Getting back into flatwater paddling...

[RJVB]

Originally Posted by tinnitus

In my experience, wind/breeze has a far greater effect on kayak/canoe movement over flat water than most currents.

Good tip - I guess it also depends on how much wind the occupant(s) catch?

We've got a back gate (not yet put back into service) opening on an alley that leads straight down to a landing/launching point on the local canalised "river", maybe 50m away. Benefitting from that water (other than for irrigation, fishing or as a dump...) is not part of local culture but ever since moving here my Dutch heritage has been a bit restless. We just moved too late to catch the severe winters that were the norm until not that long ago (I MISS skating on frozen lakes & canals) but now with that back gate the idea of buying a used 2-seater canoe has been crossing my mind. The hike back up could be a problem ... but ... our dog loves pulling on her leash so I'm sure she'd be enthusastic about giving a few helping paws to pull a light canoe back up
We've paddled the river a few villages downstream from us, there's a club there (but they only have those cumbersome sit-on craft). It showed us that the stream is mild enough, plus shallow and narrow enough that there are very little safety risks.

There's a nice Old Town Explorer FS for 800€ on a French marketplace site, and even a couple of older wooden canoes for around 500€ (which I think I'll pass up on as I'd be storing the boat with very little protection in the woods).


Floating to a shaded stretch of river must be a wonderful way to spend hot afternoons as we're having ... I'm just not so certain how well one can stretch out in a 2-seater (esp. if accompanied by a dog) ^^

[tinnitus]

A quick kayaking anecdote:

A few years ago (perhaps more than 5 because I hadn't retired yet) I came home to a voicemail from the wife of a co-worker.

Her message was strident... "'Tinnitus,' this is C___'s wife, V___. He says that you have four kayaks. I need to borrow two of them for a treasure hunt on Sunday. Give me a call at _______."
(She's a geo-cacher, ostensibly following coordinates and clues to find treasures cleverly hidden somewhere by fellow geo-cache enthusiasts.)

Anyhow, I found this way beyond presumptive, especially since I'd never met her before. And I didn't appreciate C___ offering up MY boats, which I wouldn't have agreed to, even with a heads up. Such a loan (if it were ever to occur) would require that:
- We're good friends/relatives
- You have boating knowledge and skills
- We've kayaked together several times, and I've seen first-hand that you are capable and safe
- And there's also that little matter of getting them to and from the water

I ignored the message and left town for the weekend - and I'm glad I did.

Learned on Monday that she had rented a pair of kayaks and went out on her hunt with a friend, totally inexperienced and untrained. Between the wind, current, changing tide and twilight approaching, they ended up rapidly drifting past where the Multnomah Channel dumps into the Willamette River (or the Columbia, and I'm not convinced they'll ever know which). They flagged down a passing tugboat and were rescued - after dusk - by the Coast Guard.

Still glad - daily - that my kayaks and I had nothing to do with that hare-brained foolishness.

[imwjl]

We just had a nice river day trip get a but yucked up by some bad dog owners upstream. Their poor pup got away from them. We waited for 45 minutes for them to catch up and then their stressed dog left struggling but some others tried to help. A few people were trying to communicate it with outfitters on the river.

Otherwise much fun. It was a mostly flatwater trip. I was a river guide for a while before a parent. My reading the water was still there. Most paddling for the last 20+ years has been on the lake at or cabin.

[Zissou Intern]

I recently re-homed our Wenonah Itasca and Advantage Kevlar boats. They served us well over the years and traveled Lake Michigan and Superior, the Wisconsin, Mississippi, Columbia, and Colorado Rivers as well as many others, Puget Sound, the San Juan Islands, Isle Royale, Boundary Waters, Quetico, Bowron Lake Canoe Circuit, etc.

We have been using our SUP's for the last couple years. I still have my beat up, old Valley Skerray. It needs new hatches, deck lines and bungees, as well as a seat and back band. I don't know/doubt that I'll ever get to that project.

[RP]

As a follow-up, I recently sold my Native Watercraft Ultimate FX12. After using it several times, I found stepping over the gunwales was tricky with my balance issues and it was a bit too "twitchy" for the open water paddles that I enjoy. I picked up a Wilderness Systems Tarpon 120 (sit on top) yesterday at REI and will get a 10% dividend that's good on future REI purchases...

[tinnitus]

When I'm not playing guitar or kayaking, another of my hobbies is to weld/braze little art objects and bigger more purpose-driven things. Materials range from scrap metal as small as nails and spark plugs - on up to discarded steel bedframes. I used the latter this week to make racks and store my boats more efficiently. Frees up some space on the ground to park the mower, power-washer, 2 tillers, etc.

[thomasinaz]

My son and I both enjoy a little Kayak fishing and paddling. When he comes to visit we go out at least once, while he's here. Several lakes around here make it easy to get out for even a little while. My mom and some relatives live along a good sized river in TN where we go when we can.

The French Broad River paddling with a couple of 80+ year old relatives and my son. We had a blast.




One of the mountain lakes nearby.

[TJN]

My brother-in-law and I just got back from a 5-day canoe trip up to the boundary waters in Minnesota. Beautiful lakes! Had a great time despite mixed weather and a sore knee that gave me problems.

[Mak2525]

Took a nice 8 mile cruise around Tampa Bay this morning - we picked up a few hitch hikers along the way. Haven't been out in over a month, so it was nice to get wet again!