maiden voyage...pics and things learned

[Scooter]

Took 'er down to Normandy Lake, just east of Shelbyville, TN (of walking horse fame).

Couple things struck me. That little boat is tippy man! It's like trying to ride a bike very slow and always needing to stick a foot out, or you'll fall over. Have to stay aware of the water surface and think about 3 paddle strokes ahead. Had to stay perpendicular to the swells created by bass boats a couple hundred yards away...it'd tip ya in a hurry if not.

You can really cover some distance in that thing, although there's not much perception of speed. I can see how folks can cover dozens of miles in a day.

Got alot more water in the boat (paddle drippings) than expected.

Sat on a square PFD and had the feeling of never being in the exact center of the boat. Seemed to slide on the floor too easy, leaving me off center, thus the tippyness...or one reason for it.

Amazing how much you can learn that first trip out. Didn't fall out though! 8) Only my feet got wet.

 

[JEM]

Give it a few trips and you'll get used to the feel of her. As far as the seat sliding, mix a little sand in some paint and give a couple coats to your desired seat area. That should take care of the sliding.

You could look into install a back band (or thwart) and foot braces. That will help the boat feel more stable because you can lock into more. But I'd paddle her for a while first before finalizing that decision and position.

Paddle drippings can be solved by installing some drip rings on the paddle. You might also be doing too high of a vertical stroke. Get a little waist twist in your stroke and that will help.

 

[Kayak Jack]

Get a little waist twist in your stroke and that will help.

Get a LOT of waist twist into your stroke. Here's where all new paddlers make mistakes; I made'em for a few years before I got re-trained. The following is for the "standard" forward stroke using a double ender paddle. BTW, seek out a paddle with the following characteristics:
One piece, doesn't take apart. (Lighter weight)
No angled feathering; both blades in the same plane. (Less air drag in 3 of the four possible wind directions, no wrist tendonitis, and MUCH more predictable for bracing)
About 220 cm in length (Most common length for all uses)
Made of carbon fiber and kevlar or, very light wood

Do NOT paddle by bending your elbows. Your elbows should be welded nearly immobile. Your shoulders should always be parallel to the paddle shaft. Try this exaggerated exercise.

Stick your arms straight out in front of you, and lock you elbows. Now, paddle by dipping one end in the water, and twisting from the waist. When the paddle blade is straight out from your hip, roll the paddle the other way and dip the other end in the water. Twist in the opposite direction. Repeat this as often as is necessary to (A) cross the lake, or (B) convince yourself that you do NOT need to bend your elbows to paddle.

Now, relax your arms a bit, get a comfortable angle to your elbows, and loosely relock them, a few degrees of elbow flex are OK, but limit it to a minimum. Now, paddle this way using your back muscles - NOT your arm muscles. You will:
1. Go as fast or faster
2. go further
3. Get less fatigued

I do use my arms for special conditions. When I'm trying to be extra quiet to approach wildlife, or pulling the paddle straight out of weeds to prevent fouling.

Also, in our boat, keep your center of gravity (CG) low. In a kayak, your butt is actually below the water line.

 

[JEM]

one trick I do is point to paddle end that is not in the water toward the bow. That helps keep me from stroking too far aft with the blade that is in the water.

Good video here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CHCbGg4bCfs

Keep in ming that this guy is paddling a much skinnier boat but the basics still apply.

 

[catfish]

hey scooter that is a nice looking boat. like the exsperts say i believe with time u will get a better feel of ur boat. i have a little 9' boat wooden boat i got from a friend , have used it several times . i havent flip it yet & believe me if u sneeze it would. i guess u could turn any boat over if u try hard enough.

as far as ur inside water problem they hit the nail on the head . drip rings with the double paddle. i use a single blade when canoeing , i got an idea of web & it works great for me. i use a sponge , it soaks up water great & can be used to get sand or dirt out. (cat)

 

[oldsparkey]

Scooter

The pirogue is narrower then a canoe which means it is tippier but not as bad as a kayak which is even yet narrower. You are in the middle weight boat.

Believe this or not but most folks stand in them when fishing or poling them in shallow water. It is a learned art and just like anything , the more you do it the easier it becomes. After a couple of paddling's , the boat not you , OK you paddling the boat you will be surprised how well you will be able to make it do what you want.

Just remember , it is like riding a motorcycle , when you think you are the master it will tell you ... you aren't.

For easing along I use a single (canoe) paddle , going against the current , which I do at times or just covering some distance then it is a kayak paddle. The best thing to do is to keep it low (Don't look like a windmill when paddling) and you will use less energy and go further.

You have the boat ... now you need to work on the rest and the only way to do that is to get on the water an do it.

Chuck.

 

[Kayak Jack]

... all this advice from a fella whose nickname is "Overboard". (sigh)

 

[hairymick]

Heya Scooter,

Well done mate.

Ya got a beautiful boat and a lovely place to paddle her in. -you beauty!

I agree with chuck re the single blade thing. When just tooling along or not in any particular hurry to get anywhere, I just love my single blades.

Ya wont get as much water in the boat with a single blade either.

Re the tippyness, you will get used to it and very quickly will come to love the feel of it.

 

[bearridge]

Friend Scooter,

Thanks. I really love ta see a boat in the water. I like ta see the boat, but I like ta see where ya paddle too. Mitey pretty lake.

regards
bearridge

No matter how rich you become, how famous or powerful, when you die the size of your funeral will still pretty much depend on the weather. Michael Pritchard

 

[Scooter]

You guys are a wealth of knowledge. Thanks for the info. As you can tell, I have not yet made it to the paddling chapter in my copy of The Idiot's Guide to Canoeing and Kayaking. :lol:

After a day to think about it, one of my mistakes was plunging the paddle too vertical, which puts the high end right over the boat. Drip City no matter how big your drip rings are.

Also had a difficult time not bumping into the gunnels. This caused a tendency to lean toward whatever blade was in the water in an effort to dig straight down. Not good in a narrow boat!

Looking forward to getting more time in the water. Soon, I'll be able to dip a paddle without it splashing. 8)

( Chuck stepping in here .... Practice , then do it more , unless you would rather be at work having more fun ) :roll:

 

[JEM]

You might need a bit wider paddle. Maybe a 240.

But a single blade would remedy most issues.

 

[Scooter]

Yep, think a longer paddle would be helpful. The one I ordered was available in 7.0 and 7.5 foot so I got the 7.5. Need to spend some time with the single paddle too.

Chuck at this stage there's a powerful buncha learning to be done sitting on my living room floor, paddle in hand. :lol:

 

[oldsparkey]

I like the longer paddles , some folks don't but they are not paddling my boat.

If I could get one longer then what they offer I would , I might just have to make one for myself.
The way I see it is that a short legged sucker has to take more steps then a person with long legs , if you get my drift. ( some folks won't )

Besides if it is not the accepted way of doing it according to the experts that scribble out all of the books on the correct way of doing it....... JEZeeeeeeeee that is there way , what on God's Green Earth makes them think it is the only way to do things besides there own self inflated opion about things.

Not , everyone drives a Ford , some of us think for ourselves and do not camp with an camping manual in our hands ...( one for the Arctic would not work down in the tropics and vicey versa ) .. we do what works for us , then we share it and if you want to do it .... great , if not then you will find a better way for yourself. Campers and paddlers have been doing it since the Ice Age. Depending on where you are camping there are different ways to do it and adaptation is the key to success , adapt to the area you are in , or suffer.

Just like the little tree that bent in the wind while the mighty oak stood it ground really firm and was blown down. An old saying , corny but correct ... Go with the flow.

I got long winded trying to say , accept what folks tell you and then decide what is the best for you. Use the suggestions as a guide line , not gospel.

The word I was searching for is ..... Individuals.

Chuck.

 

[Wimperdink]

You'll get used to it. I did. :shock:
Also what I do to get in and out without it being tippy is to put it sidways to the shore... find a soft spot of beach to prop one side against then just step in closest to the side thats resting on the beach. It wont move even a lil bit. When your ready to take off... just shift your weight out towards the water to lift that side off the beach and push off.

 

[BEARS BUDDY]

Nice Boat Scooter. Ole Bud Hart suggested I get a longer paddle for better control when we were on the AuSable run last year. He was absolutly right.

Wimperdink--Good looking boat. How long and wide is your boat? Is it an Uncle John's?

 

[oldsparkey]

You do it the same way I do. Put it along the shore line , load her up then push out just a little bit , step in and lean towards the deeper water , push off and have fun.

Just reverse the process when pulling out off the water. That is the nice thing about the flat bottom boats , rock solid when getting or out that way.

Chuck.

 

[Scooter]

Was readin' up on single paddling, like in a canoe, and will try the kneeling before the standing. Unless it's a real hot day.

 

[bearridge]

I caint keep track of all the purty boats ya'll are buildin'. Too bad I caint give 'em all a whirl. I paddled the Sparkanators "pee row" on the St. Mary one evenin' durin' the cocktail hour.....with a double blade. Twuz a heap a fun, tho hard on my knees.

It iz nice when a geezer kin stand 'n paddle hiz boat......gives yer back 'n butt a rest. I used ta stand while paddlin' stretches of the Nantahala, but after that fall on the Eleven Point this month, I reckon I will give that up....besides it wuz eazy in my Blue Hole OCA. I dont ever wanna lift it agin without a big fella ta help.

with much admiration
bearridge

Boss Paul: That ditch is Boss Kean's ditch. And I told him that dirt in....it's your dirt. What's yer dirt doin' in his ditch?
Luke: I don't know, Boss.
Boss Paul: You better get in there and get it out, boy.

 

[catfish]

scooter , wimperdink said it all. u gota paralell park to the bank. u want just pull up to it . if u do i,m afraid ur fixing to take a bath.

i have a guide 14.7 , have had it about a year now. i,m comfortble with it now & havent turned it over yet. i can stand up in it & not turn it over.it want take u long to get the hang of it & learn by ur mistakes.

wimperdink nice boat too man. (cat)

 

[Wimperdink]

Thanks for the compliments fellas....

Wimperdink--Good looking boat. How long and wide is your boat? Is it an Uncle John's?

The length point to point is 13' 9" and the width of the bottom center is 24". It was a cajun secret pirogue that I modified the plans on a bit. I wasn't able to use the suggested chine logs as I couldnt get them bent into shape, so I just ended up filleting around the bottom and instead of the reccomended breast hooks I put that large dowel in there. I've built another that doesnt even have the dowl... just wide open pirogue and is solid as a rock.

Sorry I wont hijack your thread anymore scooter. And p.s. You've got a great looking pirogue too. My brothers has the colors opposite to yours. white on the bottom with red gunnels. He wanted it to look like a bobber.