reply
– Last Updated: Feb-06-15 2:31 PM EST –
@ ppine i have done a fair amount of canoe paddling i prefer a kayak.
@ idahokris because any good Kayaking is 6 to 8 hours away (where i live it’s not uncommon to travel this far )if i go out kayaking it will be for more than a few days just because it’s not worth traveling that distance for a few hours of paddling. There is a lake an hour from my house where i will be paddling every 2 weeks to get the feel of the boat and as an assistant swim coach I also have a very large pool ( silly yes but I can practice rolls) . And while I do have kayaking experience i have no experience with touring kayaks. I do have a question; you said “you put out a link to a boat that would just suck for something like this". Do you mean in style or size. Because I am currently considering the currant designs solstice gts, that is perfect for my size and weight.
@ PJC I was aware of this problem. I read something that said that in the past few years there has been a real effort to clean up the river. it also said that people that are not from the area like the British couple that you mentioned are at a greater risk. My biggest fear is mosquitoes. but as a big believer in natural medicines i have something called four thieves vinegar that works as a disinfectant and as a repellant.
p.s in swimming there is a workout where you tie yourself to a rope and attach the rope to a weight on land it allows you to swim indefinitely in a short pool would this work for kayaking as a workout?
type of kayak
What kayaking experience do you currently have?
When you go that every two weeks you need to spend the whole day in the boat. Make sure you are sitting in it correctly and with the proper foot wear.
Pools work great for roll practice.
That’s my bad it was early in the morning and I thought you posted the link to that Eddyline boat but it was someone else. The solstice gts would be a great boat for your trip. Not my number one choice but it is up there for sure.
Regarding your PS it could potentially work but I wouldnt trust weight unless it is really heavy, you would be better off tied up to something solid. However I see the rope as causing other potential issues. I would also worry about potential torque on the paddle. It would probably put it under higher than normal stress depending on how hard you are paddling.
reply
@idahokris haha no problem i have done that before.
Stress on the paddle
I think there really will be a lot more stress on the paddle if you tie your boat to an immovable object with a rope and replicate your normal forward stroke. I wouldn’t worry a bit about the paddle though. If it can take the stress of genuine oh-s*** moments in swift-water paddling, it can take thousands of strokes requiring only moderately high stress when paddling tethered to a rope.
So while I wouldn’t worry about the paddle, I would worry about the stress on your own joints and the development of poor technique. Perhaps using a paddle with much smaller-than-normal blades would reduce such problems (assuming that just paddling normally isn’t convenient because larger bodies of water are too far away).
boat
Try not to stress out to much about the boat. Go test paddle the current designs you were looking at and make a decision. But let me throw this in. You need to think about your overall load. I started with a prijon kodiak and moved to a solo canoe for the hauling capacity. I am also a ultra light backpacker so I was not carrying a lot of gear. Water and resupply on the lower miss is a problem. Especially if you do not want to leave your boat for long. Get a realistic idea what a weeks gear food and a comfortable four days water will be. I was too heavy to make the kayak a good choice for me. Get a tent that has a rain fly that touches the ground. Otherwise you will have sand in your mouth every morning. Get awesome rain gear. Also a wide brimmed hat. Don’t overthink it to much. People who have had VERY little experience make this trip every year. In not nearly as nice of a rig as your going to have. I have a adventurous doctor buddy and he went down in a plastic pelican that he bought for 100$ at a garage sale. There are guys paddling UPSTREAM right now in canoes. I overplanned and stressed way too much. Once you have a couple days out there you will be stress free and living free! Like I said go to the face book page and talk to people who have been there. Also get the riverlorian maps huge help.
reply
what is the FB page name?
Gear wise I have almost everything. i am just obsessing about the kayak because of my theory behind all gear i buy. If it is not quality i dont want it. i was looking at is the currant designs gts that has a carrying capacity of 150l if that is not enough i am also looking at the Caribou by currant designs that has a 200+L my concern is that currant designs recommend it for paddler between 160 -220lb and i weigh 140lb so…i am also considering the Chatham 17 Composite by necky. how much storage would you say you need in volume and and in carry weight?
page
Mississippi river paddlers, lower mississippi paddlers, and expedition canoe and kayak. I think you will find them very help full. I have my full packing list, if you want it email me. My personal gear was around 18 pounds. Repair kit around four pounds. Most of my weight was food and water. I carried two weeks of food and water for a week. Water was pretty sketchy. When I went in my kodiak I barely had enough room and I had a problem with mold because the hatches don’t breath. If you fill it to capacity it just paddles like a slug. There is a good book called bluffs to bayou that you should check out. He went in a kayak. I would really have to recommend a solo canoe though. So in my mind the more storage the better it fills up fast. I bet my full on load including body weight was around 400 pounds. Msr dromedary bags work really well for water. Its all about space utilization.
yes
especially with women.