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Just bought a basic wee kayak thing to muck about on the river - can't wait to get shouted at by irate landowners. Disproportionately excited.
Don't forget the anglers too. Try smacking the paddle in the water, it excites the fish and the anglers will normally wave in appreciation.
I'm tempted to buy some kind of water craft for the lakes here. Renting would probably be better though since it'd be a bugger to bring back 🙂
How much iDave? I live by a canal been thinking of getting something, can I just buy and pootle or do canals come under different rules to rivers? I've seen a family reguarly using a pedalo on it.
I have a canal here too but the locks would be a pain in the arse so I'll head for the river
I paid £170 for the kayak and all the necessary gubbins
We used to take our tandem sit-on-top down the local canal and river, you do need a license to do so however. BCU membership gives you a license number. Only use ours on the sea or in the Lakes now.
I fancy a canoe actually, for the family.. so we can pretend to be Voyageurs 🙂
What did you get iDave, and where from?
Sounds like a good deal.
Disproportionately excited
I wooduv probbly fallen over by now, cos it wooduv all bin too much excitement to cope with.
A mate of mine had one of those, found it really cold so he got a little portable heater to stick down by his feet. First time out in it, it caught fire and sank.
Guess you can't have your kayak and heat it.
Mr Cougar.....
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Stu's getting one, you can have a race to the Severn Bridge.
I've been thinking about this all weekend - I wonder how iDave's been getting along. I think I may have lost sleep thinking about it.
Check out Tixall Wide on the Staffs & Worcs Canal, Dave. It's a bit of a lake and it hasn't got a lock. But I don't know where you'd have to launch from.
I've got one but it's got a leak. Used it only on the Grand Union. Some of it is very river like.
Theres the Haywood boat sale place with a car park, theres a short BW/FP next to it which goes to that steep bridge over at the Canal Juntion, you could easily carry your dingy along and paddle up to the wide bit.
Canals have too many locks for proper long trips. I might start in the Trent at Wolsely bridge and see if I can get to Trentham for an ice cream, then drift back downstream.
Should arrive tomorrow morning - I'll be soggy by mid-afternoon.
It's not hardcore kayak, more like low octane kayak-lite but floats with a paddle.
Bloody hell that was hard work! Last nights rain = struggle to paddle upstream and wobbly moments in the faster water.
But lots of fun, no immersions, and I think it will be a regular thing despite it only being a wee muck around sit on top thingy boat.
Phew, I can sleep 😛
I smell a bit though - Stoke being upstream and that 😯
bigyinn - Member
Mr Cougar....
I think you'll find that is my c(w)oat
http://www.singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/what-canoe-kayak#post-2502720
Found an easy canal launch site and a 2 mile stretch with no locks. Head wind on the return leg. Sore arms. Loved it though.