Joe O' Paddles

Hi Joe!

Enjoyed looking at your webpage and all your adventures.  If you have a momement and wouldn't mind, I had a few questions about the Sea-1.  You seem to have a lot of experience with it.

I'm not an expert paddler such as yourself, but I am an avid canoeist.  The only other canoe I have owned was a Wenonah Prism and I am trying to decide if the Sea-1 would fit my type of trips.  I'm mainly looking for a vessle that I can use on the Mississippi River and the upper parts of the Missouri, and also the Boundary waters.  Originally I was looking for an ultralight canoe such as the bell magic, or merlin, but I have the opportunity to by a Sea-1 very cheaply from a friend.  Ideally I would have the Sea-1 in addition to a boundary waters specific canoe, but money is the limiation.  

Specifially, I know the Sea-1 would be excellent on the larger rivers, but how would it be in the boundary waters?  I'm mostly concerned about portaging.  I've done some routes up there with 300+ yard portages and am wondering how the Clipper portage yoke works.  I have not read or seen much about it online.  The Sea-1 from 2005 is 50 lbs according to them, and my old Wenonah Prism was 45 pounds.  It was easy to portage but I thought I would like to go even lighter... which is my hesitation at buying the Sea-1.  But, I know it is such a great boat, it's going to be hard to pass up.  As long as it is decent at portaging I might have to go for it.  

Do you have any insight?  Thanks so much.

Tim Boland

Omaha, NE

Hi Tim,

Thank you for the post regarding the Clipper Sea 1 canoe. 

In my opinion, it is an excellent tripping canoe and it served me exceptionally well when I used it for my Cross Canada Expedition a few years back.

I think you will find that is cruises much faster than any of the Bell canoes and that it is very well built, likely more durable than the Bell as well. 

For portaging, I had mine equipped with a removable portage yoke that took less than a minute to install or remove for each portage. With the sliding seat, just slide the seat back, put the yoke in place and slip in the two bolts & quick release nuts and you are done.

Marlin, the owner at Clipper, had installed two pieces of aluminum brackets with 90 degree angles to the inside lip of the rim on around the cockpit area of the Sea 1. The yoke, cut down to proper width, would install very easily and we had it just the right place for a good balance point. My Sea 1 came in at 54 pounds if I remember correctly and I did the 19 kilometer (12 mile) long Methye Portge carrying the canoe this way. I did longer portages as well but with a cart.

The Sea 1 should work well for you for pretty much anything other than whitewater use. It is fast, straight tracking as well as being quite stable. I highly recommend this canoe, I think you will like it very much.

Let me know what you think of it if you go ahead and buy it from your friend.  What is your friends name by the way? Cuious as to whether or not I may have talked with him before as well?

Cheers...Joe O'

Hi Tim,

Did you get all the information you were looking for on the Sea 1? As a current owner myself, I feel you can't go wrong with one. Every time I paddle mine I'm more and more impressed with the design. I put on a few hunderd miles on mine last year in all kinds of weather conditions. It's hard to beat in high winds. If you need to get someplace in a hurry she'll fly. If your looking for a boat you can spend all day in there's few that are more comfortable. The feathercraft rudder is one of the best in the industry. The bow alwos you to get up over the ice if you need to. Good Luck and Happy Paddling! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XKQhtGsxJ48 

PaddlingFan1 at March 5, 2010 at 11:09 AM

Hi Tim,

Did you get all the information you were looking for on the Sea 1? As a current owner myself, I feel you can't go wrong with one. Every time I paddle mine I'm more and more impressed with the design. I put on a few hunderd miles on mine last year in all kinds of weather conditions. It's hard to beat in high winds. If you need to get someplace in a hurry she'll fly. If your looking for a boat you can spend all day in there's few that are more comfortable. The feathercraft rudder is one of the best in the industry. The bow alwos you to get up over the ice if you need to. Good Luck and Happy Paddling! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XKQhtGsxJ48 

After reading about Joe O'Blenis cross Canada adventure in his Clipper Sea 1, and after watching paddlingfan1's video's of him in his Sea 1, looks like I will be ordering one for myself. I like the fact that this boat is so much like a kayak, but with the ability to carry much more gear! My interest is paddling long distance's with the ability to carry all the gear I need to sustain myself comfortably, and not have to go 'micro' on my gear choices. I was considering a Current Design's Solstice GT, but I have my doubt's that boat would fit me well, probably too big for me. I ran into a group of American's on Lake Superior who were all paddling Mad River decked canoes, with rudders, and these guys had loads of gear with them, far more than any sea kayak would hold! I will definetly be ordering this boat with the sparyskirt option, as well as in the 55lb kevlar option.

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