Paddling into 2015

[Codger_64]

Mannlicher, nice picture! It would be good to get to paddle more. Enjoy! And share some of those trips here if you can!

Rupestris, congrats on the new member of the fleet! I've never paddled one of those but people who do seem to like them. And it never hurts to add extra paddles to the selection.

We had wind gusts today in the high thirties so no paddling opportunities here. Tomorrow should still be warm with relatively calm wind.

 

[Rupestris]

New paddles are on the list. I've had good luck with Carlisle and their Golden Light look to be the best bang for the buck. That said, what would you recommend for paddling shallow rivers where hitting the gravel bottom (with both boat and paddle) is possible? Wood or plastic?

 

[Codger_64]

New paddles are on the list. I've had good luck with Carlisle and their Golden Light look to be the best bang for the buck. That said, what would you recommend for paddling shallow rivers where hitting the gravel bottom (with both boat and paddle) is possible? Wood or plastic?

Oh, experience has shown me that the ABS "snake beaters" work best. Nearly wreck proof, not expensive. And have decent blade shapes for shallow gravel bottoms. Now if you like Carlisle, try a Mohawk. I just like them a wee bit more and the price is nearly the same. And you can find them in pear or tee grip. But that's just me. I see outfitters using economy models of both. I love my wood laminate Mitchell Seneca though. I'll surely break it or wear it out some day, but until then, the black plastic and aluminum paddles will be carried for a spare, and for my occasional bowmen and duffers. The Mitchell is around $100 compared to $25 or so for the others. But there is a world of difference in the feel, performance and aesthetics.

 

[Rupestris]

Thanks Codger. I looked at the Mohawk and might be sold.

In other news. I talked to a co-worker about the Mad River and he said " Hell, I've got a fiberglass canoe I'd have given you".

He said it's been painted inside and out. Aluminum gunwales and cane seats that need replacing. I asked him to bring it to the shop. I might take it on as a project. I work with automotive paint and have done some custom work. I've had the itch to paint an aluminum Grumman canoe like this for a long time :

Fiberglass might have to do.

 

[Codger_64]

They do have this decal set on Ebay you know...

 

[trevytrev]

I can officially post in this thread now, I got my kayak for the first time ever this week! I'm hook, can't wait for it to get warmer and to get some fishing in next time!

 

[Codger_64]

You know what they say... pictures or... Congrats on the get! Now get it outfitted the way you like and get it wet!

 

[Rupestris]

:thumbup: Congrats Trev!

Pics! At least some details.

Be careful. Much like the Mogwai in the movie Gremlins, once you get them wet they start reproducing. Before you know it you'll have them all over the house.:grumpy:

 

[Codger_64]

It's that time of year again!

This spring's Arkansas Canoe Club annual School of River Paddling is beginning signups. If you are anywhere within driving or flying distance, and would like to learn paddling skills and water safety from ACA certified instructors, you would do well to sign up and attend! The year's event will be held June 5-7, 2015 at Riverside Resort on the Spring River. Please go to the event page http://www.arkansascanoeclub.com/page-577443 for detailed information on the school. The last page will direct you to the registration form.


[video=vimeo;122767316]https://vimeo.com/122767316[/video]

IMHO, this and other instructional events are what makes the Arkansas Canoe Club one of the nations' greatest paddling assets. There are also advanced classes held at a different time on a different river for those interested in heavy whitewater and whitewater rescue skills. Additionally, they hold kayak roll clinics in indoor pools at various times of the year.

[video=vimeo;79256823]https://vimeo.com/79256823[/video]

 

[Codger_64]

COpied and pasted from my canoe site on a topic where a member asked about D-rings for whitewater canoe outfitting.

The metal ones are available on eBay, about $12 a hundred, Made in USA by AMS. The best are stainless or anodized and available from online hardware suppliers but much more expensive. The worst are the nylon ones which I used on my last install. They will tear out even with good rivets using stainless backing washers (these were supplied in the Northwater kit from Rutabaga and are meant to be sewn in tarps, not this application). All should go with bolts and nylock nuts or rivets and washers below the gunnels, but through the gunnel flange and hull. Otherwise you can just drill the gunnel flange and hull below the gunnels in the same spot and thread paracord through the holes to weave a cage. Then add a strap and floor anchor. You can have fun with it too instead of using black or olive green paracord. Here is the Confederate pattern paracord that I bought for the install on my Old Town.

Here is the install I did on my Sunburst using the nylon D-rings.

These are the powder coated ones found online... strapworks I think.

And the cheaper ones on eBay

Here is the kit from Rutabaga Paddlesports. The tiedowns are first rate.

Note that this is my own way of weaving a bag cage. Some pros like Mike Yee use a different weave pattern, parallel cross cords and perpendicular cords forming squares instead of the triangles I prefer to use. In both cases, there are hypolon anchors glued to the hulls and a longitudinal strap to take some of the pressure off of the paracord cage and prevent overstressing it in case of submersion. Without that, the ripping out of the D-rings or breaking of the cords is a real possibility. Tons of water are involved in a moving water swamping and/or pin. And good floatation can make a huge difference in the survivability of the canoe and it's owner.

I am going to do the install on my Old Town some time this week and I'll see if I can add pictures of that. I did get my drysuit neck gasket ordered with the needed glue, and if I can get some knives sold this week, I'll order the wrist and ankle gaskets to finish the refurbishing. And then... and then... away we go!

 

[taldesta]

They do have this decal set on Ebay you know...

I want to name my aged aluminum canoe "WaterPup" when I repaint it this spring ...Oh mods, with all sincerity ... I hope my sketch isn't beyond the pale for Outdoor Gear, Survival Equipment & More

 

[Codger_64]

I want to name my aged aluminum canoe "WaterPup" when I repaint it this spring ...Oh mods, with all sincerity ... I hope my sketch isn't beyond the pale for Outdoor Gear, Survival Equipment & More

Neat! I like it!

 

[taldesta]

Thanks. I feel the sun-soaked air and cool water below ... refresh us ... and that fun is with us forever to share s

 

[Rupestris]

I want to name my aged aluminum canoe "WaterPup" when I repaint it this spring ...

Cool name and sketch :thumbup:.

My old tin boat was a Grumman. They also built the fighter planes Wildcat, Hellcat, Tigercat, Bearcat, and Tomcat. It was only natural that I named my SportBoat the "Swampcat" .

 

[Codger_64]

I'm buying the latex replacement gaskets for my drysuit one set at a time. The first piece, the neck gasket, came in today. But they forgot to send the glue. No matter, the ankle gaskets are up next. They can ship the glue (paid for already) with the ankle gaskets. That just leaves the wrist gaskets for next week. Then unless I mess up royally installing them, I'll finally have a chance to go paddling again.

I chose G-Dive gaskets from Germira in Florida over the stock gaskets from Stohlquist and comparable replacement gaskets. They are supposed to be thicker upgrades from stock.

 

[Bigfattyt]

Nice! I need to get a flat water canoe.

I hesitated on two 18 foot Kevlar canoes.

Guy was selling like new for $800 each. They sold while I was trying to justify one, and asking the wife!

 

[Codger_64]

Which goes to the point, "Better to ask forgiveness than permission"! Of course I am twice divorced so there is that. I still have my canoes though. And my dog. And this ashtray and this lamp (Steve Martin ref).

 

[Codger_64]

I just read a cool, pointed but brief article in an online magazine written by the editor. It was comparable to a point I have made on this forum several times in the past in gear discussions. This editor who sees a constant flow of new products across his desk started out by mentioning some items, in hyperbolic style, which he has seen such as a portable, collapsible backcountry hot tub, a folding queen sized cot and other items. He then goes on to ask what is essential gear for going canoeing? Bow lines, a canoe, a paddle and a PFD was his summation of essentials. This revelation came from having spent a week in the woods with Ray Mears where he demonstrated primitive fire making and other woodcraft.

While I readily admit being a gear hound, like most every one here, I also understand his point. It is a constant tug-o-war for most of us. Acquiring new gear to replace old gear either damaged or with shortcomings with better, lighter, more efficient gear. Adding bits of gear that we think will aid us in smoothing it rather than roughing it. A better tent, sleeping bag, clothing, stove, water container or filter. Of course the be-all, end-all knife. For a backpacker this is a real challenge. Shed weight and bulk, find multipurpose items, one replacing two or more. For a car camper it is not so much an issue, limited only by what one's vehicle will hold and transport. And us canoeists and kayakers are somewhere in the middle. While we do have limits on weight and bulk, they are far beyond what a backpacker must consider the upper limit.

However even with our increased cargo capacity, bringing too much unnecessarily complicates things like packing, loading, shuttles, and setting up and breaking camp. Not to mention yard sales. That is a popular term for what is seen when a canoe or kayak overturns on the river and gear floats away or sinks. Not to mention that even in a paddle craft, it takes energy to propel the weight downstream or across the lake.

Every time I go on an overnighter in my canoe, I have to make choices in packing my gear. I can absolutely fit more than I need. More cookpots and clothes. More food and water. More gadgets and knives. And of course more fire starting methods and devices. And light sources. And printed materials. Electronics? Fishing gear? I won't purposely go so far as to eschew a first aid kit, a backup knife in case my favorite gets lost. And heck nowdays a phone for emergencies and a camera for memories. But back when I started canoeing last century, it was definitely a bow line, a paddle, a canoe and a PFD. Though I readily admit the PFD was not worn as often as it should have been. I am no longer ten feet tall and bullet-proof.

Thought provoking article.

 

[Codger_64]

Another interesting article in the same magazine issue was a missive about the author's first canoe. In his case it was one of the older fiberglass jobs, heavy as sin due to fiberglass molding tech at the time, and with really rudimentary design features. He does make the point that, at that time he, nor I, knew the difference that hard or soft chines, tumblehome, bow entry lines, flat or rounded or shallow arched hull bottoms, even keels make in paddling efficience and maneuverability. They were, first and foremost, a canoe shaped hole in the water, somewhat portable and got us out there.

He went on about repairs and repeated painting, each layer of paint intended to cover previous scratches, chip and patching. My own fiberglass canoe, also one of the heavy chopper gun boats, had a similar life. And due to the boney Arkansas waters I frequented, eventually leaked like a sieve in spite of repeater patches and repairs. I sold mine on to a new owner as a pond boat when I bought a beater aluminum canoe.

The aluminum canoe was very close to the end of it's useful life as well due to the same rocky rivers and streams. It also changed colors several times as I pounded out dents and replaced rivets ground off by constant scraping. It did serve me well though. Likewise I eventually sold it on as a pond boat.

After that I rented Blue Hole OCA tandem Royalex canoes for a few years. These now classic hulls and modern materials were a world apart from their predecessors in design and durability. Originals in good condition or restorable are in demand and command a decent price today. They paddled well and were very difficult to damage.

And then Coleman Marine came out with their inexpensive crosslink polyethylene canoes. They came as unassembled kits. I remember driving home with mine tied to the roof. The unreinforced hull was so flexible that the bow nearly touched the ground in the front an the rear would have but for the rear hatch being open to carry the long box of parts. It took a couple of hours and a few simple tools to assemble when I got it home. I had many excellent adventures with that canoe.

It was a tank. Or more properly, a UPS truck since it handled like one. The flat floor depended on an aluminum keelson inside with vertical uprights to the seats and thwarts to make it keep it's shape. Even then it oil-canned something fierce. It was very wide so had hellacious primary stability. And it took some real dumassery on the part of a paddling partner to overturn it, though that did happen once or twice.

The formed aluminum gunnels were very tough. Multiple broaches over the years left little evidence and they were not too difficult to straighten. I used this one on two-week long mid-winter trips on the Buffalo National River solo and weeklong tandem trips. And local river trips year-round. In it I introduced both kids to canoeing and had a lot of fun fishing as well as hunting. As fate would have it, I had to move out of state for financial opportunity and I sold it on to a new owner, worn but in surprisingly good condition considering.

Even today I would not be averse to buying another one to use as a family loaner. They typically sell for around $300 on CL.

 

[Scott Free]

These have gotta be the coolest wetsuits ever. Must see for yourself.

http://truewetsuits.jp/