Canoe course?

[Realbark]

Came across this on ebay. I dont have a canoe but saw this. What do you think? Anyone been on a similar course?

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Wooden-Canadi...ods_CanoesKayaks_Rafts_SM&hash=item3f0871432b

 

[Manacles]

It certainly looks interesting........

 

[nunzionuk]

Looks fun. Its like Ikea canoes

3 Days is a very short time to build a canoe, but if treated well should last for life.

 

[rancid badger]

Entirely on what you want from the experience.

If you just want a few days away, learning how to make something like that, from ply wood and aren't too bothered about how it paddles, handles or looks, then go for it

I've seen one or two, half decent plywood canoes but the vast majority look like they were built by "Reg Prescot":
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_p_mdGtY26Y&feature=related

If on the other hand, you actually want a boat to use,seriously, then I'd advise giving the DIY a miss and invest your £700 in either a new Nova Craft SP3 Prospector or if weight was an issue; a decent second-hand royalex boat.

The third option; would be to buy an Apache kit from Regbella (Stu) on SoTP. You get the hull and fittings and put it together yourself.

cheers

R.B.

 

[Grooveski]

I'm in two minds. It's a good sounding course and the boats look like they turn out well. The organisers obviously have all the templates, tools and know-how required and I can imagine it being a really satisfying few days. Then you have the privilage of having built your own canoe.

On the other hand I'm not grabbed by the canoes themselves - look like wrens. I've nothing against the design(other than flat bottomed boats can get a bit slappy in chop) and there must be hundreds of them out there happily paddling around, just think there are nicer ways of piecing ply together.
http://www.selway-fisher.com/Opcan16.htm

I've nothing against ply boats either, own one myself and it gets used the same as any of the others(damn sight more than the old barge of an SP3 ever did ). Only tip I could give as a wooden canoe user is that paint is tougher and cheaper than varnish. Mark on a waterline, varnish the bits you see by all means but paint the hull.

 

[Realbark]

Thanks for the input all - as i said i do not have a canoe but am looking around various forums and reviews as i getting tempted. I have only done a couple of sessions kayaking a few years ago and would want something reasonably good for a novice. I am in no hurry so shall keep looking and take it from there. This course looked a bit unusual though i must admit they dont look aesthetically pleasing to my inexperienced eyes.

 

[Raybennett]

Hi realbark, thanks for your donation by the way. I'm in your boat (excuse the pun). I'm just getting into canoeing, I've joinedy local club (potteriespaddlers) it's £22 a year for which I get use of their gear and waters and canoe union membership. Also free coaching etc. I'd go down that route as it's cheap to get started and try others gear to see what you prefer. Go to songofthepaddle forum. Great bunch and very helpful. I saw that course as I'm searching for my 1st canoe. For £700 you could get a great canoe. So I guess it all depends if you want a good canoe or want to build your own mate!

 

[marcusleftthesite]

£700 :yikes:

You could get two Apaches for that.

 

[Nonsuch]

Entirely on what you want from the experience.

If you just want a few days away, learning how to make something like that, from ply wood and aren't too bothered about how it paddles, handles or looks, then go for it

I've seen one or two, half decent plywood canoes but the vast majority look like they were built by "Reg Prescot":
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_p_mdGtY26Y&feature=related

If on the other hand, you actually want a boat to use,seriously, then I'd advise giving the DIY a miss and invest your £700 in either a new Nova Craft SP3 Prospector or if weight was an issue; a decent second-hand royalex boat.

The third option; would be to buy an Apache kit from Regbella (Stu) on SoTP. You get the hull and fittings and put it together yourself.


cheers

R.B.

Spot on. These often don't turn out that well and you would be much better off spending the money on an SP3 Prospector. If on the other hand you REALLY want to build a canoe, then get a set of plans and some strips and build yourself a wood-strip canoe for about the same money or less, which will be a thing of beauty. Or as suggested above, get an Apache kit and fit it out yourself.

When I got started open canoeing 20 years ago, I went to the local club, did 1 and 2* courses, then bit the bullet and bought a royalex canoe. I'm still paddling it and it looks great. I don't think a plywood job would have lasted like that.

 

[al21]

I have to wonder if those who are so critical of the Wren plywood canoe have actually paddled one. I'm not 100% certain they are wrens, but do look like it to me.

Sure the course could be a bit cheaper, because (a) I'm a cheap skate. (b) you can buy better boats for less, but I think it could be a very satisfying and worthwhile experience. For your £700 you get a long weekend in which to build a perfectly usable boat with all the components sourced for you. You then get to build your boat while supervised at a client/instructor ratio of three to one. Like this you should be able to create a pretty good example of a Wren rather than a "Reg Prescot" job! You should then have the experience to try something more complicated with a better hull shape later on if you so desire. Lets face it though, folks are being critical about a weekend canoe building course at the end of which you get a canoe. This on a forum where people regularly pay several hundred pounds for the latest Mors Bear-Mears bushcraft knife which then sits in a draw never to see daylight again!

As to the performance of a Wren, well, they are quite capable simple craft. Perfectly suitable for bobbing about on Ullswater or Loch Lommond or trips on grade I or II rivers. For sure, they don't have the lovely lines of an E.M. White or Atkinsons Traveller and you'll not be making fancy freestyle moves in one. They are surprisingly resilient though and with a reasonable maintenance regime will outlast any plastic boat.

I don't recommend any of the poly boats to people simply because of the weight. If you're spending hundreds of pound on a plastic boat, wait a little longer, save a bit more and get one of Royalex, you'll not regret it. Saying that, my Penobscot 17 was bought in '89 to replace the Colman 15 in Ram-X I had, the miles we've since covered can now be counted in a four figure number, but I don't see her out lasting the plywood sailing dinghy I have which was built in 1955!

So, all in all, I'd prefer it to be a little cheaper, but it would be good experience and you'll end up with a nice functional canoe that will make you smile every time you portage with someone with an SP3.

Al

 

[Grooveski]

Kinda wishing I hadn't posted on this one.
Should point out that the SP3 was a great boat, just wasn't the one for me. Didn't like the high gunnals and lack of tumblehome. Regretting the wisecrack even if I did call it 'The Barge' for the whole time I had it.
Each to their own.

 

[rancid badger]

Kinda wishing I hadn't posted on this one.
Should point out that the SP3 was a great boat, just wasn't the one for me. Didn't like the high gunnals and lack of tumblehome. Regretting the wisecrack even if I did call it 'The Barge' for the whole time I had it.
Each to their own.

Ahh never mind! I'm still convinced that there is no better polythene boat available than the SP3, the only way you'll get better, is in some other material, possibly even plywood included.

Oh Al;
Personally; I've never paddled a wren but have paddled 2 similar "boats" and have to say they were utter rubbish.
They were quite well put together but still looked like they had been built by someone's half blind grandad, on an allotment somewhere and painted with old dulux, left over from painting a door!

They both paddled as poorly as they looked and Like I say; for £700 I'd rather just buy a proper boat and invest some of the £700 in one of Robin Wood's spoon carving courses.

cheers

Steve

 

[al21]

Oh Al;
Personally; I've never paddled a wren but have paddled 2 similar "boats" and have to say they were utter rubbish.
They were quite well put together but still looked like they had been built by someone's half blind grandad, on an allotment somewhere and painted with old dulux, left over from painting a door!

I've seen some like that and thought the best thing for them would be as an unusual method of transport for Guy Fawkes on top a bonfire. There certainly are some truly awful examples out there which do nothing for the model in question. I've paddled others though that have been perfectly functional, and if I'd built them would have been pleased and satisfied with the results.

They both paddled as poorly as they looked and Like I say; for £700 I'd rather just buy a proper boat and invest some of the £700 in one of Robin Wood's spoon carving courses.

I think a problem here is that one mans 'proper boat' is another mans heap of junk. If you ever get the chance to paddle a wood canvas canoe you get back into you beloved SP3 and think what a plastic tub, I certainly didn't think there could be such a difference.

Plywood boats have their place, though the Apaches have certainly eaten into that low budget end of the market. I still think this course has merit, and while too expensive for me it provides a way for some to build, with instruction and materials and tools, a useable canoe that can last for years.

If you simply wish to get a boat on the water then there are other cheaper options.

I have a real problem with polythene boats, lets face it, any boat that is so heavy that you struggle to get it on and off your car and consequently use much less is worse than the one that doesn't handle as well, but allows you to get on the water regularly. As always, these things are about compromises and for me, one that means you paddle less is not for me.

Al