5 DIY Canoe Upgrades You Can Do This Weekend

By

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November 3, 2020

Canoes don’t stay the same forever. Wear, different paddling conditions and changing needs can all call for modifications. Many paddlers believe modifications are the domain of professional canoe builders, but there are many DIY canoe upgrades that anyone can do. Try these to add value to your canoe in terms of comfort, performance and aesthetics.

DIY canoe upgrades

1) Replace the yoke

If you go on portaging trips, having a comfortable, properly installed yoke is essential. A new one takes less than one hour to install.

Begin by finding a yoke that fits comfortably on your shoulders and around your neck. If you have bony shoulders, you can make the yoke dish deeper with hollowing, sanding and varnishing. Undo the existing yoke’s fasteners and remove. Your new yoke will come longer than needed. Line it up with the center point of the old one and trim the ends slightly long, fine-tuning as necessary.

2) Upgrade the seats

Installing new canoe seats is a 30- to 40-minute modification. Paddlers may opt to replace seats because of wear or rot, or simply for something more comfortable for long days on the water. Unscrew the old seat and lay over your new one to mark where to drill holes and cut seat bars. Cut a bit long and fine-tune, cutting equally from either side. If your old seat was off center or poorly fitted, factor that in as you cut the seat bars. Measure twice, cut once. Bolt into place. This is a great opportunity to replace hardware.

If you want to make your existing seat more comfortable with no tools involved, paddling shops offer strap-on seat covers—some cushioned and with extra back support—that attach onto your existing seat.

3) Add a shoe keel to your wooden canoe

A shoe keel is a great way to help protect the bottom of your wooden boat from damage. In shallow water or during rocky landings, the shoe keel will absorb the impact instead of your precious canoe. This DIY canoe upgrade will require a weekend and an enthusiastic partner.

Adding a shoe keel to your wooden canoe involves cutting and shaping the keel, sanding and preparing the hull where the keel will sit, drilling and screwing it in place and applying epoxy. Have your partner assist to ensure the keel is attached in a straight line.

[ Paddling Buyer’s Guide: See all wood composite canoes ]

4) Add lining holes

Lining holes are a great modification because they allow for secure attachment points for painter lines used for lining tracking rapids.

Begin with a six-inch piece of webbing with the ends cut at 45-degree angles. Fold in half and mark the center. Wrap the webbing around the bow. The center mark you made should line up with the middle of the bow, no more than two inches below the gunwale. Mark the ends of the webbing on the hull, and drill a hole through the mark on either side, 1/4 inch in diameter. Then drill the hole slightly larger to 5/8 of an inch.

Repeat the above process with the stern. A drill bit will make a nice clean hole in any kind of canoe. Add and tie painter lines.

5) Add a spray deck

Having a spray deck on your canoe means you are better equipped to run whitewater, explore coastal areas, cross open water and keep out rain. Some canoeists also find it provides a bit of shelter and makes paddling in cold, wet and unpredictable weather more comfortable.

Morgan Goldie, general manager at North Water, explains that installing one of their spray decks requires drilling holes below the gunwales on each side, gluing loop patches to the inside of the hull, pulling cord through and lashing on the deck. It can be intimidating to drill holes through your precious hull but this two- to four-hour project will actually make your boat more seaworthy.

Try these DIY canoe upgrades yourself

If you’re sitting around the house this weekend looking for something to do, we encourage you to roll up your sleeves and try some of these DIY canoe upgrades for yourself. With a little bit of work you can add comfort, value, and performance to your craft.

Watch The Canoe, an award-winning film from Canadian Canoe Culture that tells the story of Canada’s connection to water and how paddling in Ontario is enriching the lives of those who paddle there. #PaddleON.

AIRE Cub Inflatable Raft Review

By

Scott MacGregor

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November 3, 2020

Sometimes getting on the water is a head game and we just need a kick in the ass to rethink priorities. Other times, there comes along a new boat design, like the award-winning AIRE Cub, crashing down skinny lines knocking down the barriers keeping us off the river.

AIRE Cub

Length: 10 ft 7 in
Width: 5 ft 2 in
Weight: 61 lbs
Tube diameter: 18 in
Bbow/stern rise: 7 in
Price: $2,999 USD

aire.com

New for 2020, AIRE bills the Cub as the ultimate river playboat, but I’d say it’s the ultimate get-you-on-the-river boat. Please allow me the next 1,000 words to explain. Either way, I’m pretty sure you’re going to want one.

In our fleet of soft boats here at the Paddling Magazine office, we have a 16-footer, a 16-foot cat, and one of Aire’s 14-foot D series rafts with diminished diameter bow and stern tubes to put you close to the action. We’re set up for the Canyon. We’re set up for a crew at our local Hell or High Water annual raft race. But most of the time, all this is just too much rubber rolled in the back corner of the garage.

If you’re looking at the above picture of my daughter, Kate, and me running Little Trickle on the Middle Channel of the Ottawa River and thinking, “Honey, I shrunk the raft,” you nailed it. More like, AIRE did. Rafting, now with no crew required. Solo or just one friend, or daughter, is enough. Three is almost a crowd.

AIRE Cub review — “Wait… Wait… Wait… Okay, hard forward right MEOW!” | Photo: Robert Faubert

The Cub is AIRE’s answer to the R1/R2 craze. Okay, maybe not a craze but we see more boats in this category of grab-and-go inflatables. And why not? The Cub is just over 10 and a half feet long and five feet, two inches across with 18-inch tubes like their popular Puma.

[Also Read: Inflatable Whitewater Kayak Review: AIRE BAKraft Expedition]

Our Cub shipped from AIRE with two thwarts added, sold separately. You could get away with one, but two felt perfect for seating, stuffing in feet and lashing in drybags with camera gear, extra warm duds and lunch.

The Cub is 61 pounds without thwarts and is easily rolled and tossed in the back of a pickup truck or hatchback.

Like all AIRE rafts, it has a laced-in, self-bailing floor. AIRE uses a urethane bladder system they call AIREcell with an outer 1670 base fabric Denier and a 37-ounce double lacquer gray PVC raft bottom for extra resistance to abrasion. And of course, it comes with AIRE’s 10-year, no-fault warranty. What this means is, the Cub is the same quality just in a shrunken one-to-three-person version of the other 18 rafts in AIRE’s extensive lineup.

Why not call the Cub, the Puma Kitten, I asked AIRE Marketing Director, Alexandra Aldecoa.

“We wanted a name that could relate to our popular Puma Series but hopefully, eventually, stand on its own,” Aldecoa said. “Similar to the Puma series, the Cub is ideal for a paddle team but it does have a different overall shape. The Cub design has a smaller width than the Puma and is about a foot shorter. The lower kick—bow/stern rise of seven inches—creates a longer waterline comparable to a Puma, if a similar length.”

The Cub has three chambers and a reinforced self-bailing floor. It’s shown here with two optional thwarts, which can be laced in wherever for trim or gear. | Photo: Robert Faubert

Comparing the numbers, the Cub is a shorter boat but not necessarily slower. It crashes through waves more than riding over them. And the squared-off stern is better for R1 or stern guiding a cozy crew of two.

So how fun is it? Kate and I had our best river days in the Cub so far this season. Think old river guide and teenager crew nailing all the lines he thinks he remembers.

The Cub is so responsive and snappy fast to accelerate with just a couple of strokes. There is something about tandem teamwork and communication that makes nailing technical lines so sweetly satisfying. It is surprisingly quick. I kept getter there too early and had to learn to wait on it. And bonus fun, there’s always someone there, or almost always there, for high-fives in the eddies.

When Kate and I got to Angel’s Kiss on the Middle Channel of the Ottawa, it was running at a primo 11.5 on the gauge. We couldn’t have picked a better day for front surfing a sporty, nimble two-seater raft. Everyone in our flotilla, including the kayakers, took turns in the Cub.

[Also Read:Experience Unparalleled Summer Fun On These Whitewater Rafting Trips In Ottawa]

We were there long enough to burn through a few drone batteries while my son, Doug, and I teamed up to carve it up. With a crew of two, we could drop in from the foam pile down then down the face. Both of us guiding and working to maintain the angle, the Cub will lock in for the sweetest front surf, ever. Sitting back of center, the bow was blasting the green water. Eventually, we got cocky and roofed it. With a few more tries, we told ourselves we could spin in there.

When I first saw the Cub at Paddlesports Retailer last summer in Oklahoma City, I thought about silky surf waves with soft piles like Angel’s Kiss. Turns out, I wasn’t the only one dreaming about the Cub.

The attending paddlesports retailers and media voted it the Best New Whitewater Boat in the 2020 Paddling Magazine New Product Showcase. It was also a favorite at the open water demo on the OKC Riversports Rapids whitewater park with industry insiders doing laps of the artificial course with giggly smiles on their sunburnt faces.

AIRE Cub going down the river

Even Carole Baskin would surf this Cub at Angel’s Kiss on the Middle of the Ottawa at a perfect 11.5 on the gauge. | Photo: Robert Faubert

“We started seeing a trend in the R1/ R2 segment of paddlers. These paddlers wanted to run more remote rivers. We wanted to make a relatively lightweight playboat so you can get it to more remote put-ins as easily as possible,” says Aldecoa. “We also realized there was a need for a smaller AIRE boat that could be more high-performance and could help people run bigger water.”

AIRE ambassador Tony Glassman took a Cub to Ecuador to run creekier rivers and larger drops when filming his recently released film, YAW.

“We see higher sales in areas like the Pacific Northwest and Four Corners region where sometimes they don’t have the volume of water to run rivers year-round,” explains Aldecoa. “The Cub, made for creakier rivers, has allowed them to extend their seasons a little longer.” AIRE also sees sales in the Southeast, she figures for similar reasons.

Kate doesn’t care about industry awards. Or boney, 20-footers hidden in jungle rivers. For now, there is a whole other market for the Cub that AIRE may not have thought about.

What Kate loves is the two of us can load the AIRE Cub, carry it, and run it down anything near home. We can run stuff she’s not comfortable running yet in her kayak. We join groups of paddlers we couldn’t otherwise join. And this gets us on the river more often.

Sold.

This article was first published inPaddling Magazine Issue 62. Subscribe toPaddling Magazine’s print and digital editions here , or browse the archives here.

“Wait… Wait… Wait… Okay, hard forward right MEOW!” | Photo: Robert Faubert

Fact And Fiction Behind COVID-19’s Supposed Benefits For Climate, Creatures And Canoeists

By

Kaydi Pyette

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November 3, 2020

April 22, 2020, was an Earth Day like no other. Usually congested highways were empty. At least half the airplanes in the world were grounded and passenger traffic was down by 95 percent. Greenhouse gas emissions plunged by 17 percent worldwide. And all around the globe, wildlife was being spotted where there was no wildlife before. Just a couple of months prior, no one could have predicted this new reality for Earth Day’s 50th anniversary.

While close to half of the planet’s human population was locked down due to COVID-19, the Earth was getting a breather. Social media showed nature flourishing on urban doorsteps: A coyote running down an empty main street in Chicago. A fresh-faced Los Angeles devoid of its haze of smog. The canals of Venice clear and fish visible. And residents in Punjab, India, were able to see the Himalayas, 120 miles distant, for the first time in decades. While the human tragedy of COVID-19 unfolded in our homes and hospitals, many remarked non-human animals were the beneficiaries of stay-at-home orders.

[Also Read:The Inescapable Truth About 30 Years Of Sudden Change In Alaska]

Enter the #natureishealing meme. It started in earnest, accompanying photos of blue-sky cities and unlikely animal crossings. It quickly turned to satire. The hashtag was soon accompanying images of animals “returning” to urban habitats, as though they were natural ones—raccoons wandering in a library, house cats riding city buses, a horse on an 8×10-foot city balcony, and a flock of sheep congregating outside an abandoned McDonalds.

The #natureishealing hashtag was an utterly absurd bit of humor breaking up my doomscrolling. Yet, in my urban backyard, I saw a family of foxes for the first time. The neighborhood was thick with wild bunnies. The stars seemed brighter. The city skyline clearer. Was there truth to the hashtag?

COVID-19 nature benefits — With so many humans staying at home to avoid coronavirus in March and April, the air was cleaner, water clearer and animals bolder. | Photo: Follow Me North Photography

The Nature Conservatory of Canada (NCC) contends the COVID-19 lockdown had a positive impact on non-human species. “Life has been quieter for us. We haven’t been on the move as much and suddenly these species—they woke up,” said the NCC’s media director Andrew Holland in a recent radio interview. He cited reports of everything from moose to bears making appearances in populated areas.

“The major inhibitor of the movement of animals across the city is traffic—busy roads. And now we’ve seen major roads, major arteries in the city, almost devoid of cars,” says Marc Cadotte, a biology professor at the University of Toronto.

[Also Read: What Is The Future Of Epic Canoe Journeys?]

Pinned down, many turned to their local landscapes with fresh and hungry eyes. With travel and group activities restricted, and cooped up homeschooling and working from home, people have explored local green and blue spaces like never before.

As lockdowns lifted, paddlesports retailers and manufacturers reported banner sales years. Canoes, kayaks and SUPs are flying off the shelves at double or triple the usual volume. There’s rumor of a North American shortage as retailers sell out. And maybe this shouldn’t surprise us—paddling is the ideal social distancing activity. Even in a 16-foot Prospector, two paddlers sit more than the recommended six feet apart.

Of course, as we creep back to a new normal, unlikely sights have decreased. Wildlife shrinks back into the shadows, and pollution returns. According to the International Energy Agency, reduced activity due to the pandemic will likely cause an overall seven percent decrease in global emissions in 2020. Huge, but temporary. “Gains are short-lived,” says climate journalist and best-selling author David Wallace-Wells in a recent interview with Penguin Books. Meanwhile, the pandemic’s terrible consequences remain.

For environmentalists, the pandemic might provide lessons on how to adapt to another urgent, existential issue: climate change. As I write this in late June, there is a heatwave in Siberia with temperatures more than 100°F—the highest on record above the Arctic Circle. There’s nothing partisan about saying this event is deeply concerning. Our planet needs its wild places. Biodiversity equals stability.

The quick adaption to dramatically different habits and ways of living by some of the global community during COVID-19 offers hope, however.

“There’s been a radical change in the way we’ve been living, more than most of us thought possible months ago. The opportunity to transform has been revealed to us. The question is now what we do with that opportunity,” says Wallace-Wells.

Nature is not “healing”—it takes more than two months to clean the air and clear the water. But the pandemic highlights that change once unthinkable is possible—for climate, creatures and canoeists.

Kaydi Pyette is the editor of Paddling Mag. Send climate change denials to editor@paddlingmag.com.

This article was first published inPaddling MagazineIssue 62. Subscribe toPaddling Magazine’s print and digital editions here , or browse the archives here.

With so many humans staying at home to avoid coronavirus in March and April, the air was cleaner, water clearer and animals bolder. | Photo: Follow Me North Photography

Trips: Kayaking Georgian Bay And The North Channel

By

Virginia Marshall

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November 3, 2020

Taking a break at a lighthouse from kayaking Georgian Bay — Feature Photo: Henry Liu

For Toronto-based professional photographer Henry Liu, kayaking Georgian Bay offers a refreshing escape from his hectic schedule of teaching landscape photography workshops in the city. The sculpted islands and quiet passages of the North Channel offer a diversity that few stretches of water can rival.

The North Channel is a geological marvel

At the top of Lake Huron, nestled behind Manitoulin Island, the 150-kilometer-long Channel showcases geology from three distinct landforms: the glacier-smoothed whalesback of the Canadian Shield, the startling white quartzite of the La Cloche Mountains, and the fossil-filled terraces of an ancient limestone seabed.

Combined with the northern edge of Georgian Bay, this is some of the best kayak touring the Great Lakes has to offer. “The coastal area from Killarney to French River, with its thousands of small islands, is like a playground for me as a photographer and paddler,” says Liu.

[ Plan your next Georgian Bay adventure with the Paddling Trip Guide ]

Sunrise on the French River. | Photo: Henry Liu

Wildlife

Black bear, fox, beaver, otter, bald eagle, sandhill crane, snapping turtle.

Exposure

Prevailing fair-weather westerlies aid eastbound paddlers; expect crossings of up to five kilometers to reach more remote islands.

Diversion

Hike up The Crack in Killarney Provincial Park; learn voyageur history at the French River Visitor Centre; or experience the Sagamok Traditional Pow Wow, held every July near Massey.

Outfitters

Caribou Expeditions‘ six-day North Channel kayak tour; Black Feather‘s five-day kayak camping in the North Channel; Ontario Sea Kayak Centre‘s multi-day skills courses and kayak yoga trips out of Killarney.

Must-have

Kayaking Georgian Bay requires jedi tarpology skills (for shade, and rain); star charts.

Take a trip back through time

Just before Huron’s shoreline turns abruptly south, the braided passages at the mouth of the French River mark the historic highways of the intrepid voyageurs. More recently, the polished pink granite campsites and windswept pine points of Killarney Provincial Park welcome kayakers in greater numbers every year. Still, many coves and islands remain unfrequented, their quiet shores offering adventurous paddlers the chance to savor a sublime sunset or discover a 445-million-year-old cephalopod fossil just above the waves.

Dark skies overhead

“My most memorable nights kayaking Georgian Bay have been spent on the tiny islets near West Fox Island,” says Liu, “where I could stargaze the Milky Way hanging over my head without worrying about light pollution. The midnight aurora shows were a totally unexpected bonus.”

Kayaking Georgian Bay and the North Channel

If you have a half day

Launch from the end of Weegwas Road near the community of Cutler and explore the pretty islands of Whalesback Channel.

If you have a day

Paddle out Killarney’s Chikanishing Creek and aim for lunch on West Fox Island, where the lofty views south over the bay and north to the La Cloche will take your breath away.

If you have a weekend

Put-in at McBean Harbour near Massey and tour out to the popular Fox and Benjamin islands. Head east to Matheson Island to score solitude and spectacular stargazing.

If you have a week

Tour east from Chikanishing along the south shore of Philip Edward Island and onwards to the mouth of the French. Take time to explore the lonely range lights and sheltered channels of the Bustard Islands, and the tigertail rocks of the Outer Fox Islands. Paddle up the Key River to take out.

Watch The Canoe, an award-winning film from Canadian Canoe Culture that tells the story of Canada’s connection to water and how paddling in Ontario is enriching the lives of those who paddle there. #PaddleON.

This article originally appeared in the Adventure Kayak Summer/Fall 2016 issue.

Subscribe to Paddling Magazine and get 25 years of digital magazine archives including our legacy titles: Rapid, Adventure Kayak and Canoeroots.

Best Kayaking In New Zealand: 12 Rivers, 2 Months

By

Tyler Fox

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November 3, 2020

helicopter takes off towing kayaks in search of the best kayaking in new zealand — Feature Photo: Tyler Fox

Locals know New Zealand as Aotearoa, which translates to Land of the Long White Cloud. It is also the Land of the Long White-Knuckle Drive. Don’t be fooled by its small size—vertigo-inducing switchbacks and swift-flowing fords plague many worthwhile shuttle roads. The secret to unlocking the best kayaking in New Zealand is to either move here for an endless summer, or allow at least two months of travel time.

[ Plan your next whitewater adventure with the Paddling Trip Guide ]

Tips for kayaking New Zealand on the cheap

Fortunately, spending a few weeks or months in New Zealand doesn’t mean spending a fortune. Because the country is such a huge backpacker—read: dirtbag traveler—destination, it is easy to find a quality vehicle for cheap. Buy a functional beater from the Backpackers’ Car Markets of Auckland or Christchurch—the main metropolitan hubs of the North and South islands, respectively.

Freedom camping

Spend a bit more for a roomy camper van, share the expense with three or four mates, and enjoy decadent comfort while taking advantage of NZ’s best benefit for kayakers on a budget: freedom camping. Nearly every roadside pull-off, parking lot, trailhead, put-in and take-out is fair game for free camping.

Your next purchase should be a copy of New Zealand Whitewater by Graham Charles. This guidebook has invaluable information on over 250 runs but local knowledge of water levels still makes the difference between showing up at a dry river or one that is prime. Luckily, Kiwis—native New Zealanders, not the fuzzy fruit or rare flightless bird also indigenous to the islands—are passionate about their rivers and always keen to help a fellow paddler.

New Zealand’s rivers are as varied as its geography. Many have wonderfully warm waters while others bubble out of frigid underground springs, tumble off 10,000-foot peaks and course through deep, shadowy gorges.

[ For top picks and expert reviews, check out Paddling Magazine’s guide to the best whitewater kayaks here. ]

Best Kayaking in the North Island

The best plan is no plan at all

With so many rivers, it can be difficult to know where to start. Having spent the last five summers touring from river to river, I’ve learned that the best plan is no plan at all. If you are motivated, tirelessly opportunistic and willing to chase the rains, it is possible to paddle every day of your trip.

Just head three hours south of Auckland, sandwiched between the crater lakes of Rotorua and Rotoiti, the hamlet of Okere Falls is a great starting place with year-round kayaking on the Kaituna River. Boasting a large community of boaters, it has been dubbed the epicenter of NZ paddling. Shake off jet lag with a few laps on the river and stock up on local beta before heading further afield.

[ See also: Kaituna River Reloaded ]

Whitewater spots vary by season

Most of the smaller rivers on the North Island are rain dependent and dry up during the height of summer, from January to March. During wetter months, however, creeks like the Tuakopi and Waihi are the place to be, with drop after vertical drop.

A handful of the North Island’s larger rivers maintain flows throughout the summer. The Wairoa, Tongariro, Waikato, Rangitaiki and Rangitikei cluster within three hours of Rotorua and offer up a variety of whitewater ranging from fun to full on. On the volcanic Central Plateau, beneath the shadows of NZ’s still-active triple threat—mounts Tongariro, Ruapehu and Ngauruhoe—deep underground aquifers feed the Waihohonu and Ohineponga rivers with continual, icy flows.

whitewater kayaking in New Zealand — Photo: Tyler Fox

Best kayaking in the South Island

To Murchison and beyond

Eventually, the alpine wilderness and incessant rains of the South Island lure all thirsty paddlers. The confluence town of Murchison is nearly everyone’s first pit stop upon departing the Willing Picton ferry. Centrally located near several small creeks, the Matakitaki River and the high volume Buller River, Murchison is home to legendary NZ paddling pioneer Mick Hopkinson’s New Zealand Kayak School and the country’s largest whitewater festival, Bullerfest.

Up in the air

From Murchison, the west coast is just three hours away. Here, the Southern Alps shoot up out of the Tasman Sea, creating a stunning backdrop for a slew of steep, crystalline creeks. The Mecca of steep creeking is the seaside town of Hokitika. Because the rugged landscape limits road access, a helicopter is often the only feasible shuttle rig. Flights with Hokitika’s local pilot, Bruce Dando, usually range from $80–120 NZD per passenger, depending on group size.

Traveling further south towards NZ’s self-appointed adventure capital, Queenstown, and on into the immense, sheer landscape of Fiordland National Park offers countless more paddling opportunities.

Find world-class kayaking in New Zealand

NZ is truly a paradise for whitewater kayakers, offering huge variety and jaw-dropping runs. When you make the trip, take your time and spare no effort to search out the best kayaking in New Zealand. After a couple months in Aotearoa, if you haven’t hit at least a dozen world-class rivers, you’re not driving hard enough.

This article was first published in the Spring 2011 issue of Rapid Magazine. Subscribe to Paddling Magazine’s print and digital editions, or browse the archives.

Canoe Marathon Races: In Praise Of Going Fast

Stories

By

Michael Mechan

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November 3, 2020

Young men paddle in a canoe marathon race — Feature Photo: Rick Matthews

Whoever said canoes are all about slowing down? North America’s first recorded regattas date back to the 1850s when participants enjoyed leisure paddling, donning their Sunday best, parasols and all. In the decades since, canoe marathon racers have pushed the limits of human performance, establishing canoeing’s roots in restless speed.

Notable canoe marathons

1) The Atitokan-to-Ely canoe marathon

Take the Atikokan-to-Ely for example, a 190-mile canoe marathon race connecting Quetico Park and the Boundary Waters. Running for three years in the 1960s, the race’s influence on the canoeing community can still be felt today. A true Cannonball Run, the Atikokan-to-Ely required only that paddlers cross the start and finish lines—in between, anything was fair game.

Gene Jensen, developer of the modern bent-shaft canoe paddle, and canoe designer Irvin “Buzz” Peterson took top spot the first year. Legendary outfitter Don Beland and Ralph Sawyer of Sawyer Canoe Company fame finished first the following year. The allure of speed and efficiency doubtlessly influenced the work of these modern canoe builders. In its memorable third and final year, miners and forestry service workers Eugene “Bonhomme” Tretreault and Joe “Sauvage” Meany beat the competition by cutting false portages and covering their tracks, hoodwinking trailing competitors into taking longer routes.

[ Plan your next Boundary Waters canoe adventure with the Paddling Trip Guide ]

2) The General Clinton Canoe Regatta

Fast-forward nearly 50 years and 1,100 miles east. The Susquehanna River in New York hosts the General Clinton Canoe Regatta, the longest running single-day flatwater regatta in the world. Looking at the names on the race’s podium, you could well be at a World Championship. The winners of the grueling 70-mile course include Olympians and top canoe marathoners from all over the world.

These modern athletes are legends in their own right, if not for being at the cusp of design, then for displaying feats of stamina and endurance. Look no further than the race record of 20-time General Clinton winner and Olympic Gold Medalist, Greg Barton.

[ Paddling Buyer’s Guide: See all racing canoes ]

Both the Atikokan-to-Ely and General Clinton were started by local chambers of commerce as elaborate publicity stunts intended to draw outdoor enthusiasts to the natural splendor of their regions. The marathon races introduced people to canoeing, invited outsiders in and brought locals together.

3) The AuSable Canoe Marathon

Another classic on the circuit, the AuSable Canoe Marathon, is dubbed as the longest non-stop canoe race in North America and the world’s toughest spectator race. The AuSable runs 120 miles from Grayling to Oscade, Michigan, through the night and into the following day. The manual for spectators is as thorough as the instructions for race participants as supporters undertake the punishing, 15-hour mission of following marathoners along the shores of the Au Sable River.

4) La Classique Internationale de Canots de la Mauricie

La Classique Internationale de Canots de la Mauricie is a three-day, three-stage epic that takes place in the heart of Quebec along a 190-kilometer stretch of the St. Maurice River. It rounds out the Triple Crown of canoe marathon racing in conjunction with the AuSable and General Clinton. And you can’t mention the Triple Crown without speaking of Serge Corbin. He has won La Classique 25 times, the AuSable 18 times and the General Clinton 28 times, truly dominating the race junket.

Meanwhile, the effects of these marathons can be felt in leisure playgrounds across North America. Many recreational paddlers are taking advantage of modern boat materials and designs pioneered by the likes of old-school marathoners Jensen, Beland and Sawyer. Still others are inspired to show up on race day by the herculean feats of long distance canoeists, like Barton and Corbin.

There’s a canoe marathon for everyone

Regattas are about making connections—with communities, the environment and with other paddlers. Across the continent, today’s events have something for everyone’s tastes, fast or slow, so grab your carbon paddle and your parasol and get training for the next canoe marathon season.

This article was first published in the Spring 2011 issue of Canoeroots Magazine. Subscribe to Paddling Magazine’s print and digital editions, or browse the archives.

Pimp Your Ride: Kayak Customization

Stories

By

Conor Mihell

-

November 3, 2020

Justine Curgenven paddles her customized leopard-print kayak — Feature Photo: Alan Hughes

The latest trend in sea kayak design has nothing to do with performance. Instead, it takes its roots from platinum rims, subwoofers, lowrider suspension and MTV, and follows a trend set by surfers, mountain bikers and skiers. It won’t come cheap, but now you too can pimp your ride with the latest in kayak customization.

[ Paddling Buyer’s Guide: See all sea kayaks ]

Breaking new ground in kayak customization

British filmmaker and paddler Justine Curgenven was among the first to paddle a sea kayak with custom artwork, and it was a hit. Curgenven’s leopard-print kayak has become nearly as well known as her series of sea kayaking films, This is the Sea.

“I thought about different colour  schemes, but couldn’t think of a combination that no one else had,” says  Curgenven. “The leopard-skin idea just popped into my head and wouldn’t go away.”

A leopard never changes its spots

Curgenven gave her design ideas to Scott Divine, the production manager at Nigel Dennis Kayaks (now Sea Kayaking UK), who eventually mixed the gel coat for the leopard-skin kayak.

Nigel Dennis was a tougher sell on the kayak customization trend. “At first he threatened to draw an arsehole along with the leopard spots,” says Curgenven.

[ Paddling Buyer’s Guide: See all Nigel Dennis kayaks ]

But the tide has changed. This year Dennis has teamed up with artist Richard Perkins and has made all Sea Kayaking UK boats available with custom paint. Dennis says the option can increase the boat’s price tag by as much as 50 per cent.

“At first he threatened to draw an arsehole along with the leopard spots.”

Other manufacturers get in on the fun

Sea Kayaking USA isn’t the only British manufacturer offering custom graphics. Both P&H and Rockpool Kayaks list deck art options. But Nigel Dennis is the only manufacturer with an in-house artist. The kayak customization trend hasn’t taken off on this side of the pond, although Canada-based Seaward Kayaks boasts over 600,000 colour combinations, as well as splatter and fade finishes and optional airbrush graphics.

The kayak customization trend is here to stay

Curgenven says the only drawback of custom artwork is a few extra pounds due to extra gelcoat. She thinks the trend is here to stay. Watch for a new tiger stripe Romany in her upcoming films.

Fame Calls For Song Of The Paddle Author Bill Mason

By

Ian Merringer

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November 3, 2020

Bill Mason, author of Song of the Paddle — Feature Photo: Paul Mason

It took five years, but last fall the International Whitewater Hall of Fame made good on its claims of being truly international by inducting six influential whitewater paddlers and advocates from around the globe. Among them was Canada’s first inductee, Song of the Paddle author Bill Mason.

Bill Mason was a humble paddler

Mason is most easily imagined clad in his trademark plaid shirt and denim cut-offs, crouching beside a campfire above a rapid—the kind of rapid canoeists who came before Mason would be fearful of, and the same kind that canoeists began to search out for fun shortly after Mason produced his two classic books and many films.

But was this just an accident of timing? Is the man really Hall of Fame material?

Singing the song of the paddle

Mason himself was humble about his whitewater skills. It’s hard to imagine any of today’s pro paddlers asking searching questions on their blogs, as Mason did in his guide to canoe tripping, Song of the Paddle: “When you swim as much as I do, you have to ask, ‘Why?’”

The reason had nothing to do with being overly aggressive. In a section titled Descending a River with a Current, Mason sums up a lesson on “Rounding a Bend with a Back Ferry” with this reminder: “Take note that I haven’t said anything about paddling downstream; we’ve been drifting. Only a few strokes forward or back are necessary to correct our position in the current and maintain complete control.”

“When you swim as much as I do,
you have to ask, ‘Why?’”

Get the throw rope ready

That’s not to say that Mason thought whitewater had to be a joyless experience. “Extreme back ferries and reverse entries into eddies can be a lot of fun,” he affirms later.

He also devotes a whole section in Song of the Paddle to the “aggressive, faster-than-the-current technique” employed by “hot doggers” and explains manoeuvres like powering through haystacks, crashing through rollers, doing enders and something he calls “trashing in the surf.”

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There are paddlers now pushing middle age who took to the water after Mason published Song and his seminal first book, Path of the Paddle. They are of a generation that has become used to seeing videos in which talented filmmakers make daring paddlers look superhuman. By comparison, the cover photo of Mason with his white beard, collared lifejacket, floppy wide brimmed hat and cedar canoe might seem a little—what’s the word—lame.

Inspiring the next generation

Mason died in 1988, and probably would have swallowed his floppy hat if he had seen footage of Tyler Bradt’s 186-foot waterfall drop last year.

Finding the line between Mason’s cautious approach and Bradt’s freefall would take a lot of scouting, a lot of time looking at whitewater. It’s not an obvious line—but rather one that might involve a few slow-motion back ferries and maybe some unnecessary eddying out.

Bradt spent almost no time “trashing in the surf” at the bottom of his drop. That may be because he thinks that trick is lame. He might be right. But the difference between Bradt and Mason’s paddling styles is that Mason learned about rapids from reading books about the voyageurs. Paddlers of Bradt’s generation grew up reading books by Bill Mason.

Bill Mason belongs in the Hall

Mason wasn’t flashy, but he was good at getting to where he wanted to be—where he belonged. That goes for tight eddies halfway down Rollaway Rapid, and Song of the Paddle‘s spot on library shelves. It equally goes for his rightful place in the Whitewater Hall of Fame.

This article was first published in the Spring 2010 issue of Rapid Magazine. Subscribe to Paddling Magazine’s print and digital editions, or browse the archives.

Top 5 Countries For River Guide Jobs This Winter

By

Juniper Rose

-

November 2, 2020

A whitewater river rafting guide on the job, taking a group of paddlers downstream — Feature Photo: Jenny Lee Silver/Flickr

Turquoise water, tropical canyons, an international trip lined with world-renowned rivers—it’s what whitewater dreams are made of, especially in the cold depths of winter. If you’re like most raft guides, however, a vacation on the other side of the world probably isn’t in the budget. So, try getting paid for it instead with these river guide jobs in warmer locales.

For most raft guides, the end of summer means hanging up the guide stick, heading back to school, sliding into a desk job or hitting the ski resorts to coax runny-nosed toddlers down the bunny hill. It doesn’t have to be that way. Operations on some rivers continue throughout the winter months, and while building a year-round career out of river guide jobs can be intimidating, you too can make it more than just a summer fling.

Top 5 countries for winter river guide jobs

1) New Zealand

As soon as you reach this Southern Hemisphere gem, you won’t be far from the pristine whitewater that lines both the North and South islands of New Zealand. From remote wilderness multi-day trips that begin with a helicopter ride to the put-in to half-day trips just outside of town, the small country has more whitewater than many countries larger in size. For international guides seeking work, locating a job close to a tourism hub such as Queenstown is the best bet for consistent work. While guiding in New Zealand is worthy of the fantasies of whitewater guides around the world, it’s not an easy country to get work. It is recommended that guides secure a job and visa in advance, and upon arrival at a company they will be required to test for a NZ specific guide certificate.

Commercially rafted rivers (level of whitewater): Kaituna (Class V), Shotover (II-V) Dart (II), Kawarau (III-IV), Karamea (IV-V), Tongariro River (Taupo), Clarence (II-III), Mohaka (II-V), Rangitata (V) Rangitaiki (III-IV), Buller River (II-IV), Ngarururo (II-IV), Whanganui (III-IV) and others

Visa requirements: Work visa (obtained with the help of employer) or working holiday visa needed

Guiding requirements: New Zealand Guide Award, First Aid Certificate

Potential pay: Approximately $70 to $200 per day

Cost of living: Approximately $200 per week. Guide housing/camping available in some cases.

Language needed: English, other languages a plus

2) Chile

The high-volume, warm turquoise waters of Chile draw in whitewater chasers from around the world both for the unique scenery and top-level rapids. Found in the depths of steep boulder-clustered canyons surrounded by snow-covered peaks, the Futaleufu is known as the Grand Canyon of South America but is steeper and more challenging than the infamous whitewater section of the same name in the U.S. Seeking work as a whitewater raft guide in Chile should be reserved for guides with extensive guiding experience on both technical and high-volume rivers.

Rivers: Futaleufu (III-V), Espolon (III), Maipo (III-V) and others

Visa requirements: Work visa required. Recommended to obtain in advance with sponsorship of employer.

Guiding requirements: High level of expertise, certified to guide class IV-V whitewater

Potential pay: Approximately $50 to $80 per day

Cost of living: Approximately $150 per week. Guide housing/camping available in some cases.

Language needed: English, basic Spanish

3) Costa Rica

For the tropical whitewater experience, Costa Rica is your spot. Not only does Costa Rica have the whitewater—from steep, technical canyons to float trips through the rainforest—it has the tourists needed to create business. While rivers can be found throughout the country, the Rio Pacuare is known by many as the best for commercial guiding and companies operating on the river offer everything from one day trips to a variety of multi-day adventures. Be advised that while potential pay for a river guide job in Costa Rica is relatively low, living expenses are comparable to the U.S. and much higher than in other countries in Central America, especially in touristy areas.

Rivers: Rio Pacuare (IV), Sarapiqui (III-IV), Naranjo (II-IV), Tenorio (III-IV), Savegre (III-IV), Corobici (II), Balsa (II-III) and others.

Visa: Work visas needed in some cases, some guides work on tourism visas

Guiding requirements: Experience guiding on class IV whitewater, International Rafting Federation certification, Swift Water Rescue and First Aid

Pay: $30-$75 per day

Cost of living: Approximately $100 per week. Guide housing/camping available in some cases.

Language needed: English, Spanish beneficial

4) South Africa

The rivers of South Africa are as diverse as the country itself. With deserts, mountains, two oceans and 12 national languages across the country, a day on the job could take you into the depths of a desert canyon or send you cascading through lush green mountains. SA has relatively few regulations for international guides, making it easier to get river guide jobs here than in some other countries. Due to the current state of the economy, both pay and living expenses tend to be quite low, so while you can support yourself while in the country, don’t expect to take money home.

Rivers: Ash (IV), Blyde (IV), Breede (II), Doring (III) Orange (II-IV), Tugela (III-V), Vaal (II-III) and others.

Visa: Possible to work on tourism visa

Guiding requirements: Experience on class IV whitewater

Pay: Approximately $25-$50 per day

Cost of living: Approximately $70 per week. Guide housing/camping available in some cases.

Languages needed: English needed, other languages beneficial

5) Texas, U.S.A.

For raft guides who want to continue to guide throughout the winter but aren’t interested in traveling all the way to the Southern Hemisphere, river guide jobs can also be found on the border between the U.S. and Mexico on the Rio Grande. While the section of the Rio Grande that is operating during the winter months is not known for its whitewater, scenic floats and multi-day trips offer expedition experiences through the stunning desert canyons. In addition, pay is higher than most other winter raft guiding options.

Rivers: Rio Grande (I-II)

Visa: Permission to work in the U.S.

Guiding requirements: CPR and Wilderness Advance First Aid or above

Pay: Approximately $100 to $130 per day

Cost of living: Approximately $150 per week. Guide housing/camping available in some cases.

Languages needed: English, Spanish beneficial

Things to remember

Please note: If you choose to seek work in any of these countries keep in mind that most countries are required to seek residents to work as river guides before hiring an international candidate. It is recommended that you approach your first international guiding experience as a chance to travel, and not depend on making a profit.

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All costs and pay ranges are averages and estimates provided by individual companies in each country. All dollar amounts are listed in USD.

What Happened To Free Camping For Paddlers?

By

Neil Schulman

-

November 2, 2020

My favorite weekend getaway is a gorgeous island, just a 90-minute drive and a short paddle from my front door. There are sweet grassy fields, basalt cliffs, sand dunes, wildflowers, and pictographs. I play in the rock islands for hours and hike to the top of the cliffs for a stunning view of a sunset or sunrise. Over the years I have happily availed myself of the free camping sites scattered around the island.

I can’t camp there anymore. Four years ago the U.S. Forest Service closed the island to camping. When I asked them why, their answer made sense to me: the grassy island is vulnerable to fire, home to Native American pictographic sites, and a difficult place for the Forest Service to patrol and clean up.

Is free camping coming back into vogue?

For the past several years, there’s been an ebb tide where paddlers are allowed to camp without reservations, permits or prescribed tent spots. But that tide may be turning.

At a recent gathering at a Denver REI store, Tinelle Bustam, the U.S. Forest Service’s Assistant Director of Recreation, said, “We have a strange tendency of gearing toward no than gearing toward yes. We want to pivot from no and toward yes.” The crowd of climbers, paddling guides, outdoors groups, anglers, and mountain bikers cheered.

I’m a longtime wilderness traveller. Probably like you, I love free-range camping. Get tired, find a protected cove or a beach with a good view and pull over. It’s the perfect expression of love for wilderness, discovery, freedom and self-contained nomadic movement through nature. It’s our gift from humanity’s earliest ancestors.

Having to paddle to a designated campsite to comply with permits or rules is as much fun as headwinds on mile 17.

It’s not that easy to provide free camping

Let’s face it: unregulated camping only works when we have three things:

Lots of land and small numbers of people that can spread out across it.
Users who are good stewards and manage their impact.
Enough resources so that whoever’s in charge knows if the place is being damaged so they can step in and restore it.

Right now, we don’t have enough of the first and third requirements to meet demand.

Following the herd

As of 2010, 81 percent of the North American population live in urban areas. People pour out of cities on weekends and overwhelm the wild places closest to them. Put-ins and trailheads in proximity to urban centers are mobbed, while others just slightly further go unused. We’ve become creatures of habit, using the same places over and over again and largely ignoring the rest.

On a recent weekend, I crawled past a trailhead traffic jam that reminded me of the approach to Manhattan’s Holland Tunnel. Two miles further down the highway, a similar trailhead parking lot was totally empty. Logs had fallen across the trail. The Forest Service hadn’t cleared them: the rangers probably figured it wasn’t used enough to justify sending someone out to saw trees apart for two or three days. The solitude was great, but it also made me sad.

As adventurers, we love poring over maps and charts to find cool new places to paddle or hike. Google Earth makes this kind of exploration more accessible than ever, but most people seem content just following the herd. It may seem like a good idea to open more wilderness areas to free-range camping. But I’m not convinced.

Permits work to protect wildlife

When people can’t—or won’t—spread over a wide area, the concentration strategy makes sense. Permits and limited access to a few areas create a few small areas of intense impact—and let nature reign everywhere else.

Think of the few accessible campsites on Barkley Sound’s Broken Group Islands or the way campsites on Idaho’s Middle Fork of the Salmon are pre-negotiated between groups. Annoying if you’re a human, but Barkley Sound is great if you’re a wolf or a bear.

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Cashed-strapped agencies, charged with keeping vast acreages of wild places wild, have often used this strategy. The other choice is to try to patrol vast areas and fail.

Nature untrammeled

Even intensely popular places like the Grand Canyon or Glacier Bay, for the lucky permit-getters, feel just like the U.S. Wilderness Act states, “Where the earth and its community of life are untrammeled by man, where man himself is a visitor who does not remain.”

Given the job of managing priceless places that are easy to destroy and hard or impossible to restore, saying “no” follows the most basic rule of dealing with nature: do no harm. We just don’t like it when we’re the one who was too slow to snag a campsite.

Free camping requires time and money

Opening up more places to free camping will only work if we give agencies enough people and money to monitor their—I mean our—vast holdings and keep tabs on sites that are getting damaged. And we haven’t done that. In an era of budget cuts, the likely outcome of saying yes more often is likely to be lose-lose. Most of us will still have to deal with crowds at popular spots. And when we venture into the unregulated wilderness, we’re likely to find impacted camping areas, trash, and poorly buried wads of toilet paper.

Between infrequent patrols and cleanups, the Tragedy of the Commons will creep in, unnoticed, like a rising tide. When there are enough rangers and ecologists to keep things shipshape, more unfettered access sounds great. Until then, better safe than sorry when it comes to free camping for paddlers.

This article was first published in Issue 51 of Paddling Magazine. Subscribe to Paddling Magazine’s print and digital editions, or browse the archives.

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The North Channel is a geological marvel

Wildlife

Exposure

Diversion

Outfitters

Must-have

Take a trip back through time

Dark skies overhead

Kayaking Georgian Bay and the North Channel

If you have a half day

If you have a day

If you have a weekend

If you have a week

Tips for kayaking New Zealand on the cheap

Freedom camping

The best plan is no plan at all

Whitewater spots vary by season

Best kayaking in the South Island

To Murchison and beyond

Up in the air

Find world-class kayaking in New Zealand

Notable canoe marathons

1) The Atitokan-to-Ely canoe marathon

2) The General Clinton Canoe Regatta

3) The AuSable Canoe Marathon

4) La Classique Internationale de Canots de la Mauricie

There’s a canoe marathon for everyone

Breaking new ground in kayak customization

A leopard never changes its spots

Other manufacturers get in on the fun

The kayak customization trend is here to stay

Bill Mason was a humble paddler

Singing the song of the paddle

Get the throw rope ready

Inspiring the next generation

Bill Mason belongs in the Hall

Top 5 countries for winter river guide jobs

1) New Zealand

2) Chile

3) Costa Rica

4) South Africa

5) Texas, U.S.A.

Things to remember

Is free camping coming back into vogue?

It’s not that easy to provide free camping

Following the herd

Permits work to protect wildlife

Nature untrammeled

Free camping requires time and money

Length: 10 ft 7 in
Width: 5 ft 2 in
Weight: 61 lbs
Tube diameter: 18 in
Bbow/stern rise: 7 in
Price: $2,999 USD