Silicon Investor (SI) -- The First Internet Community

STOCKTALK

We've detected that you're using an ad content blocking browser plug-in or feature. Ads provide a critical source of revenue to the continued operation of Silicon Investor. We ask that you disable ad blocking while on Silicon Investor in the best interests of our community. If you are not using an ad blocker but are still receiving this message, make sure your browser's tracking protection is set to the 'standard' level.

Pastimes : Canoes, Hiking, the Great Outdoors -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: Ilaine who wrote (138)	6/7/1999 9:49:00 PM
From: Dayuhan	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 325

Hi CB... now that you've confessed to considering a small boat, we shall have to talk you into it, and multiply our tribe. If you'll be mostly on flat water, have you thought about a canoe? More room, and you could bring one or both of the boys along, though a canoe big enough for 3 might be awkward for you to handle alone (Croc knows more about canoes than I do, and will have advice on that). Not everybody likes kayaks. They are quite different - you sit in a canoe and ride on the water; you wear a kayak and ride in the water. Best move is to find a paddlesport store fairly close to you, where the people are familiar with the local conditions, and ask the people there. Most of these stores are run by enthusiasts who will do a lot to get you set up with the right gear for what you want to do; a lot will have trial boats for you to test out. Some basic instruction for any kind of paddling is a good idea, makes the initial stages much easier. If you do end up with the kayak, the roll is not absolutely necessary, especially if you paddle mostly calm water and close to shore. If you paddle alone, though, especially in areas where weather can change fast, it pays to be familiar with the roll and other self-rescue techniques. Bays can be deceptive; choppy water with whitecaps can be harder to manage than big swells, and high winds are always tough. Probably a good idea to stay on the river until you feel pretty confident. I'd suggest trying out some rental or borrowed gear, then if you really decide you want to do it, go out and buy from the high end. Not that you want some specialized craft for advanced paddlers; you don't. But you do want the best beginner's boat, paddles, PFD, etc. that you can get your hands on. Quality makes a huge difference, as with most things. A cheap boat can be awkward, clumsy, hard to control, and unmanageable in wind. A good one is pure joy. I'm sure others here will have comments; hope you go ahead with it. Let us know what happens.

To: Ilaine who wrote (138)	6/7/1999 10:34:00 PM
From: Crocodile	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 325

Just a few notes to add to what Steve has said.... If you're thinking of a kayak, see if any of the local paddling associations are having some kind of "demonstration day" for the public this summer. The clubs up here do that and people can try out kayaks at a public beach where there are many paddlers present to lend a hand and show you the ropes. You can usually find out about this kind of event through any good paddle sport shop as they usually set up a display at them. The other thing that some clubs do is to organize kayak lessons in a large pool. I'm pretty sure that this is done in association with the YMCA up in my area. In any case, you can take a few evening lessons which are given in a pool where you can try out gear and learn to do various maneuvers, like bracing, rolls, etc... As Steve has mentioned, you may not need to know how to roll a kayak, but you certainly would need to know how to paddle it in swells or wakes from motor boats, or choppy water conditions.... and to learn to recover from a flipped canoe or kayak. As for whether to get a kayak or a canoe... Of course I'm somewhat biased in favour of canoes. The new canoes can be super light and quite easy for most people to load on a car or truck. If I were buying a canoe for solo paddling, I'd probably go with something around 15 feet in length such as my present canoe. You might think there isn't much difference between a 15, 16 or 17 foot canoe, but there usually is. The 15 foot canoe will be scaled down in width, depth, etc... and will seem easy to manage solo, whereas a 16 or 17 foot canoe starts to seem rather on the "large size" when you are handling it by yourself. That said, a good 15 foot canoe should have a load capacity of around 600 lbs. so it is certainly adequate for 2 adult paddlers on a day or overnight trip. If you think you'll be doing longer trips with a tent, packs, provisions, etc... you should probably be looking at a larger canoe... maybe like the one that Stuart has recently described on this thread. To this Croc, one of the best things about a canoe is that you can bring along "stuff" with you when you go out on the river. I usually bring a camera, binoculars, a sketchbook and some art supplies, Maggie (my collie dog), water for both of us, an extra paddle in case I drop one overboard, and a lunch if I intend to be out all day... The canoe provides a great platform from which to sketch or take photographs... It also makes a great "hammock" in which I can settle back under a big weeping willow overhanging the river and just gently rock with the waves while holding onto a swaying branch.... Ahhh...now that's the life... (Now you know what I'm doing when I'm not around on S.I. for days...)...(-: Anyhow, I agree with Steve... most of the people who work at the paddle sport outfitters are really keen and can probably match you up with the right kind of craft for your intended use. I think the biggest challenge is to try to narrow down what it is that you want to use your canoe or kayak for. Once you have determined that, the rest usually falls into place... Hope you find a nice craft and join us here on the thread more often... (-: Croc