Why hello new canoe, lovely to meet you

When I’m away my partner sometimes goes into advanced shopping mode. He enjoys the research, the negotiating, and the actual purchasing. (Not me. According to family lore, though it’s not quite true, when I want something I just walk into a store and buy it.) His process is more involved, takes much more reading and research, and it’s something he finally has time to do when I’m away.

One rule though is checking in before buying.

Before the rule, a few years ago he bought a new (used) car and posted a picture to Facebook captioned “our new car.”

“Who’d you buy a car with?” I commented. I was serious. It wasn’t entirely implausible that he might buy a car with someone else. I was on sabbatical very far away. But no, it was a car for our family, and since then we’ve agreed to check in before major, shared budget acquisitions.

(You reading this, honey? No buying a Willard 30–the most recent boat infatuation/search–while I’m in Algonquin. It’s true there’s no cellular service and I don’t have my phone but please wait till I get back.)

We’ve been talking about buying a canoe for about a year so it was no great surprise when I got a text message from him while in Montreal, after the bike rally.

“Do you have any concerns about me buying a canoe?”

Susan and I found it highly amusing. We were tired and giggly after our very long bike ride. Of all the things I might have concerns about while I was away–we have teenagers, aging parents, a new puppy– buying a canoe was pretty low on my list. He meant did I have any specific canoe features I really cared about. Oh.

Weight. And stability.

In a series of texts, I got the details. It’s a Swift canoe, a Keewaydin 17, “in guide fusion with kevlar carbon gunwales,” I’m told. Not quite sure yet what that means.

I do know that it’s 17 feet, 46 pounds.

We are going to do two kinds of touring in it, Algonquin back country and river trips. New adventures ahead! It seems pretty light, good for gear, stable.

I’d been inspired last year by Susan’s canoe purchase. I encouraged her to buy a road bike so it seemed only fair that she play a role in my getting a share in a canoe.

Susan, Mallory, and I are going to Algonquin today! They’ll be seven of us in total including mothers and daughters and Sarah who did the Port Stanley bike ride with us. All women.

We’re taking three canoes, including my new one. I’ll let you know how it goes. I’m excited!

So far no name..

I think I can actually name it. Jeff has a generic name for all of his boats, mostly small sailboats. When asked to supply a name they’re all “Trouble.”