Hi all,
Thanks again for the advice. I ran the Ashuapmushuan last week with the second thwart in place just to be safe. I love the handling of the Canyon, but the second thwart is a pain for loading packs and barrels. I'll try it out on the next trip without the second thwart. I'm willing to put up with more flex in the hull if it offers more flexibility in how I load or paddle.
It seems that this second thwart has been jettisoned in other Canyons anyway, such as those used by MKC. See the Canyon in this video around the 1 min mark:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4epMO6irgs8 Interestingly, another couple on our trip were paddling a 30 yr old Blue Hole Cumberland, which I believe is the predecessor of the Evergreen Starburst and the Esquif Canyon. The Cumberland does not have a second thwart. The Cumberland is a remarkable boat. It's uncannily fast, almost 10% faster than my Canyon. It is also a bit deeper. And tough! This boat actually suffered a wrap on a rock during our trip. Broke the vinyl gunnels and ripped the bolts through the rear seat, thwart, and yoke. In one hour everything was reattached and the boat paddled away as if nothing had happened!