Gear
My Bell Magic Solo canoe
A hammock and a kindle. 2 things I cannot live without now when I go to the BWCA.
Things I should have bought earlier
Microsoft, Google, and Wal Mart stock.
BOB
and Ford
Storm cag and
Carbon fiber wing paddles. I keep my storm cag in my day hatch and have been caught in several rain storms and the cag was kept me dry and warm. I use it in cold weather paddling and the extra layer provides a great deal of warmth.
CF wing paddles…I have 3 now!
A real slalom boat, that fit my height
and weight. As soon as I paddled it, I said, “wow, this boat will do anything!” Well, ok, it won’t do steep creeks and it isn’t the best rodeo boat. But as a river rocket and learning platform, it is unexcelled.
Only, now I’ve gotten too old and creaky to paddle it…
A Kayak instead of
– Last Updated: Dec-17-14 10:08 PM EST –
a C-1. I am a life long open canoe paddler. About 25 years ago I decided to try some closed boat paddling and for some unknown reason I bought a C-1 instead of a K-1. After a year of struggling I gave it up and it wasn't until several years ago that I finally tried a K-1. I wish I had tried the K-1 25 years ago. I love it. But, I don't have enough time left to develop the skills I would have developed. I regret that.
Which C1 makes a difference.
I’ve tried several and some I got along with and some I didn’t.
It was the same way with kayaks.
Hammock
I bought a Clark jungle hammock, north American model years ago. I used and liked it for years. I modified the insulation and added fiberglass bows to hold up the netting so The fly was independent of the fly. Now Clark makes a model designed with bows and with improved insulation. After a lot of hesitation I ordered one. Being designed to have bows and insulation, it works much better than my homegrown modifications. A bonus was the netting over my head to let air in and the black netting which allows a better view of the lake.
Turtle
Mukluks
So nice to have warm, dry, clean feet. More and more central Florida paddlers are wearing them during the cooler winter days.
yaktrax
I’m not sure how many slip-and-falls they’ve saved me from, but I’m sure they’ve saved me from those embarrassing whoops near-misses.
Surf Ski
I started in c-1 because there were no
ww kayaks that fit really big, tall people. That was in the 70s, and it didn’t really change until the early 90s. I always advise newbies to start in kayak rather than c-1, but experienced ww open canoeists often prefer to go to c-1 in order to transfer single blade skills.
I still enjoy paddling c-1 more than k-1, but sometimes the lower leg discomfort can be really bad.
EAT
yum yum cold rigatoni with raspberry yogurt and a mint Cliff Bar chased with mango venom
https://www.google.com/#q=wide+mouth+thermos&tbm=shop
GP
Easier on the joints.
A really nice cart
I am looking to upgrade to a newer model from NRS with hard wheels. May be lighter than the C tug and less than upgrading those tires that deflate every month.
If I had ny idea how mucha good cart would help, I would have bought one before I bought my first light paddle.
He’s not talking about carts
GP = Greenland Paddle. And it’s not just better on the joints. There are only a few areas in which the GP doesn’t whip the Euro paddle. But it’s a heated debate, GP users vs. Euro paddlers, or as I call them, future GP users.
GoPro
Just bought one after my first year of rapid progression. In only two paddles I’ve got some really cool footage. Imagine what I missed over the course of that year.
Good paddle & paddling clothes
The right length paddle. that complements the canoe i use. and good base layers with effective outer layers.some of the stuff has changed little. While my paddles have evolved over the years.
ZOOOOM !
ahhhh yes, too small too low knees go never unbending cannuh sit or yule fallin…
eeyeyyahhh but hit the big trough with 3’ inside wavelets and its off to the Salmon.
My Brooks
Tuilik! It’s warm and gives such a wonderful range of motion when rolling over a sprayskirt.