To keel or not to keel???

[VallierOutdoors]

X2 - I've noticed on the canoe we use on rivers the most, that the contact with the rocks is primarily in the rear of the canoe and on either side of the keel. Our "aim" is rarely good enough to actually hit the rock "square on".

Uhhh... yeah - because the rock/snag is more often guided away from the canoe's midline by the forward part of the keel before the rock/snag makes contact with the lowest point on the canoe where the stern paddler is sitting. Just sayin...

 

[enggass]

Hey all…
I have a 14' mansfield canoe I am fixing up. It originally had wood stems that wrapped around the bow and stern then transitioned into a full length keel. In my 'fix up', I am not replacing the wood stems but do want to put a keel back on. How long should it be? Suggestions?

 

[Greg Nolan]

Here are some pictures of where and how Old Town built the ends of keels -- on a 15' 50 pound model that has a keel and no exterior stem --



Exactly "how long" depends on your canoe.