Canoe or Kayak?

[grasshopper]

A canoe but you may need a dog in the front to keep the bow down. You could also add a small electric motor if you get lazy. That said I like the freedom a kayak gives, but a pontoon boat has more cupholders.

 

[ArkTinkerer]

A canoe but you may need a dog in the front to keep the bow down. You could also add a small electric motor if you get lazy. That said I like the freedom a kayak gives, but a pontoon boat has more cupholders.

The 13' I have has the seats positioned so that solo you ride in what would normally be the front seat.

I did find some sail kits for kayaks so they are out there!

 

[athena53]

Thanks, everyone! I'm dealing with all the stuff that pops up in the last week or so before closing, but this thread will be a great resource once I can start boat-shopping.

 

[Mango1956]

My vote would be for a sit on top kayak. I just bought one of these for solo trips:Emotion Kayaks Spitfire 8 Sit-On-Top Kayak - REI.com. Reasonable at 269 dollars, and tracks pretty well for a short fat boat. Sit on tops are easy to get off and on again for that quick swim off the boat. Can't do that in a sit inside kayak or canoe. Then, as others have suggested, buy a tandem kayak or canoe for the group outings. My two cents! Happy boating!

 

[kitesurfer2]

I have several paddling years under my belt starting in a canoe at 10 years old. I can paddle any canoe in a straight line all day long without changing paddle sides. Learn a "J" stroke, low brace, high brace and skull stroke and you will really enjoy canoeing. Don't ask me about a canoe in whitewater because my whitewater weapon is a kayak. I have experience in whitewater canoe but the kayak is more practicle. I am a proficient class 4 boater--or was It all takes practice and time on the water. No one mentions paddles but my opinion is that a good paddle pays more dividends than a good boat, both of which are necessary. My kayak paddles are bentshaft carbon fiber ($450) and canoe paddles are bent shaft wood. a cheap (coleman) canoe will not make you happy in many ways. a cheap kayak (sit on top) will make you even more un happy. they are wide but very slow--work yourself to death and not go anywhere...they have no glide. waterline and beam make for a fast and stable boat. sit on tops are the 'worst of both worlds' and will not be something that you enjoy very long. i presently have a custom built surf kayak by Murkey Waters, a whitewater kayak, a tandem glass kayak by Eddyline, two touring skirted kayaks and a canoe i am in the process of re-habbing. I say all this because i would be happy to take anyone out for lessons or demonstrations--no charge. I am retired and I can do this Call NOC for lessons and see what they cost!!!!

 

[athena53]

I presently have a custom built surf kayak by Murkey Waters, a whitewater kayak, a tandem glass kayak by Eddyline, two touring skirted kayaks and a canoe i am in the process of re-habbing.

And you can stop anytime you want, right?

Thanks for the details in your post; I hadn't even thought about the paddle although I'm pretty sure I'm not going to go for the $450 version. The lake is less than a mile long so I'm not too concerned about efficiency. Now, however, I'm wondering if there are other places near us where I can use it. Hermann, MO on the Missouri River when we visit there in September? Some of the large lakes in our area? More research to do.

 

[imoldernu]

Never let an opportunity to tell a story go by.
We moved to Upstate NY in 1972, and with four boys, I was very involved in Scouting. Not only was my troop involved in camping and hiking in the Adirondaks, we also did many canoe trips, from 3 days, to ten days. A great experience to see boys grow into men... away from home, and with only what we could carry.
Scott, my youngest, was 8, and couldn't participate, so to make up for this, I planned a two day canoeing camping trip down the Schroon River... Just to be safe, because I didn't know the river, I checked it out, and found that it was relatively calm, with only one section of class II waters... easy enough to navigate.
It was May, and when we put in, the water was high, but calm. For a while. A portage around the bridge and back in... Then... strange... some loud highway sounds, even though we were miles from the highway. Then, around a bend in the river... not highway sounds... rushing water. Whoa!... a 6 foot fog of spray. No way to get to shore. Rocks, drops, whirlpools that I had never seen. Scott in the bow... "Paddle hard Scott!" We were in the middle of it. "Dad... there's some guys over there on the rocks." Sure enough... Two guys, helmets, knee pads, elbow pads... up on the rocks, with half... yes, half of a Old Town Canoe.
Above the roar of the water:
"Can we help you guys?"
"Are you crazy? What are you doing here".

We made it... camped that night ... everything soaking wet and cooking inside the tent... Crashing through the bushes... Must be a bear... A sleepless night lying there with my Buck knife... ready for anything, and swearing to never, never cook inside a tent.

Back home the next day, and to the library for canoeing info... The Schroon...
Class I Class II rapids... except in early spring when at high water, it can go up to class IV and Class V. (Think canoeing up Niagara Falls)

Whitewater: Paddling the Schroon River - - The Adirondack Almanack

 

[TimSF]

I have both a canoe and a kayak. When I go by myself, I take the kayak and when I have company, I take the canoe. They both have their strong points.

+1

 

[Sea Kayaker]

I'm right in the midst of the Salish Sea/Georgia Strait/Puget Sound...this is BIG WATER...winds, currents, vast distances to be travelled. Not canoe friendly at all - nor for that matter, all that suitable for stubby little sit on top kayaks....an average paddle for me is 15km...which I can do in around 2 hours.

My kayaks range from 16' to 18.5 feet - these are long distance touring boats, with ample storage available in the water tight bulkheads. In the PNW, these are the way to go - there is a huge sea kayaking community here. It is awesome.

I love the paddling talk going on here.

BTW, here is my current fleet.

 

[Badger]

For 45 years I've spent a considerable amount of time each year in a canoe. Most of that was camping trips. Presently I have 2 kayaks that my wife and I have enjoyed for the past 6 years for day trips. If you decide a canoe is what would work best for you then consider fiberglass. It is usually less expensive, easier to repair, and doesn't get as hot or cold as aluminum. Since you are not experienced in either type of watercraft then a canoe would be a better choice especially if it will be used by others who are less experienced or younger.

Either way you are going to have fun. You may look into renting both to try them out for a few hours first.

Cheers!

 

[yakers]

Canoes are great for carrying a lot of weight but are more difficult to paddle. Kayaks can be very forgiving. I have several kayaks now, my Pygmy Opsrey wood boat & greenland paddle is my favorite but I also love my two Folbot folding kayaks (a single and a double and they both sail very well with leeboard setups) also have a Necky Narpa plastic sit inside, good for bashing into things. Recent addition is DWs Hobie inflatable kayak, it is pedal powered and has been very effective in its few outings.

I do think there is a place for sit on tops, they are good for fishing and snorkeling/diving. Loved them in Hawaii Fiji & Rarotonga where I have no where I want to go to and a lot to see.

One thing, don't get a double without a rudder, they are called divorce boats.

 

[athena53]

Kayaks can be very forgiving. <snip>...also have a Necky Narpa plastic sit inside, good for bashing into things.

The cruise line we took in Alaska (UnCruise.com) used Necky sit-insides and I liked those; I don't have a lot of gross motor co-ordination and when DH and I rented a rowboat at the Parc Real in Madrid once, he had to take the oars to get us out onto the lake! I learned to maneuver a kayak pretty quickly.

 

[Free To Canoe]

The 13' I have has the seats positioned so that solo you ride in what would normally be the front seat.

I did find some sail kits for kayaks so they are out there!

If you don't have a dog in front, who is going to keep you company?

Enjoying all of the comments.

 

[kitesurfer2]

Yakers, that's funny about 'divorce' boats. The day before out wedding (8 years ago) i took my wife down the natahala river in NC inour new divorce boat, a DISCOVERY tandem canoe in pristine conditon. we flipped it the first rapid. understand this river is 42 degrees year round. short story, my wife got out and will never consider ww again. I sold the boat the next day, our wedding day

 

[kitesurfer2]

you really don't need two people to paddle a canoe...and there are a few underwater strokes that come in hand in a kayak.

 

[martyb]

Wind may not be a factor where you are, but canoes have enough sail area to make you work like a slave of you need to go against it.

That's a fact. However, I learned a long time ago that if you're fishing by yourself in s canoe and the wind kicks up, get in the center of the canoe and it's much easier to handle.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G900A using Early Retirement Forum mobile app

 

[Ronstar]

Made a new GoPro mount for my kayak. And took it out for a test run. Kayak is a Wilderness Systems Pungo 120 - a 12' recreational kayak.

Kayak May 28, 2015

 

[yakers]

Nice paddling, I can't paddle that fast
Love the portage technique, gotta love plastic boats!


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[Derslickmeister]

That's a fact. However, I learned a long time ago that if you're fishing by yourself in s canoe and the wind kicks up, get in the center of the canoe and it's much easier to handle.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G900A using Early Retirement Forum mobile app

I have a 15' Colman canoe that my folks bought for me when I was 14 years old. I used to fish in it backwards (I would sit in the front seat facing the rear) basically shifting the CG by a few feet. Made it much more stable in the wind. I now fish from an Old Town Loon (13') kayak, a lot more pleasant experience...

 

[Ronstar]

Nice paddling, I can't paddle that fast
Love the portage technique, gotta love plastic boats!


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I agree - plastic boats are great! They can really take a lot of abuse. As a woodworker and a kayaking newbie, I once thought I would build myself a cedar strip kayak. But after a couple of years in my plastic kayak, I no longer want to build a cedar boat. The cedar ones look very nice, but I wouldn't be able to avoid scratches and other damage that come with ordinary use.


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[Sea Kayaker]

Ronstar, I quite like the effect of the GoPro mounted at the farthest extent of the bow. Really gives a great impression of speed. How exactly did you mount that? I really don't want to drill into my beloved 18.5 ft Nimbus Telkwa kevlar/fibreglass boat.

 

[Ronstar]

I know what you mean about not wanting to drill fiberglass. I'd be worried about cracking. Luckily, my front strap has a screw that screws into a threaded fitting in the boat. So I attach my Gopro to one end of a 1/2" wide aluminum bar, unscrew the front strap, and rescrew the aluminum bar and the strap back to the boat.

 

[Sea Kayaker]

I know what you mean about not wanting to drill fiberglass. I'd be worried about cracking. Luckily, my front strap has a screw that screws into a threaded fitting in the boat. So I attach my Gopro to one end of a 1/2" wide aluminum bar, unscrew the front strap, and rescrew the aluminum bar and the strap back to the boat.

Ah, I thought that might be the way you did it. My problem is that, like many of the long touring boats, the bow tapers to a narrow point, much like Pinnochio's nose (as is shown in my kayak fleet pic). I know GoPro makes a mount for virtually every situation but I'm racking my brain to come up with an idea for this. I suppose I could apply one of those "sticky" mounts up there somehow...but I've already done this on my deck and I fear for the gel coat when I try to peel it off. Maybe I could try the beefy "clamp" mount - it might just be able hold on to the boats "nose" securely enough. Might try this.

My sea kayaking season gets going in earnest soon - I might be posting some pics/vids on this forum soon. Fingers are crossed for some orca encounters.

 

[travelover]

......... I suppose I could apply one of those "sticky" mounts up there somehow...but I've already done this on my deck and I fear for the gel coat when I try to peel it off. .........

In the FG RV world it is common to use 3M VHB tape to hold things on to the gelcoat. Some of it is rated for 100# / sq. inch. You can take it off with a piece of mono filament line. It is not stronger than the gelcoat adhesion. A readily available version is called 3M Extreme and is sold at the big box stores.

 

[Ronstar]

Ah, I thought that might be the way you did it. My problem is that, like many of the long touring boats, the bow tapers to a narrow point, much like Pinnochio's nose (as is shown in my kayak fleet pic). I know GoPro makes a mount for virtually every situation but I'm racking my brain to come up with an idea for this. I suppose I could apply one of those "sticky" mounts up there somehow...but I've already done this on my deck and I fear for the gel coat when I try to peel it off. Maybe I could try the beefy "clamp" mount - it might just be able hold on to the boats "nose" securely enough. Might try this.

My sea kayaking season gets going in earnest soon - I might be posting some pics/vids on this forum soon. Fingers are crossed for some orca encounters.

Whether you go with the clamp or the sticky mount, you may want a tether backup. I used to use the clamp mount on the kayak, and one day my GoPro and clamp mount slipped off and went into the lake and sank. I was at my dock in only 6 feet of water, so I grabbed a rake and was able to fish it out.

The tether is paracord, bought at a big box store. I made some loop ends based on a you tube video. I use this tether for my kayak, pontoon boat, and truck videos.

And yes - Please post videos of your orca encounters!