No Thanks
Sorry but the stabilizer floats arent for me… While it may seem that I am trying not to take the blame for this, I am fairly certain that the whole reason this happened was because an unexperienced 6’5 almost 300 lb man was sitting bow. Also being dark out didn’t make things any easier.
90% of the time I go out with my girlfriend who weighs less than half of the fatty, and it is in shallow water, 5 ft or less, during the day. The only reason I was out in the much deeper (15 ft) lake at dark is people were killing walleyes there at night.
I agree that I should have made him wear the pfd, but there is little else I could have done to prevent the capsize (other than paddling with someone who knows how to sit in a canoe). I have learned from this incident and will take my lumps (lost fishing poles and tackle box/humility)and move on. This weekend I plan on practicing at a nearby beach, when it is light out, that ought to help… Thanks for the suggestions.
MMKC80 …
.......... wasn't your fault boat rolled , it happens . Wasn't your buddies fault the boat rolled , it happens . Walleye at night could get me on the water unquestionably , but with a PFD (on) , that's all .
edit: there was a time when I didn't "always" wear mine either , so , there ya go .
It sure as heck was sombody’s fault!
When a canoe goes over, it is the fault of someone or some persons. It's important to try and understand what happened so you learn from it. Otherwise, all you're left with is the old wive's tale: Canoes? Those things are tippy!
Other option if second canoe
IF you have a second group of paddlers you could make a ‘T’ with the canoes. The capsized canoe is pulled upside down across the floating canoe and emptied.
No way …
… if there is any fault to be had , it’s in the fact that canoes are “tippy” , any body sitting in one knows that , nuf said .
As for learning from experience and educating on pre and post float canoeing , I agree with you , that’s important so as to do your best not to roll those “tippy” canoes .
Ok, I’m sold
I feel a whole lot better about myself as a paddler already.
Just be careful with firearms. Those things are shooty!
Sounds to me like …
… you’re learning , maybe .
As for firearms , how long did it take you yo figure that out ??
when my buddy shot me with a shotgun
Wasn’t his fault though, those things are just shooty
My canoes aren’t tippy
but they do throw me from time to time.
Thing is I don’t let anybody else in the boat with me.
That way I don’t have to worry about who might have caused the carnage.
It would be good to be able to recover without having to swim it in to shore. I can’t roll a canoe without a saddle and thigh straps.
Anybody do a solo capistrano flip?
Tommy
And knives are stabby.
Get back in the swamped canoe …
lie back so you have low center of gravity and paddle … sometimes paddling with both hands instead of your paddle works better to keep your balance … when you reach shallow water tip it over lift one end up high to drain and flip…
Any of you ever pass your Canoeing Merit Badge?
What do you all think about …
......... having at least 2 good bailers lashed to the canoe ??
Like a heavy guage gal. plastic jug (empty bleach container) cut into a bailer .
not the capistrano flip, but
I could reenter my Supernova with 60" bags installed. I called the technique "the recliner." I'd approach the canoe from the side and turn my back to it. Then push the nearside gunnel down under the water and sit on it, then I'd throw my arms across the farside gunnel (which is now up against my back) then then just lean back and sit in the bilge. The 60 bags kept the gunnels up out of the water so all I had to do was splash or bail the water out.
You may be able to do it in your Osprey. I think it would come down to whether it is deep enough so the gunnels are up out of the water when you reenter.
“Tippy” canoes…
I love tippy, solo canoes.
That’s how I ended up with a lot of my canoes.
The “previous” owner thought they were “too tippy”
Right now I’m looking for a composite Bell Wildfire that is SPLASH… “too tippy”!
BOB
Heavyweights usually dictate…
Yeah,
You have to get the heavy load towards the midships for more stability. …But when the inexperienced, “Bell-Buoy” paddlers outweigh the loose-hipped, experienced people…Look Out! The heavier people are gonna “rock the cradle”. …and at night…Whew, I think you just found out how scary that can get.
absolutely
Definitely lash a couple bailers into the boat, or if you feel like spending a few more bucks, a kayak bilge pump (or two). No need to capistrano flip the boat.
I’ve managed to reenter a tandem canoe with my wife’s help. I haven’t tried reentering myself, but I want to practice it now.
caveat
"Definitely lash a couple bailers into the boat, or if you feel like spending a few more bucks, a kayak bilge pump (or two). No need to capistrano flip the boat."
If the canoe overturns and is full of water, you can’t bail the water out because at least part of the gunnels are under water. If you have supplemental flotation like air bags, then you could probably bail. But, most flatwater paddlers don’t use supplemental flotation.
Also, the capistrano flip refers to the technique of re-entering the canoe, not getting the water out.
Your idea of practicing this stuff is a very good one. It’s an eye opening experience to see how difficult getting the water out and re-entry can be when you’re in deep water. I need to do it again soon.
technique
I guess I had slightly misunderstood the process exactly. None of the canoe technique books/videos I own demonstrate it, so I was going on everyone’s descriptions.
I’m a big fan of supplemental flotation in a canoe, and I have NRS bow/stern float bags in my Wenonah Aurora. I haven’t dumped the boat yet, but I haven’t really pushed its limits yet, either.
I did dump a buddy’s canoe last summer, and it got pinned on a rock half full of water, where one of my paddling partners was able to use a kayak bilge pump to empty it (mostly) and line it back to shore where my wife and I had washed up.
In a tandem,
if the two people press on the gunwales at exactly the same time, opposite sides and flip into the canoe, that is the easiest. I could always do this one with little trouble. Trying to get in solo was always bruise developing in aluminum canoes.
Capistrano Flip in AWA
http://www.americanwhitewater.org/content/Journal_get-journal-pdf_year_1964_issue_3_.raw
Jim