WM, you haven’t seen the right canoe.
http://www.wenonah.com/products/template/product_detail.php?IID=36&SID=cb1e4d5ab5ae4522a1f997ccafd06541
http://www.wenonah.com/products/template/product_detail.php?IID=35&SID=cb1e4d5ab5ae4522a1f997ccafd06541
http://placidboats.com/newpack.html
Nice . . .
. . . canoes. I’m used to something by Grumman in aluminum.
I think I found a boat, Eddyline Nighthawk 16. It might not be the best boat but it is available at a price I can afford. No paddle.
I like the looks of the Swift paddles. I plan on getting a couple eventually but right now just something to get me going. I like the simplicity and price of a one piece but being a novice want to play with feather angle. I guess I will have to end up a get something that will break down to carry as backup.
Any other paddles out there I should look at. How ‘bout paddle length and feather angle?
If everything goes will I will have a boat by tomorrow. You can find me in the back yard sittin’ in a kayak daydreaming.
Sitting in your Kayak
I don’t recommend sitting in kayak, on solid ground. take it to water.
You can find a carbon fiber
Aquabound at a reasonable price with adjustable offsets.Paddle weight for what you are attempting can be an issueabnd this is a good one.
http://www.campmor.com/outdoor/gear/Product___21019
As to length, there are several factors including your height and boat width.
Can I sit in it . . .
. . . on something like the carpet grass on my lawn?
That paddle . . .
. . . comes 220 and 230. I am 5’9". the boat is narrow, 22".
Sitting on lawn
Why put stress on the kayak? Last year was in store, heard salesrep say it eas ok for customer to sit in kayak thay took down from rack, then I heard an unnatural cracking sound.
'Nother question . . .
. . . I am going to haul it back a couple of hundred miles in the back of a pickup. I plan on using some old towels to fair it up slightly off the bed and tie it down either straight across or a big X using ratcheting tie down straps. Any problem here?
tie down
Ratcheting straps are not usually a good idea - too much force can be applied across the hull and you’re risking cracking your new boat. Stick with rope or the metal buckle cam straps you can find at nearly every outdoors store.
I understand your experience with long distance adventures on land, but I really, really would advise against doing this kind of trip without some training. I live on the Mississippi, and can tell you first hand that the conditions and current can change rather unexpectedly, there is a fair amount of commercial traffic on the river, and I’d hate to hear about some paddler having to get pulled out of the river because of an easily avoidable mistake.
I have some boating experience . . .
. . . sailing. I have both kind of straps and was a little nervous about putting too much stress on the hull. I have a bad feeling about looking back and seeing a kayak sitting in the middle of the expressway.
The 220 is probably OK in a narrow
boat . I paddle a Rapidfire canoe with a 230.
Order one and try it;if you don’t like it, you can send it back if it isn’t scratched.
A view from the other end
I live in the Miss. R. delta region. The farest point one can drive is a small town known as Venice, La.
(yep, just like Venice, Italy, lots of canals). It is located at the end of La. Hwy. 23 and the road ends there, but the river continues. It’s still many miles to the Gulf of Mexico, because the river has deposited sediment creating a long strip of riparian land on either side. How does one determine if the Gulf has actually been achieved? Is it when one gets to Venice? Is it when fresh water ends and salt water is reached? Is it when the riparian land ends? Does the USGS define where the river ends and Gulf begins? If you paddle all the way then how does the take out work? Does one paddle back northward parallelling the river until reaching the La. coast at a place where a vehicle can access? The La. coastline can be hard to access. It is a very large estuarian area, not condusive to building roads.
All question . . .
. . . I have asked myself. I know there is a Mile 0 on the river, just not certain where it it. I plan to meet my wife at Venice. I will probably paddle to Mile 0 and then come back.
wife
Is your wife going to get a prize for all this?
Just . . .
. . . the usual.
mile 0, lower Miss R.
What I have been told , mile 0 is at a place called Head of Passes. It is where the river splits into 3 parts that all eventually end up at the Gulf of Mex. It is I believe about 60 or 70 miles downstream from Venice. I’m not sure about the current there. It may be quite a test to paddle back upstream to Venice. I’ll try to find out about that. Everything upstream of there is known as AHP, Above Head of Passes; downstream is Below Head of Passes.
An interesting place at Head of Passes is Pilotown. It cannot be reached by vehicle, only boat and is basically a small community on the water. It was at one time a complete town with school and full time residents, families, etc. The river pilots lived there, but not all full time now. They go aboard the big ships and pilot them up to the port of New Orleans. No ocean going vessels are allowed to proceed without a river pilot.
If you’ve got the cajones to make it even to Venice, I’d give you credit. Just one thing. IMHO, it’s a lot more fun to be a decent paddler before proceeding with this type of adventure. I’d paddle for a least a coupla years before heading out.
Kayaking the Mississippi
I have kayaked the Mississippi from Lake Itasca,Mn to Vicksburg, Ms so far. Just got to Vicksburg last Saturday. Lord willing I will finish the reamining 437 miles to Mile zero next fall. I did the first 1295 miles from Lake Itasca back to my hometown of Cape Girardeau, Mo solo in 41 days in 2005. Then from Cape to Memphis, Tn last fall.
I’d be glad to share any info that would be helpful to you. An excellent book to read to prepare is Byron Curtis’ book: " Bluffs to Bayous ".
D. Hardesty
gpadavid@yahoo.com