Up the creek without a paddle. This isn't a canoe.

This year, I'm getting back outside. No more cooped up in the shop all the time or sitting on my fat butt in front of the computer. We are going camping, exploring and boating before I have a heart attack from lack of exercise.

The first step was the Samurai for camping and some of the exploring. Next I needed a skinny boat that loves to dump people in the water. I considered a kayak, but I wanted more load carrying capability for camping and on occasion I need to haul 5 people. So a canoe it is.

This will be the first of two. I picked it up this afternoon from a guy on craigslist. It was 3 miles from my house and cheap. I didn't particularly want red, but the price was right, it was local and color wasn't that important.

Any words of wisdom from the healthier crowd on here before I tackle a 100 mile canoeing/camping trip? (next fall)

you are going to hurt in places you never knew existed.

If you want to keep with the tippy canoe theme and find you like it. I suggest going up the food chain to an Adirondack Guideboat

Hey there! Good for you for deciding to being active this year. Taking the step and buying the stuff to do it is a great way to hold yourself to it.

I kayak about 15 times a year on verage. Usually about 12-15 miles at a time. Lets say 6-7 hours worth with stopping and eating, swimming in between. Work your way up to it. Go lots of times just to paddle around for a few hours. 100 miles trip is going to be several days at least, so go do lots of 1 day trips first. If you can find a local place that does guided trips for 1 time and get some safety training down that will make you much more comfortable as well.

Sunscreen,chapstick,mosquito repellent,lifevest

Have fun!

In reply to mad_machine:

I actually looked at those but figured out I better start out a little smaller.

As far as hurting, it's a good kind of hurt. It's just weakness leaving the body.

I love canoeing. Except when there are tubers. I hate tubers.

No offense to any tubers here.

I know you wanted advise from health people but I will through my two cents in anyway.

Start small, and do something every day. Two years ago I was a box of Twinkies away from 400 lbs and couldn't walk more than two or three blocks without needing a break. I started walking every day, first 5 min every few hours and working up from there. I'm down about 80 lbs and can walk for miles at a time.

Last week at Daytona I was able to push my wife all around the infield and front stretch grandstands on Friday, then during the Rolex 24 my pedometer says i walked about stood/walked for close to 8 miles over 18 hours.

Take some small trips with the canoe to get used to using you arms and putting your gear back in after you flip and before long you will do long trips with ease and possibly without flipping much.

Get one of those clip on back rests.

Paddle upstream early in the day and downstream later in the day.

THAT is good advice

Woody wrote: Paddle upstream early in the day and downstream later in the day.

Yes, always do this

BTW, Here are a few clips from the Blue Springs trip that Derick Freese and I took a few weekends back.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6VzuJDK0bpM&feature=youtu.be

SyntheticBlinkerFluid wrote: I love canoeing. Except when there are tubers. I hate tubers. No offense to any tubers here. What the heck could you possibly have against tubers?

In reply to JoeyM:

I saw that the other day. Very cool. It's what reminded me I hadn't hit craigslist in a week or two.

You cost me money today. Thanks.

1988RedT2 wrote:

SyntheticBlinkerFluid wrote: I love canoeing. Except when there are tubers. I hate tubers. No offense to any tubers here. What the heck could you possibly have against tubers?

Depends on the 'tater. The Lenape wasn't a good thing. http://boingboing.net/2013/03/25/the-case-of-the-poison-potato.html

(BTW, that's the example that I break out when people want to say that old methods of developing strains are safer than GMOs.)

if you want to see how seaworthy a Guideboat is

Unless you already have the skill set, a good Canoe instruction class might be a good investment. In a past life I was a ACA (American Canoe Assoc.) instructor and went on several multiple week canoe camping trips. Learning proper technique makes canoeing a lot more efficient and easier on the body. Congrats on your purchase, hope you enjoy it.

Do I have to be first?

That is a big boat. You may want a smaller one if you or one of the family members want to get out by yourselves.

I can not recommend this boat enough: An Old Town Guide 119. It is light, fairly stable (I can stand and fish) and it tracks well for a small boat. The seat sucks, though.

It can also hold smaller family members up front. I had both of my kids (4 and 8 at the time) up there and had no problem paddling. I use a double bladed kayak paddle to get around in mine.

Here is one (not mine) that shows what you can do with them. You'll notice the stock seat is long gone. Did I mention it sucks?

For seating, get a canoe seat that straps on. Your lower back will thank you.

With the canoe I see in the original post.. Canoe on lakes or rivers with short (or no) portages. It looks heavy.. Not to say you shouldn't tackle portages. You just shouldn't now... At least until you are in shape for them...

Another reason for the short or no portage argument. If you haven't canoe tripped in years or have never canoe tripped. Stuff you have never seen, or places you have never camped camp are far closer. Give it a few years when you have built up your fitness level. Then aim for the farther off places..

mad_machine wrote: you are going to hurt in places you never knew existed. If you want to keep with the tippy canoe theme and find you like it. I suggest going up the food chain to an Adirondack Guideboat

My father builds canoes like this as a hobby. They are amazingly light and just beautiful. He has a tandem for when he and Mom think they want to paddle together and smaller individual canoes when they don't.

He is 80 and she is 79 and they have been going on canoe trips for the last 15 years or so. If they can do it...

If you hear banjos paddle faster.

Well, I tried to get the canoe strapped to the top of the BMW today. That was a no go. A BMW has no place to tie off to without destroying the front spoiler or scratching the paint.

So I strapped it to the top of my F350. For some reason I had it in my head that this was a 14'6" canoe. Boy was my eye calibration off. It's almost as long as my truck and it's a crew cab. So I pulled a tape on it. 18'6" over all. Crap this thing is huge. It should make a great tripping canoe and haul all kinds of camping gear, but it sure is a hand full to load it on top of my truck by myself.

I'll try to remember to take a picture during daylight hours tomorrow, but this will give you an idea of size.

FYI, the inexpensive car top canoe kits are absolute crap, don't waste your money.

The canoe you have is damn near indestructible but it's heavy. Think about a cheap sail rig for when your arms are ready to fall off.

And congrats on the gumpshun to get out there!

Dan

In reply to 914Driver:

At a guess, it's 80-90 pounds. I've got two young boys to take over propulsion duties when dad's arms give out.

A sail rig would be cool, but as soon as I step the mast, it changes from a canoe to a sail boat and has to be registered. Needless to say, canoes with titles in SC are few and far between.

Nice, Sunday morning we are loading up the canoe and going to Crystal River to canoe with the manatees. My canoe is an early 80's 16' Royalex Mohawk. It isn't pretty but surprisingly light and paddles well. Can't wait to catch a break and go camping.