Canoes

[Paid 935]

So, read in another thread that some scottish lad does a bit of kayaking, and thought i would start a thread to get some advice.

I have a 17ft open canoe that we mess about on the local rivers, but want to take my lads further afield, and maybe to sea in it.

 

Would love to take them camping in it, but maybe not this year as the oldest 2 are 6 and the littleun is 3

 

What should i take ? they all have life jackets, but have seen yoga balls used as extra floatation devises, any other tips to keep us safer ?

 

 

[redial 81]

Take a Bible. Water and young children are not a good idea.

[walshie 2,804]

Definitely recommend helmets. knock yourself out in water and you're in big trouble.

[scothunter 12,609]

someone who knows the lay of the river

[Hydropotesinermis 724]

Take a Bible. Water and young children are not a good idea.

Bullshit. Worst advice ever.

 

I was rowing a fixed seat scull at 8, trained by my grandfather. Keep a close eye on them is all, don't wrap them in bubble wrap. There is no better age for them to get a healthy attitude of respect to water and boats the sooner the better.

 

As has been said, life preservers an helmets. And just keep a close eye on them, above that be careful where you take them, obviously don't have the 3 year old paddling into white water.

Edited May 14, 2013 by Hydropotesinermis

[jonah. 775]

there's a website called "Songofthepaddle", you'll find all you need to know on there, the forum is spot on.

there's a section called blogs, which is basically trip reports, you wont need any other advice after a few hours on there.

[Malt 379]

Getting them used to being in the water with their gear on would be a good start mate, maybe ask at your local swimming pool or start on a nice safe beach when the weather finally gets a bit nicer? Not done any myself, but grew up on the coast in and around water.

[Paid 935]

I'll have a look at that cheers

 

Redial, are you my wife ? I never should of bought you an iPad

 

 

I'm sort of thinking if we do go to sea doing it some where calm and flat, like around west itchenor

 

We have been out in it since the twins were 3 and i totally avoid rough or fast water

[Paid 935]

Agreed malt, they have all swam in their life jackets in the pool, and now the river, we are going to try a capsize on the canal soon lol.

[haymin 2,465]

Never had a canoe when I was younger but used to go down to the local lifeboat slip way with tractor inner tubes what great fun we had as kids kicken about on the sea ha ha magic )

[Hot Meat 3,109]

Get it and the kids to the lakes

[The Joker 0]

So, read in another thread that some scottish lad does a bit of kayaking, and thought i would start a thread to get some advice.

I have a 17ft open canoe that we mess about on the local rivers, but want to take my lads further afield, and maybe to sea in it.

 

Would love to take them camping in it, but maybe not this year as the oldest 2 are 6 and the littleun is 3

 

What should i take ? they all have life jackets, but have seen yoga balls used as extra floatation devises, any other tips to keep us safer ?

 

 

 

I'm just down the road from you 'Haslemere' and I've got a open canoe and a 10 year old lad, we go out quite a bit.

 

A great place for starting with the kids is Baisingstoke canal because it has no fast water just a nice gentle current, plus you can camp by the canal at Mytchett canoe center.

 

You've said you have Jackets for the kids, then maybe drybags for kit, throw line, one drybag with one set of clothes for all plus towels just in case of capsize. apart from that get them out there and enjoy

Edited May 14, 2013 by The Joker

[redial 81]

I'll have a look at that cheers

 

Redial, are you my wife ? I never should of bought you an iPad

 

 

I'm sort of thinking if we do go to sea doing it some where calm and flat, like around west itchenor

 

We have been out in it since the twins were 3 and i totally avoid rough or fast water

No mucker I'am not your wife but we may share the same concern's. I just think they may be too young. In my humble opinion. Regard's Phil.

[baw 4,360]

 

Alright mate, Canoing is fun but as you know, danger is never far away. Im not trying to be patronising, i only know what youve wrote. I'm self taught, been doing it for years on river, loch and sea. I'm no expert but can give you general advice that I've learned through experience. I use a single man kayak, piranha fusion, great all round kayak but its a whole different to a canoe with 4 people in it. From what you have wrote, your kids have a good basic understanding. I'll try and keep it simple cos its gonna be long winded enough lol.

 

Clothes: no point in having helmets and life jackets if your wearing big heavy restricting clothing. I wear jogging bottoms or shorts, tight round my waist, its hard trying to swim with them round your ankles lol. A T shirt, light fold away cagoule, buoyancy jacket, wet suit shoes and a helmet. In the winter a wet suit but very rarely, tend to get to warm in it. You need to pay close attention to clothing, it gets heavy when wet.

 

The sea: I'm assuming this is where you want to go. First off, timing is essential. You don't want caught getting swept away when the tides going out. Get an app called tides planner, it will show you tides in advance, upto the minute tide level through an easy graph and also when the spring and neap tides are. It's ok setting out in calm water but I've seen it turn from calm to 2 foot waves in the time its took me to reel in my rod, sort it and start paddling. 2 foot waves might not sound much if your in a boat but they are a whole different thing when your sitting on the water with nothing but 5mm of plastic between your arse and the bottom of the sea lol. I NEVER go in the sea alone, always with my mate in his kayak. We go camping, fishing, drop pots, play on the surf, go for a nosey round places only a canoe can, its f***ing great. When we go camping whether its river, loch or sea we leave a van at the camping spot incase we can't canoe back cos of rough seas or usually can't be arsed cos we are hungover lol. Doesn't happen often but its a good option. Its also good for keeping food, BBQ, clothes in etc, save you taking them in the canoe. You can get tired after Canoing 10,20 mile lol. Treat the sea with great respect. Stay relatively close to the shore, furthest we venture is about a mile out for fishing. We raft the canoes up and sit back and have a smoke, ahhhh bliss lol.

 

So, key things are, clothing.... Light clothes and as little as possible. Life jackets and helmets a must. Camping gear light. If we dont have the van at the camping spot we take a 3 man tent, 2 sleeping bags, matches, one of those army pot things for hot water, couple tins of soup and pot noodles and loads a beer lol. We don't take extra clothes etc, just dry ours at the fire, bit different with kids.

 

You really need to make sure the kids know how to behave in a canoe. It's ok having a laugh in a calm canal for an hour or 2, bit different in the sea for say 8hrs. As you know canoes are all about stability, a kid spots a jelly fish, leans to the left to see, the other 3 will automatically lean the opposite way, doesn't take much to capsize. Need to practice getting back into your canoe, its your life saver and you don't want to leave it unless you really really have to. I can get back in mine upside down under water and roll it back over. Used to freak the ex by capsizing, coming out and putting my head in the upside down kayak to breath lol then after a few minutes, climb back in and roll back over as if I'd been holding my breath for a few minutes stopped doing it after someone called the life boat lol. I'm not saying you need to be at this level but you need to know you can get in the canoe and pull the kids in. I'd personally leave the youngest till they were older before venturing into the sea. As long as you feel confident swimming with a 3yr old wrapped around your neck in rough water, then batter in lol. I've probably missed out loads of shit and ill add if I remember anything. It's all common sense really, you'll know when they are ready. You might want to go yourself first see how you cope and either take someone in a seperate canoe or inform someone where your going eg, life guard etc. I hope I haven't put you off mate, not my intention, just trying to point out that planning and preparation for the worst case scenario is important where water is concerned. Especially in the unpredictable sea. Keep an eye on the wind, tell tale signs of unsettled water further out, even small unsettled ripples further out can turn into white waves if the wind decides to blow by the time they reach you. Worst I've experienced is a wind getting up from the land blowing out to sea. The waves were a bit dicy when we set out but for us manageable. The wind was blowing in land then decided to change and blow outward. We had the wind blowing us out, waves coming hitting us from all angles. It's a lot easier with waves coming behind you or if your heading into them but when they're big rollers heading inwards with the swell and white waves crashing into you from the side, it gets a bit fruity lol. Wouldn't like to have 3 kids in that situation and it can happen but less so if you plan ahead.

[Astanley 11,588]

Bloody good post sir .