I wanted to ask some questions about the Texas Water Safari. I thought www.luv2paddle.com had a “Texas Water Safari” forum, but I can not seem to get to that website. Anyone know of its status? Is there another forum out there for Water Safari questions?
Just in case some of you have Water Safari experience:
What is the best choice of boat type for a 55 year old, first time entrant, paddling solo who just wants to have a chance to finish in about 99 hrs 59 minutes and 50 secs. Right now I am leaning toward using my Wenonah Argosy royalex canoe mainly to keep from having to buy a new boat for a one-time trip.
Mark
Having participated
– Last Updated: Mar-11-09 10:41 AM EST –
as a team captain and having watched what the "non elite racers" (those of us who don't have thousands to invest in a safari c1 or unlimited boat) paddle, I really don't see why an Argosy would be a bad choice. Its light enough to drag over the obstacles and you should be able to carry everything you need. I would recommend adding bolted or riveted in nylon grab handles in the bow to make it easier to get over the downed trees and dams. You will also definitely want a tight fitting spray cover for the bay crossing.
By the way, making it in 99 hours is the easy part, making the first 50 miles before the cutoff time is the challenge and if the water is low, which is highly likely, the Argosy would be a real benefit to you due to its light weight as you could spend as much time dragging it as paddling it.