Huron Cruiser Maiden Voyage

The Huron Cruiser I built for Paterson Habitat for Humanity to auction off has not sold. It has been up at the boathouse at the Tuxedo Club in Tuxedo NY and in some online auctions. Since I had to pick it up from Tuxedo and it was now in my backyard I decided that it was time to take it for a paddle.  Last night my friend and deacon of our church Terry Harbison took it over to the Passaic River launch we use in Elmwood Park. 

 When both of us got in, with Terry in the front, it felt very tippsy. I took to a kneeling position and that helped. We paddled a bit up river but still felt quite tippsy. Finally we returned to the launch and I took it out solo. While sitting in reverse in the front seat I felt quite stable. I was told this was a stable canoe, for 32 1/2 wide, however that may have been in comparison to the narrower racing canoes. It is not near as stable as the Old Town rotomolded that we use up at the cabin.

 I'm not sure what this means for still trying to auction it off but I would not want anyone to buy it without trying it. Otherwise I'll just keep it and learn how to paddle it with whoever is daring enough to come out with me. Debra is waiting for her inaugural paddle in it as well