rocks, and other stuff, this dry bag easily conforms to your canoe. If you drop it, it's less like to do any damage at all. 

10. Notice how the canoe appears a bit nose-heavy with just the Perfect Rock in place

11. Get in canoe. Note my paddle which I automatically use as a support on the other side of the canoe. It's hitting the bottom and very useful. Do this whenever possible for boarding and exiting your canoe. 

12. Voila! This is how your canoe should look with you in it and the Perfect Rock up front. No riding of wheelies or funny balancing acts were ever in play. It was 40 degrees out. Stability is a good thing.

And, when I come to the portage, I just quickly dump the contents of my Perfect Rock, stuff it in a canoe seat and go. Repeat on the other side. Meanwhile those guys with the buckets and other junk are schlepping over the uneven terrain of the portages. I'm already back on the water. 

There you have it. The Dry Bag that we use is inexpensive and quite effective. They are not online as of yet, but you can call to order one if you'd like to paddle solo with style using the Perfect Rock. For the rest of you, there is the cheaper and more limited version laying on the ground. Just don't swamp your canoe.