Paddling my "New to me" Old Town Pack Canoe l Solo Canoe l Winter / Subaru

It's December 31st 2021 and 42 degrees here in the Southern Tier of New York State. Last year at this time we were still reeling from being dumped on with 42 inches of snow in one shot.
I couldn't pass up the opportunity to get out. So I headed over to my favorite local lake to try out my Old Town Pack canoe. The lake was half covered with a thin sheet of ice but my guess that will not last long as today and tomorrow are forecasted to be in the 50's. Insane I know!
Back in November I stumbled upon a Craigslist listing for an Old Town Pack listed literally 10 minutes from my house. I couldn't respond to the ad fast enough, and the following day I went over and picked it up.
Just want to wish you all a Happy & Healthy New Year and a big thank you for watching my videos in 2021. Not sure what the winter holds for adventures as I might need another knee surgery. However planning on the Adirondacks and hopefully Canada this year. Going to take it one day at a time.
Cheers!
UPDATE: I sold the Old Town Pack this summer (June 2022) to a friend...
Canoe: Old Town Pack Canoe
Specs: Weight: 33 lbs Length: 12 ft Width: 32 in Depth: 11.5 in. Max Load: 550-600 lbs.
Camera: DJI Osmo Action
Music: www.bensound.com/

[@BackcountryPaddler]

Nice score on the Old Town pack. Hope your surgery goes well buddy. Happy new year!!

[@mrgjoe]

Thanks pal... Not 100% on the surgery at this point as I have some appointments this month to determine. Happy New Year to you as well.

[@williamkenyon9858]

Love my OT Pack. You are doing pretty good with the single blade. I carry both like you said. Single for down river and just puttering around and double for speed. Great for weekend trips and duck hunting. Happy New Year. New subscriber.

[@mrgjoe]

Thank you for watching and subscribing. Yeah the OT Pack is a great versatile boat. I always carry a sing and double blade. If you check out this video at some time you can see my friend who paddles his Pack on our 3 day 2 night camping trip back in June. kzbin.info/www/bejne/qGSanHljd5KVl6M

[@MountainManFred]

Nice vid...relaxing.. gotta find one of those

[@mrgjoe]

Thank you for watching, I greatly appreciate it. Yeah the OT Pack is pretty good boat. Quite a few have come up for sale recently on FB Marketplace.

[@Balonishell]

Looks like an epic morning. First class

[@mrgjoe]

Thank you, it was pretty awesome.

[@randallteal6408]

Nice...you made it out the last day in 2021. Great little pack boat,Old Town been around a long while,still leanin on a Swift Prospect 14 pack,start preppin the dehydrated meals for 2022,happy paddeling and Happy New Year!

[@mrgjoe]

Hi Randall! I couldn't pass up the weather. Those Swift Prospectors are really sweet, keep me posted if you decide to get one. I'll do some dehydrating as well this winter but just not sure what I want to make. Cheers!

[@martycuff257]

I keep forgetting about that lake I really need to go there. Nice job with the camera angles I know it takes a lot to set up paddle then go back and get the camera but they add so much to the video. Good luck with your knee hope you can avoid surgery. See you in the Spring.

[@mrgjoe]

Thanks for watching! Nanitcoke is small but I like it...

[@ShakespeareCafe]

I picked one up off craigslist for $150. I sit on a stadium chair on the hull. I find the canoe too unstable I use the seat. Sitting low this canoe can take any rough water you throw at it, confirmed on a very windy and choppy day on Gold Lake in the Sierra.

[@mrgjoe]

Wow $150 you got a killer deal on that. So putting the stadium seat on the bottom of the boat it is truly now a pack canoe.

[@AdirondackAdventures]

Nice canoe, Joe! I know you don't like them but you're gonna have to get a nice double blade paddle for the OT Pack. That boat kinda waddles a little with a single blade. I wouldn't even attempt to use a single blade with my OT Pack....just too much work necessary imo.

[@mrgjoe]

Good morning and thank you for watching. I totally agree with you on the double blade, the boat just performs better. I do have several double blade paddles that I use with my other pack canoes. IDK just something about a single blade.

[@bobsimmons5710]

Happy New Year good luck with your surgery.

[@mrgjoe]

Happy New Year to you as well Bob. I'm hoping I don't need surgery so fingers crossed with that and thank you for you kind words.

[@jimwortham8634]

I know there's no one in the canoe ever shows about getting in or getting out of pack canoe

[@mrgjoe]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/l2K2hpKJoLitf9Usi=12SYLJpVNq7KXMZw I personally prefer the wet entrance

[@alanbierhoff6831]

Happy New Year! I’m a new subscriber and this is the first video I’ve watched. I’ll have to catch up lol I used to live in northern Warren County. I did some of my canoe camping out of the Old Forge area too. I bought a (new) Old Town Pack 12 about 10(?) years ago when I heard that they would be discontinued. I’m so glad I got it.

[@mrgjoe]

Happy New Year Alan! Thank you for subscribing I greatly appreciate your time. I bought a pack back in 2013 used (Barely) for $300 and loved it. Then I got bit my the "Ultralight" bug and bought a Hornbeck New Tricks 12 which weighed 18#'s. I wound up selling the Pack shortly after thinking that I would never use it, I regretted that move ever since. I have several light weight boats but the Pack is just a fav of mine. So glad you had the foresight to purchase one before they discontinued making them. Keep on paddling it!

[@allans7281]

Just got my first canoe old town ceranac 146. Something magical about a man and his canoe. But I will have a trolley motor for when I just wanna chill

[@mrgjoe]

Congrats on the new canoe, hope it brings you endless joy!

[@allans7281]

@@mrgjoe Hey thanks mate

[@mrgjoe]

@@allans7281 you bet and thank you for stopping by!

[@eprohoda]

How s it going?~you did fantastic editing,my dear-))

[@mrgjoe]

Thank you!

[@jeffreyelliott622]

Good video and by the way what is the name brand of you PFD for I would like to have one like that !!!

[@mrgjoe]

Thank you! My PFD is an Extrasport Evolve men's which I believe has been discontinued. I love this pfd, very comfortable for me.

[@zootycoon246]

I have a couple pack boats too but I’m interested in the Northwind solo. How does it compare to your pack boats, or is there anything you can tell me how different it is? Appreciate it. Thanks and keep up the cool vids!

[@mrgjoe]

My NW Solo is setup for sitting as to kneeling currently. It is also a little wider than my Hornbeck "New Tricks" 14 pack canoe. I personally like the hung canoe seat to the pack style seat. Northstar does sell the NW Solo in the pack configuration if interested. Like I said it is a little wider and a little heavier. However I love its glide and it turns really well for a 15' 6" boat. It can handle a decent load as well. I have yet to take it on a camping trip but hope that changes this year. The NW Solo also has tumblehome where as the pack canoes do not. Thank you for watching, I appreciate it.

[@bobsimmons5710]

Sir could you tell me if you are still happy with the pack canoe. I have a opportunity to get one but have heard there is stability issues with it have you found that to be true? Thank you for your time.

[@mrgjoe]

Hello Bob. I personally have no issues with stability in regards to the OT Pack. I have heard of others lowering the seat an inch or two. All in all in my opinion the pack is an excellent canoe.

[@bobsimmons5710]

@@mrgjoeThank you sir appreciate it.

[@mrgjoe]

@@bobsimmons5710 you're welcome...