Out for a paddle

[Hoodoo]

I got a new canoe a couple weeks ago but this past weekend was the first chance I got to get it wet. It's a Bell Yellowstone solo. Saturday I did some river canoeing and Sunday I was out on a lake. The Yellowstone is excellent for rivers and streams with moderate whitewater and not bad for a lake although my Bell Merlin with less rocker cuts the wind better. Sorry but I don't have any pics of the whole canoe.

Here's the view downstream:

It was a sunny day on the lake.

Saw quite a few mute swans on the lake.

This one got a little upset with me...

 

[Scally]

great pics
and how did it handle on its maiden voyage!

 

[tomtom]

wonderful pictures hoodoo.. thanks for letting us see them!

 

[Hoodoo]

great pics
and how did it handle on its maiden voyage!

While I didn't have much whitewater to speak of, there was enough of a current in spots on the river to give me an idea how well it handles. I have to say it's pretty impressive. Very easy to turn in a tight circle. It heels over nicely with great stability. Overall length is 14 feet and the wt is 44 lbs. Pretty light canoe for royalex. Out on the lake I had no problem paddling in a fairly stiff wind with a chop on the water, although my kevlar Bell Merlin at 15 feet does track better in the stiff wind and you can get a heck of a glide.

I really wanted the Royalex for the rivers here in Michigan. Lots of gravel and rock. The Kevlar is easily damaged by scraping. Royalex handles it much much better. This is about as close to a perfect solo backcountry river canoe there is imo. The merlin though is great for lake tripping and at a little over 30 lbs, awesome for portaging.

Here's a link to the Yellowstone:

Bell Yellowstone

 

[BorderReiver]

wonderful pictures hoodoo.. thanks for letting us see them!

Goes for me too .

 

[AJB]

If you want I could send pictures of the front of my desk and the view to the other Muppet in the office!

Where was that?

 

[tomtom]

you allowed to eat swans in the US? them not belonging to the queen and all??

 

[Hoodoo]

Not that I know of.

 

[ssj]

Very nice area. Looked like it may be a good place for bass.
Steve

 

[Hoodoo]

The stream is a good trout stream. The lake is noted for it's big bluegill and it also is a good producer of muskies and northerns. The lake and stream are in mid Michigan on the west side.

 

[bambodoggy]

you allowed to eat swans in the US? them not belonging to the queen and all??

Tom....it's a world wide thing, the Queen owns all of them no matter where they happen to be at that particular time....lol...

Think that part of it comes from when the UK owned over half of the world and was at war with the other half!!!! lol

Bam

 

[bushbasher]

Her Majesty is welcome to them.

I have it on very good authority that Swan tastes like a combination of rotten Fish and Mud, and is as tough as old Boots.

That didn't stop a group of asylum seekers barbequing a few in Regents park recently.

Her majesty was not amused!!

 

[Skippy]

Just got a new Kayak while on holiday, only had it four weeks, and i think its the best investment i have made so far....i have been able to get to places i could only dream of reaching... especially around the Dorset, Devon & Cornwall coastline....where i have just spent a few weeks touring.

 

[Skippy]

its called an Ocean 'Caper' Angler version, the little brother of the Ocean 'Prowler' (sit on top) with loads of storage space (http://www.second-wind.co.uk/

 

[Wayne]

Skippy

Nice boat.

The Dorset coast is a great area for paddling. lots of little coves that can only be reached by boat. Paddling allows you to get close to wildlife without disturbing them.

 

[AJB]

Hi Bushbasher,

I’ve had swan and it was OK. It was leg meat and tasty, a bit like turkey leg but a little stronger in taste, but yes it was a bit chewy.

And before you all start having a go at me, it was all legal and above board.

 

[spamel]

How on earth did you get to eat swan legally?? You weren't invited to the Queens palace for dinner where you?!!!

 

[AJB]

Hi,

It was years ago. A colleague of my dads was a biologist of some sort and was working for some branch of the government. Anyway they needed him to study the stomach contents of every (un-endangered) native British bird, as I said it was about 25-30 years ago and I have no memory of why he was doing it, but I do know he built a punt gun to bag many of them! (I’d like to see him get one at a time with it ). So he “acquired” (completely legally) one of every one for the experiment.

Being that kind of bloke, he decided that, to have eaten every native bird was an opportunity not to be missed so he did. The swan was too much for him so he sent the legs home with my dad.

We had them with chips! There can’t be many who have had that!

 

[spamel]

Awesome!! I saw one of those punt guns in action on a film at Leeds Royal Armouries. That is some incredible firepower!!

I wonder what the Queen eats with swan? Potatoe wedges, or maybe waffles?!!

 

[AJB]

No, she’s supposed to be a class bird. She’ll go for them frozen croquettes!