Canoes & Kayaks

**Dave_the_Pilgrim** · 15-05-2009, 14:57

Anybody else here use a canoe or a kayak to get to places less frequented ? I find it's easier to find quiet wooded places if I go out on a river than if I go walking.

Here's some photos of mine:
The double for touring :

The camm'd up one is for wildlife watching/hunting/fishing.

Dave

**John Fenna** · 15-05-2009, 15:04

There are many canoe owning members here and I for one have found them great for adventurous "camping" and have used a canoe to explore places as far apart as The Spey, Loch Morar and Loch Nevis, The Wye and Severn, the Tivy and the Daugleddau, the Adriatic and the Orange River in South Africa!
A better match of interests cannot be found than - Bushcraft and Canoeing!
I am trying to foster the love of paddling amongst local Bushy types and the love of Bushyness amongst local paddlers!

**fast but dim** · 15-05-2009, 15:11

awesome canoe!

**Asa Samuel** · 15-05-2009, 15:31

I like river kayaking, never been too interested in sea kayaking, the fish are far to big!

I'd love to go on a big river trip with someone else in a canadian, would be great fun!

**Shewie** · 15-05-2009, 15:59

I've recently got myself a solo canoe for the purpose of exploring and camping mainly in Scotland and the Lake District (shh).

Mine's the little Pack

Love the stealth boat btw

**Asa Samuel** · 15-05-2009, 16:57

Originally Posted by Shewie

I've recently got myself a solo canoe for the purpose of exploring and camping mainly in Scotland and the Lake District (shh).

Love the stealth boat btw

Me and my dad went round one of the Lakes a couple of years ago, we went up onto one of the islands in the middle of the lake and made a cardiac casserole for lunch (1x tin of baby new potatoes 1xtin of evaporated milk 1xtin of corned beef all in the same pot heated over a camp stove) was really nice there. was so hot I rolled down my wetsuit into trousers and just wore a rash vest and was toasty.

**SiWhite** · 15-05-2009, 18:11

I would LOVE to get a Klepper and explore local rivers - even SWMBO is up for it. I'm yet to find one second hand...any ideas, anyone?

**DanDan The man called Dan** · 15-05-2009, 18:29

I do like kleppers and other such folders., I've been canoooin a few years now there is IMO no better way of relaxing and forgetting your stresses and yes I find it the easiest way to get to those out of the way little spots.

Heres mine (not a folder)

**GlenM** · 15-05-2009, 20:22

A better match of interests cannot be found than - Bushcraft and Canoeing!

I'll second that John, here's my new pride and joy! i've been saving for what seems an age but finally a canoe i can carry on my own.

**huntersforge** · 15-05-2009, 20:46

Youre right mate , you can explore some interesting and remote spots in your canoe .
Oh , heres a pic of mine

**irishlostboy** · 15-05-2009, 21:02

i have beek a kayaker for a great many years. but of the small and gnarly variety of kayaks. i love canadian canoes, but as i dont own a car or similar to transport one, plus my camp kit, i cannot splash out on one. i agree that it is a perfect mate for bushcraft in the right location though.
my current vehicle is going to be a bicycle and trailer. should be able to lug enough kit with that to keep me on the go a while. shame am stuck to the roads though.

**Dave_the_Pilgrim** · 16-05-2009, 11:03

Originally Posted by SiWhite

I would LOVE to get a Klepper and explore local rivers - even SWMBO is up for it. I'm yet to find one second hand...any ideas, anyone?

Well, if you're ever up in East Anglia, give me call. I'm more than happy to take out those who are interested in trying or already know they like kayaking but don't have a boat.

That goes for anyone else ! With the two boats I can manage 3 people in total. More if it's a lake paddle.

Dave

**soloman** · 16-05-2009, 17:07

That goes for me to dave,ive 2 boats and dont mind lending my spare out if anyone fancys a paddle with me in cent scotland.
Soloman.

**Chinkapin** · 16-05-2009, 18:31

years ago I had a Folbot that was like the model they now call the Greenland II. 17 ft., open cockpit. It held a ton of gear plus two people. It was so stable it was unbelievable. Both people in it could lean as far as they could to the side and it would barely tip. It was also very fast.

I used to take it down various rivers and was always amazed at how much wildlife you can see from one. Apparently the animals just don't equate something large, slowly floating down a river, with humans and more or less ignore you.

In a bout of apparent insanity, I let a friend talk me out of it and I sold it to him. Dumbest thing I ever did. I later replaced it with a 16 ft. canoe. Heavier, slower, and WAY less stable. (this was a high dollar canoe, not some cheapo piece of junk.) As far as I'm concerned, there is no comparison - - the kayak wins hands down. Just remember I'm comparing an EXPEDITION type kayak to a similar sized canoe. I have no experience with the smaller white water kayaks, and am not addressing them.

Canoes and kayaks will both get you to remote places quickly and easily. You will arrive much less tired, even accounting for the paddling. You will see lots of wildlife.

One thing I have observed about river paddling is that many (most?) rivers are quite a few meters below the surrounding land. So, as you travel along, even in built up areas, You don't often see any buildings, people, or man made things. Even though it may be very near by you "appear" to be alone in a wilderness area. Oftentimes the only clue that your not,is that you can hear traffic noises.

kayaks/canoes and bushcraft go together like ham and eggs. or should I say bangers & mash?

**drewdunnrespect** · 16-05-2009, 18:49

dam rite they do go together like bangers and mash

**Humpback** · 16-05-2009, 19:15

Just got back (4am) today from a week on Loch Shiel. My canadian is a god send for taking gear where my legs won't!
Alan

**Grey Owl** · 17-05-2009, 06:13

Here is a photo of 1 of our 4 canoes. This being the solo flatwater boat. Perfect for quiet escapes.

Can someone explain the absence of the photos? Used the image insert button, and poof, nothing!

**Asa Samuel** · 17-05-2009, 11:36

Was the link to the photos correct? if it wasn't then you probably wont get anything there.

**Sainty** · 17-05-2009, 13:47

Originally Posted by Grey Owl

Here is a photo of 1 of our 4 canoes. This being the solo flatwater boat. Perfect for quiet escapes.

Can someone explain the absence of the photos? Used the image insert button, and poof, nothing!

Try this.

Martin

**Sainty** · 17-05-2009, 13:49

Looks like that didn't work either then.

Martin

**al21** · 19-05-2009, 11:22

Well, if we're posting pics of our canoes. Here's Jus Chillin.

This image of us just having paddled through Knockando on the Spey, part of our trip from Newtonmore to Spey Bay some years ago.

I frequently paddle this boat solo despite it being seventeen feet, though it's done many miles as you see it above. We've also had six in there while messing about. It gets poled, paddled, sailed and portaged on canals, rivers and the sea. Truly marvelous bit of kit!

Al

**Grooveski** · 19-05-2009, 18:53

I pick up my new baby next week but having never sailed before I think there'll be a lot of wobbling around on Loch Lomond over the summer getting the hang of it before venturing further afield.
Huge thanks to Toddy for introducing us.

**Shewie** · 19-05-2009, 19:07

Originally Posted by Grooveski

I pick up my new baby next week but having never sailed before I think there'll be a lot of wobbling around on Loch Lomond over the summer getting the hang of it before venturing further afield.
Huge thanks to Toddy for introducing us.

Next week eh ?

**Grooveski** · 19-05-2009, 19:19

indeed.

I've been botching up a mast out of the punting pole, a bunch of jubilee clips and bent welding rods and am chomping at the bit.

**sandbender** · 19-05-2009, 19:37

Originally Posted by Grooveski

I pick up my new baby next week but having never sailed before I think there'll be a lot of wobbling around on Loch Lomond over the summer getting the hang of it before venturing further afield.
Huge thanks to Toddy for introducing us.

That is lovely

And since were posting photos of our canoes, me and my better half out for a wee paddle...

**jonnno** · 20-05-2009, 11:13

This is my Old Town Charles River. It fits nicely with bushcrafting - you can paddle somewhere remote and with a Canadian you can bring loads of gear for camping and cooking.

**johnnytheboy** · 20-05-2009, 21:08

Here is mine from the weekend

**Tye Possum** · 20-05-2009, 21:21

I've only gone canoeing a few times, not anywhere special though, just out on the lake near here. Don't own one or anything and really know nothing about them but I want to eventually get one and learn the basics, maybe go on some trips down some river... Sounds like a lot of fun and handy for getting to the more remote locations, as long as you don't fall out and end up like that boreal forest episode of survivorman (which is actually the river I was thinking of eventually paddling down), of course that's when bushcraft could really come in handy!

**John Fenna** · 22-05-2009, 09:15

Here are a couple of pictures of one of my 4 canoes...

On the Gwilli - paddled by me

On the Tivy with Humpback doing the work!

**Chainsaw** · 22-05-2009, 09:26

Here's my canoe, it's bloo

I really enjoy canoeing, great for some solo time!

And my solo boat

Cheers,

Alan

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