On 14 Nov 2006 08:38:55 -0800, "donquijote1954"
wrote:


Don Freeman wrote:
After you turn it upright and climb in, you can splash out a lot of the
water with your paddle and paddle that boat into shore (you can still
paddle a swamped boat). No need to leave it.


Do canoeists not bring bilge pumps out with them?

True. But will it work when the canoe is fully flooded and perhaps more
waves are splashing on it?

No. I'd be bailing with one of my gallon water bottles that I carry
empty for possible ballast and would generally had a cut down one
around. If it hadn't floated off, when I'd have to cut down one of the
ones I kept tied. Gallon bailing would be way faster than my foot
pump. I'd then be paddling, unless the wind was against, in which
case those ballast bottles would become a drift anchor right away.


I guess I got to try to technique too when I
get the pump.

Before I had a sit on top only so I must get acquainted with sit ins.

Start slowly?
--

r.bc: vixen
Speaker to squirrels, willow watcher, etc..
Often taunted by trout. Almost entirely harmless. Really.

http://www.visi.com/~cyli

Cyli wrote:
On 14 Nov 2006 08:38:55 -0800, "donquijote1954"
wrote:


Don Freeman wrote:
After you turn it upright and climb in, you can splash out a lot of the
water with your paddle and paddle that boat into shore (you can still
paddle a swamped boat). No need to leave it.


Do canoeists not bring bilge pumps out with them?

True. But will it work when the canoe is fully flooded and perhaps more
waves are splashing on it?

No. I'd be bailing with one of my gallon water bottles that I carry
empty for possible ballast and would generally had a cut down one
around. If it hadn't floated off, when I'd have to cut down one of the
ones I kept tied. Gallon bailing would be way faster than my foot
pump. I'd then be paddling, unless the wind was against, in which
case those ballast bottles would become a drift anchor right away.

You mean to scoop water out? But didn't get the last part about ballast
bottles.


I guess I got to try to technique too when I
get the pump.

Before I had a sit on top only so I must get acquainted with sit ins.

Start slowly?

Yep. I just love it for different conditions than SOTs. Plenty of
storage, super comfortable (having back support) and stylish. Only when
mildly windy though.

It's the Mad River Canoe Adventure 14. It even has a lip to put a skirt
around but the size is humongous, and haven't found one so far.
However, I haven't contacted the manufacturer. If I should bother to
get one.

On 15 Nov 2006 10:22:47 -0800, "donquijote1954"
wrote:



You mean to scoop water out? But didn't get the last part about ballast
bottles.


Since at least half my canoeing is downstream (more if I can talk
someone into a shuttle), if I put more weight in the canoe, it sinks
farther down into the river and the current takes it better. This is
a very good thing when your favorite river runs to the south and the
wind comes from the south and you're headed south.

So when the wind is against by enough to make the paddling hard, I
pull up on shore, fill up with water the bunch of old plastic milk
jugs I keep tied together in the bow, cap them up and the bow lowers,
offering less wind resistance and more current pull. Ballast at about
10 pounds per jug. Easily dumped when I land.

When it's really bad, it's hot out, and I want a swim anyway, I get
out and let my body in deeper current pull the canoe along behind me.
I am aware I could get hurt that way, btw. I know there's junk in
there, like dead sunken trees. I stay in the boat channel where it's
almost entirely safe. I don't do it in backwaters where things can
get really ugly on top of the water and worse under.

Naturally, I leave them empty when going upstream with a south wind.

But, filled and hung from a rope from the stern, they make a good
drogue when I don't want to go anywhere quickly. Especially if I'm
going downstream and there's a strong north wind behind me. But
that's so rare that I can only recall about 3 occasions. More often
just because I want to do a slow float and enjoy. Sometimes they're an
anchor, if the water is shallow and I want to stop.

And I do know about turning the canoe around and paddling from the bow
seat facing the stern, which is then leading. I had to explain it at
least once to a ranger who thought I'd put my stickers on the wrong
end of the canoe. A wonderful piece of advice I got on one of these
paddling forums.
--

r.bc: vixen
Speaker to squirrels, willow watcher, etc..
Often taunted by trout. Almost entirely harmless. Really.

http://www.visi.com/~cyli

Cyli wrote:
On 15 Nov 2006 10:22:47 -0800, "donquijote1954"
wrote:



You mean to scoop water out? But didn't get the last part about ballast
bottles.


Since at least half my canoeing is downstream (more if I can talk
someone into a shuttle), if I put more weight in the canoe, it sinks
farther down into the river and the current takes it better. This is
a very good thing when your favorite river runs to the south and the
wind comes from the south and you're headed south.

Thank you. Though I don't have a river and I do have strong currents,
and would have thought the opposite, that I should want to the bow to
raise because of the waves, but then the wind gets it so... I don't
know now.

On 16 Nov 2006 10:54:53 -0800, "donquijote1954"
wrote:


Cyli wrote:
On 15 Nov 2006 10:22:47 -0800, "donquijote1954"
wrote:



You mean to scoop water out? But didn't get the last part about ballast
bottles.


Since at least half my canoeing is downstream (more if I can talk
someone into a shuttle), if I put more weight in the canoe, it sinks
farther down into the river and the current takes it better. This is
a very good thing when your favorite river runs to the south and the
wind comes from the south and you're headed south.

Thank you. Though I don't have a river and I do have strong currents,
and would have thought the opposite, that I should want to the bow to
raise because of the waves, but then the wind gets it so... I don't
know now.

Never fought a wind that hard with current going my way and wind
against. I suspect it'd be a day I'd either never take off to paddle
and either drive home from the putin or, if already on the river, I'd
stay in my tent until the wind went down. Waves high enough to come
over the bow are no place / time to for people like me to paddle. For
one thing, all it takes is a bit of a turn to have the side on to the
wind and it's an oopsy over dump situation. I keep my stuff mostly
tied down, but getting a swamped canoe and gear to shore in ugly
weather isn't my thing.
--

r.bc: vixen
Speaker to squirrels, willow watcher, etc..
Often taunted by trout. Almost entirely harmless. Really.

http://www.visi.com/~cyli

Cyli wrote:
Thank you. Though I don't have a river and I do have strong currents,
and would have thought the opposite, that I should want to the bow to
raise because of the waves, but then the wind gets it so... I don't
know now.

Never fought a wind that hard with current going my way and wind
against. I suspect it'd be a day I'd either never take off to paddle
and either drive home from the putin or, if already on the river, I'd
stay in my tent until the wind went down. Waves high enough to come
over the bow are no place / time to for people like me to paddle. For
one thing, all it takes is a bit of a turn to have the side on to the
wind and it's an oopsy over dump situation. I keep my stuff mostly
tied down, but getting a swamped canoe and gear to shore in ugly
weather isn't my thing.
--

It's a likely scenario in which I go out in a fine day, and come back
the next day when is windy like hell. Be ready to spend a few days out
there, or face the waves, may be a choice.