Good ol canoe and kayak

[fingeez]

Hey all

Just wondering if anyone here has much experience with canoes and kayaks. Im looking to expand my outdoor interests, so was wondering what people would recommend as decent first time canoes and kayaks, that i could use on lochs but also on rivers for lazy days out and longer touring down river over a number of days. A canoe i could paddle with 2 people but also manageble enough for solo use when on my own?

Any suggestions really appreciated

Ross

[DonnyW]

Hi Fingeez
Im pretty sure you would love canoes or kayaks once you get bitten by the bug and if you are not afraid of the water.

Imagine gliding silently across mirror surfaced water without disturbing the wild life around you. Seals.. otters .. whales .. dolphins .. basking shark ..they can all be seen around our coasts and they do come close to the paddle boats .. they seem to be as curious of you as you are of them.

You are now exploring one of the last truly wild frontiers of our country. There are remote sandy beaches and wild camp spots that hard a soul has ever stepped foot on, accessible only by boat. Caves and rock formations beautifully carved by nature, the likes you have never seen before. I could go on and on

The mountain have been done to death years ago.. they are full of people wherever you go.. but around the waterways and coasts you will still see sights that not many people see although nowadays the sport is gaining popularity very rapidly.

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So saying..its not all plain sailing. There are new skills to be learned. You still need to navigate but you need to know about tides and winds as well as handling your boat. People can be killed as easily as on the mountains if they don’t know what they are doing.

I admit..I don’t .. I rely on my brother for advice regarding tides and safe places for me to paddle. He is mainly sea kayak and has paddled his way round most of our coasts ..including St Kilda. Sea kayaks can go long journeys and in rough water but they take a bit of time to learn how to keep your balance. I can paddle into reasonable sized waves as long as they are heading straight at the sharp end of the boat..but turn sideways, with the waves now rolling the kayak.. then Im swimming for shore. I even fall in the water trying to get into the things ..but on a good day.. it’s a truly wonderful experience.

Indian type canoes.. I believe are more stable but I don’t think they stand the waves and rough water the way a kayak will. If you are interested in canoes ..visit this forum and ask for advice or read reviews of the different boats

http://www.songofthepaddle.co.uk/forum/forumdisplay.php?28-Canoe-Reviews

To give you an idea of prices of new kayaks and canoes ..browse this link.

http://www.stirlingcanoes.co.uk/

My father bought my mother one of these when he was alive.. my mother still loves it and paddles around on calm days and she is over 80 years old ..so its very stable and reasonable priced


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Your question is a bit like..what kind of car is best.

Research what all the different types of boat are capable of… Choose your budget .. consider things like where you will store it.. can you carry it on your own.. how will you transport it and then.. my advice is… go for it .. Im just a learner too ..but can see the attraction.

[fingeez]

Hey DonnyW thanks for the reply, plenty of info amongst that

yeah its like walking already taken a bite of a bite out of me haha, iv been canoeing a couple of times. So really want to combine the 2 and use the canoe as a way of exploring more and o access different routes towards the hills aswell, plus just for weekends away with a tent or hammock and get away.
Not really looking at going out on the ocean yet haha, mainly loch's and rivers. I think im definately more drawn towards the canadian canoe than kayaks, seems alot more peaceful and suiable for my tastes. Think i'll go visit brookbanks in perth and have a look around.

Thanks

Ross

[Caberfeidh]

I use an open canoe (aka Canadian canoe) and love it for exploring lochs, including sheltered sea lochs. It can take a bit of rough choppy water but not too much - you wouldn't really enjoy being out in that anyhoo. Before you go buying one and then discover the drawbacks, have you a way of transporting it, i.e. a car with roof rack ? Somewhere to store it, i.e. garage or big garden ? You're much better off getting a second-hand one, as brand new they are extortionate. Have you considered a small rubber dingy ? Much more portable and far, far cheaper! Remember to get a life jacket (approx £40)

[DonnyW]

Agree on the life jacket point .. you never know what could capsize your boat ?

How about meeting a fin whale in a kayak ..the second largest animal species ever to live on earth. This one was over 60ft long and its tongue was the size of a car.
It wouldn’t eat you though ..it just siphons the sea for minute plankton

I was blubbering big time when I saw this poor creature.
It had stranded itself on the rocks as if it wanted to die,
Perhaps it knew it had a terminal illness or was broken hearted at loosing a mate ?

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[fingeez]

Hey Caberfeidh

Yeah i been thinking about it since last year, just getting round to more serious thought now that winter is almost gone lol. Yup got car and roof rack would be had once was getting canoe as thats all i would need one for. Yup got large garden and larges sheds at my parents an yes i'll def be looking for a second hand one to start if possible as i seem to have not quite won the lottery yet haha.

Did think about rubber dinghy aswell, but doesnt drawn and intrigue me as much as a canadian canoe, also i want to go for longer expeditions on the water. One i have my sights on for the future would be starting at Killin travelling down loch tay then down the river Tay skipping the grandtully rapids though then finishing at Peth, mainly as i stayed in Kenmore for a number of years with my bedroom over looking the Loch and beach and have lived in Perth the rest of the time, so had the draw of these waters all my life

and yup pdf would def be had aswell, cant be having one of those whales filtering me!!!

PS is the face in the pic edited to stop us nosy bunch finally finding out your scurvy identity?? lol

Ross

[monty]

Hi Ross,
You seem very ambitious I do the odd bit of canoeing/kayaking and kayaked the length of Loch Morar and back last year. You have to be careful though. The wind can get up from nowhere and what was a calm surface can soon change into a wild wave or two. Its probably best for you to join a canoe club up in Perth and get out onto the river for some practice.

You need to wear a Boyancy aid at all times and be familiar with and practice capsize drill etc. What seems to be a straightforward sport can at times be quite dangerous.

Loch Quoich paddle last year

[malky_c]

Reading this thread with interest, as this has long been an ambition of mine as well (seems like a great way to get a different perspective on the hills, and think of all the great bothies you can visit: Oban, Glendhu, Glencoul spring to mind immediately).

I'm too much of a tight-wad to spend the money though, plus I'm not sure it would go down very well with the wife! One day, maybe...

[monty]

HI Malky,
I think it was oban that I passed as I kayaked up the river at the end of Loch Morar. I pitched my tent and a guy came over for a chat. He was working on the bothy doing it up at the time. Its a great way to get yourself lost in the wilderness

[DonnyW]

I also have an inflatable yacht tender and 2 hp outboard motor which has no storage or transport problems. Deflated it fits in the boot and weights 41 lbs. Although only 8ft long it carries 650 lbs of people and camping gear. Its made of hypalon which is far more durable than PVC but at a price.

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I like rowing it and really only carry the outboard motor to get me out of difficulty , as an example if the wind got up, or I rowed too far and became too tired to row against a tide going in the opposite direction. You cant use an outboard motor in many fresh water lochs although you can paddle in any of them.. but there is not the same danger of tides or wind carrying you far out to sea in a fresh water loch

The inflatable tends to get blown across the water in a wind as it has no “draft” under the water
So I don’t go out if the wind is blowing off shore ..Im always prepared the motor may not start or break down. Don’t take cheep “lilo” type inflatable’s to sea and do be very aware that any small boat can easily get blown far off shore or carried away by strong tides.


But for those that put in the effort to learn about the sea and its ways .. I think the reward is far greater than in the fresh water lochs. Deserted beaches and remote islands surrounded by crystal clear waters…gulls and gannets … seals and otters .. whales and dolphins …. they are everywhere off the north west of Scotland


I must go down to the seas again, to the vagrant gypsy life,
To the gull's way and the whale's way where the wind's like a whetted knife;
And all I ask is a merry yarn from a laughing fellow-rover,
And quiet sleep and a sweet dream when the long trick's over

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[mellowmark]

Some good sea kayaking videos on the youtube channel of this guy:
http://www.youtube.com/user/GBPaddling#p/u

[fingeez]

Hey Monty

haha yeah i guess i am, always like to push myself a little further all the time within reason and safety though lol

yeah im going to look into the canoeing club here aswell, would definately be going out alot spending days on lochs and getting lots of exp before i fully went ahead with my expedition plans, along with some proper coaching. Iv done a little kayaking aswell when i was younger and stayed in kenmore.

hey malky

im sure you could find some people to go on a little adventure with that have a canoe, maybe someone on here once you've done that there'd be no stopping you haha, altho yeah i can understand the tight wad part as it does cost abit, but prop not too much more than all your walking gear over the years and a canoe or kayak looked after will provide you with plety years service and a nice perfect weather day on the water with your wife will convert her too hahaha

as for the sea, im a far way off from going near that yet with a canoe or kayak, im a little crazy and ambitious but not stupid hahaha, i want to enjoy myself in the outdoors not endanger myself lol, altho a circuit of scotlands coast from somewhere around oban all the way back north and round to the tay would be a nice voyage many years away from that though lol

Ross

[Caberfeidh]

Ye could always make yourself a nice coracle...

[kerrera]

One i have my sights on for the future would be starting at Killin travelling down loch tay then down the river Tay skipping the grandtully rapids though then finishing at Peth, mainly as i stayed in Kenmore for a number of years with my bedroom over looking the Loch and beach and have lived in Perth the rest of the time, so had the draw of these waters all my life

Would you be starting above the falls of dochart? I hope not.

I would seriously consider getting some lessons first. If you feel like being reckless, stay close to the loch shore. If you capsize out of your depth, you could be well f****d. Bear in mind that a flat water kayak and a river one do completely different jobs. Apart from grandtully, there are other stretches that i'd stay away from on your way to perth, especially just north of dunblane. Good luck.

[fingeez]

hey Kerrera

haha no i wouldnt be starting above the falls of dochart or it could be a very short lived trip

as i mentioned above this trip is many years away yet, and i would definately be having lessons and getting alot of exp before attempting that. Plus this trip would be done on a canoe rather than a kayak. and yup id most likely be skipping the grade 4 waterfall aswell lol.

This post was more looking to see if anyone had good ideas for decent canoes or kayaks to get me started learning.

Ross