Any paddlers amongs us (kayak/canoe)??

steve-in-kville

steve-in-kville

Joined
Dec 25, 2001
Messages
1,139
Just got the canoe out for the first time last week. Feels good to get onto the water again. The canoe sat in the shed on saw-horses for a few years as life got too busy. Life is busier than everm but found I gotta take time for some honest recreation.

Any other paddlers here?

steve
 
We have 2 rec kayaks and a 35 year old aluminum canoe.

Took my 10 year old son bow fishing (his first time) from the canoe a few weeks ago. Paddled for almost 40 years and still love it.
 
I have 2 canoes, an Old Town Discovery and an older Sports Pal. The Discovery is a nice canoe for camping and paddling the larger lakes and can carry everything including comfort stuff like a generator and and extra case or two of beer and still have room for more stuff. The Sports Pal is better on small water and for hunting season.

Canoes are an amazing craft, they can carry alot of gear and take you places wear you can't go with a boat in a short period of time. I spend long hours out in the canoe taking in nature, drinking beer and savoring life. Canoing is a great way to relax, and get away from the mosquito infested shoreline. I have watched the ice go out in spring, and have seen the lakes freeze up in fall from the canoe. The canoe is much like an extension of my body.

The other thing about canoes is that they don't break down like boat motors do. I can always get home, whereas I have heard too many stories about the long haul home when the outboard motor quits on the boat.
 
Ocean Kayak (sit on top) I used for snorkeling and fishing trips the 12 years I lived aboard in the Keys.
 
I have an Old Town Discovery and a Mad River Courier. Been paddlin' for 25 years. My 10 year old daughter has her own kayak for 3 years now, and my 5 year old son loves paddling as well.
 
Two kayaks. Mine is a sit on top. My wifes is a regular kayak. Haven't been out yet this season because my wife is recovering from surgery. Hopefully soon though.

KR
 
With the Delaware River a mile fom my house and a 17 1/2 foot Grumman Expedition Canoe in the Barn I consider myself a paddler, just like you time is a big factor, I spent more time paddlin' down the Delaware then I can remember sometimes 3 to 5 day trips, ever since they made us register canoes in PA I've taken up tubin' again.:D
 
I paddle outrigger canoes (6 man and one man canoes). Have done the Molokai to Oahu on a 9 person team 6 times, Catalina to Newport 5 times and millions of other races. The greatest sport on Earth. I also paddle Surfskis (a very narrow, incredibly unstable and incredibly fast type of kayak for open ocean/ rough conditions).
 
I've been paddling almost 4 decades now, started when I was just a kid at summer camp and Cub Scouts. Used to make rafts/boats out of anything that would float and graduated to an Old Grumman in my teenage years. I have a fondness for water with some gradient but will take it salty or quiet also. Keep the open end up...Clyde.

From the Tellico in eastern TN
Tellico1.jpg


The Chattooga on the GA/SC border
Chattooga2.jpg


The Locust Fork of the Warrior in AL
Locust.jpg
 
We were canoeists untill 2001, then we switched to kayaks as its easier on senior citizens. We have a couple of Perception swiftys we paddle out on the local lakes, and take float trips down the Potomac river. The kayaks also see duty in salt water when we go out to Assategue Island National seashore and paddle out in the bay between the Island and the mainland. Lots of salt marshes and inlets.
 
Canoe camping is my favorite way to get out there, you can cary mjore cool stuff (read more comfort).
 
I have been Kayaking and Rafting since I was a kid. I really enjoy it and plan on doing a Canoe overnight trip here in 3 weeks. I love whitewater, its great fun.
 
I have two Necky touring kayaks, 1 Radisson 12' Aluminum canoe and 1 16' Pelican plastic canoe.

Here are the two kayaks:
DSCN3032.jpg
 
This is when the Delaware River is the most fun and dangerous, thunder storms and flooding upstate New York send a torrent of muddy water through NEPA and the Delaware Watergap.

We had no storms within a hundred miles of the Gap as witnessed here by the sparkling clear water converging with the Delaware from a local tributary The Pequest River.

The river is fast but because of the muddy water you can't see any obstacles.

2007_06270026a.jpg
 
With spring time high water, Skinner's Falls is a fast run that is much easier than when the water is low. OTOTH, the haystacks caused by high water in Mongaup and Foul Rift can make for some excitement (and an unplanned swim). Stay Safe and Enjoy.
 
You bring up a good point,. When asked about difficulty level of rapids it depends on the water level, Skinner's is an excellent example. I've kayaked, and canoed [and hunted geese] on the Delaware. It's a good place with few serious areas. I do wish people would learn about river boating and how to swim before they do it ! We lost one swimmer on the Delaware and almost lost one on the Neversink [in a Danger No Swimming area !]
 
People always drown tryin' to swim across the Delaware, we lose at least 2 a year if not more.

I almost drowned tryin' to swim across when I was in my 20s, I tried the direct approach, swim directly across :thumbdn: I learned that day to float/swim at an angle to the river.

It's much easier to walk back 2 miles on the opposite side than to try and swim directly across, if your a strong swimmer in excellent health you still risk drownin' if you take the direct route.

The papers every year have quotes from drownin' victim's friends, "He was a good swimmer".

I've been on the river over 20 years and it changes with every passin' day worse with every passin' storm.

I guess what I'm tryin' to say is that canoing and kayaking can be lots of fun but be sure to be safe and not paddle beyond your abilities.

My favorite ride used to be from Port Jervis NY to Portland PA, on a nice spring ride you can lazily take a 3 day camp canoe down river and have a nice float since camping is alowed along the river and on the islands.

Keep on paddlin' folks.
 
As you can guess by the moniker here, yeah. About twelve years of whitewater kakaying when I lived in Knoxville. Typically, about sixty days per year on the river. I lived within 20 minutes of the Little, the Tellico about 40 minutes and the Ocoee about 45-50. Always stuff to run on the Plateau, over on the GA/SC line, the Smokies, and up toward Tri-Cities.

A move to the midwest (and having two children) ate into my paddling BIG TIME. I sold the Dagger SuperEgo and WaveSport SuperEZ due to lack of use. I held onto the Pirouette - no real resale value and I can still paddle occasionally and race once in a while.

The Dagger Apostle (17' sea kayak) and big Dagger canoe get the most use now.

Welcome to the world of tiny children, more responsibilities taking time and... Stillwater.
 
We have an Old Town Loon 160T. We really like it a lot. We've had it for 6 years or so now. We mostly paddle on lakes and quieter rivers. I'd love to do a kayak camping trip again, but over the last few years we've only been able to get away for day trips.

RackUse001.jpg


In 2003 we took a kayak camping trip with REI through the Broken Group Islands off Vancouver Island. It involved 4 solid days of paddling. Hands-down, that was the greatest trip I have been on in my life.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top