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Re: Canoeing

PostPosted:Sat Feb 09, 2019 3:18 pm
by Flintstone
malcolmfrost wrote:
Flintstone wrote:For the last couple of summers I've pondered the idea. Canadian types, not kayaks.

A slow flowing river with pubs/B&B at decent intevals. Spend a few days drifting along, hopefully with no mobile phone signal. Anyone done this?

Have you thought about canals?


Only far ones. :D

Canals tend to attract people and be busier whereas I've a notion that rivers, particularly ones not navigable by cruisers and sailing dinghies, are a bit quieter. I think there are footpaths alongside most canals whereas rivers, not so much.

Another idea was off-season cabin crusier hire on the Broads, a bit of quiet motor boating can be therapeutic.

Re: Canoeing

PostPosted:Sat Feb 09, 2019 3:26 pm
by malcolmfrost
The problem is that many rivers are restricted for canoes as the anglers have fishing rights and get very cross. canals are owned by British Waterways and you can just buy a licence.
There are a lot of pubs next to canals though :D

Re: Canoeing

PostPosted:Sat Feb 09, 2019 3:40 pm
by morticiaskeeper
£400 for a canoe is very cheap, I'd be cautious about the quality for that. The kayak I've got my eye on at the moment, a Pyranha Scorpio starts at about £1600.

Living in Tewkesbury, we spend many evenings on the Avon on Perception Scooter kayaks. Two fit onto the roof bars and only weigh 20kg, so not too bad for carrying. They're not the best river boats, being much too short, but they make good all round play boats and are great for sea surfing.

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Re: Canoeing

PostPosted:Sat Feb 09, 2019 4:00 pm
by Miscellaneous
Flintstone wrote:Canals tend to attract people and be busier whereas I've a notion that rivers, particularly ones not navigable by cruisers and sailing dinghies, are a bit quieter. I think there are footpaths alongside most canals whereas rivers, not so much..

You never even looked at my link to the Caledonian Canal, did you? :lol:

About 60 miles in length with several lochs along the way, including Loch Ness at 23ish miles long and Loch Lochy at, I'd guess 10 miles long.

Anyway, you didn't specify in the OP it had to be within distance of home so you could kip in your own bed at night. :D

Re: Canoeing

PostPosted:Sat Feb 09, 2019 4:31 pm
by Flintstone
I did and yeah, fair cop. I don't want to drive 400 miles to be eaten by midges. :D

I'm looking for a try-out. Small steps (to the pub).

Re: Canoeing

PostPosted:Sat Feb 09, 2019 4:31 pm
by Lockhaven
Flintstone wrote:
rikur_ wrote:I can think of some of the places that we used to go in the UK would be ok for a long day trip, but not really long enough of the right sort of river to do multi-day in a canadian.



I can paddle very, very slowly.



Bill McCarthy wrote:...bum a lift with whatever is passing through and just drink...



Now you're talking.


I was thinking along the lines of the River Stour which is near-ish to me. Read a couple of reviews from people doing two-day trips in slow time. I like the idea of parking a car at each end and drifting from one to t'other.

This company http://www.riverstourboating.co.uk/ offer guided tours for groups but I'm not terribly keen on mass Stour boating.


:lol: :lol:

Re: Canoeing

PostPosted:Sat Feb 09, 2019 4:31 pm
by Paul_Sengupta
You don't get much privacy in Loch Ness, there are people all around it with binoculars.

Re: Canoeing

PostPosted:Sat Feb 09, 2019 4:33 pm
by Flintstone
What are you saying about people with binoculars? :shock:

Re: Canoeing

PostPosted:Sat Feb 09, 2019 4:37 pm
by Paul_Sengupta
Miscellaneous wrote:Loch Lochy


Who on earth named this? You can't even blame different languages like the River Avon or Torpenhow Hill.

Flintstone wrote:What are you saying about people with binoculars? :shock:


Well, as long as you're not mass Stour boating.

squawking 7700 wrote:Wye?


Wye not?

Re: Canoeing

PostPosted:Sat Feb 09, 2019 4:44 pm
by cockney steve
^^^^^^ they'll be looking for a monster!

Girl spies under boyfriend's Kilt....."Och ! that's gruesom" Aye! keep that up, an ' it'll 'a grew some more. :D Sorry, thread drift, Should be in "bad jokes :oops:

Re: Canoeing

PostPosted:Sat Feb 09, 2019 4:49 pm
by Lockhaven
Flintstone wrote:Another idea was off-season cabin crusier hire on the Broads, a bit of quiet motor boating can be therapeutic.


Must be from the gentle vibrations giving that therapeutic feeling, sometimes the canals can be pain in the **** especially with all those dykes to navigate.

Re: Canoeing

PostPosted:Sat Feb 09, 2019 4:52 pm
by Bill McCarthy
Take a look at the River Medway in Kent, at one pub we just stepped out of our seaboat (“borrowed” from the dockyard) and walked about 10ft to the bar premises. There was a distinct loss of hydraulics to the kneecaps after a couple of hours inside. I like Kent.

Re: Canoeing

PostPosted:Sat Feb 09, 2019 5:12 pm
by Miscellaneous
Paul_Sengupta wrote:You don't get much privacy in Loch Ness, there are people all around it with binoculars.

If they can't find a monster what are you suggesting about the size of Flint, if you don't think he would be free of prying eyes? :lol:

Re: Canoeing

PostPosted:Sat Feb 09, 2019 5:17 pm
by Paul_Sengupta
Flint hopefully wouldn't be under water.

Re: Canoeing

PostPosted:Sat Feb 09, 2019 5:21 pm
by cockney steve
Canoes seem rather like bikes.....you can find "basic" but the marketers push all sorts of "must-have" ego- trips onto the unwary.

Sailing dinghys invariably have a centreboard (hinged at the front-lower corner) or a dagger-board (slides vertically) One such would be far more capacious and stable than a canoe. Most have provision for rowlocks and you can row , don't have the board down, then the draught is just a few inches. Don't have to put a mast/rigging up, either.- oh, you can sail without putting the board down, you'll just side-slip a lot more, with wind on the side/fore-quarters. If you find one with a stern-notch (or fit a rowlock) you can scull with a single oar. (a la Gondolier) great fun and a surprising turn of speed if needed. Avoid inflatables, they get blown about too easily(but good load-luggers)

Dinghies abound on ebay and when the novelty wears off, you can sell them on There's a channel on youtube of a fellow who cruise- camps in a small sailing dinghy on the upper-reaches of the Thames. A boom-tent , sleeping- bag and Primus make him snug and he just moors in an inlet or on the bank, as the mood takes him.....as it's shallow, there are very few on the water and public footpaths are thin on the ground, so to speak, so it's very tranquil and idyllic whilst not being isolated.

I've been in canoes, never capsized, but don't like them. rowed, sculled, motored and sailed from a 6 foot clinker pram dinghy up to a 36 foot offshore racing yacht. enjoyed them all!


I agree that the Broads is a great , safe cruising area for just pottering about. they have sailing-boats as well! special folding rigs to duck under the low bridges . I used my own boat and had to drop the mast only once had an enjoyable time, took my baby son with us and my daughter was concieved at the same time :mrgreen: happy days of yore! you have to buy a licence for the boat, but not dear. IIRC, I got mine from a bridge-keeper near Norwich.