Now, I know this is blasphemy, but I was thinking of a short (14-15') tandem canoe of the royalex variety, stabile and good for fishing. I have access to a 16' Old Town Otca, wood and canvas, but that is a real bear to paddle with a little one, especially when the wind gets blowing. I figure once he gets older and strong enough to handle the bow seat, I can teach him to handle a real canoe. He loves to fish, but right now, we don't have a boat that I can take him out on, just the two of us. Any recommendations?
Paddling with my kid
- Thread starter Don
- Start date
Dave Wermuth
Who hid my paddle?
not sure if it's blasphemy
it's more like admitting you are alcoholic. Anyway check this ebay canoe out
110177062409
I'm Dave and I sat in a canoe made of frozen snot once.
'hi Dave'
I tell myself I'll only paddle wood but sometimes I don't know what comes over me and I wake up with a plastic canoe in my yard.
it's more like admitting you are alcoholic. Anyway check this ebay canoe out
110177062409
I'm Dave and I sat in a canoe made of frozen snot once.
'hi Dave'
I tell myself I'll only paddle wood but sometimes I don't know what comes over me and I wake up with a plastic canoe in my yard.
Bigger is Better?
Don:
Son Brendan (Age 9) and I think you need to go BIGGER. Get yourself an 18 foot Old Town Guide out of the want ads and paddle away. Longer boats are easier to paddle. The guide is very stable, has a low profile, wonderful on lakes, sails etc.
Don:
Son Brendan (Age 9) and I think you need to go BIGGER. Get yourself an 18 foot Old Town Guide out of the want ads and paddle away. Longer boats are easier to paddle. The guide is very stable, has a low profile, wonderful on lakes, sails etc.
Howard Caplan
Wooden Canoe Maniac
A shorter canoe does not necessarily handle better then a longer canoe. More length will give you better tracking ability on those fishing lakes. Don, can you solo the Otca? After spending many hours in a canoe with children from age five on up, I realize that some kids want to sit and stare while others do their best to help with the paddling and sometimes their paddling is useful.
If you can solo in the Otca you can take the child fishing in the Otca. There is always a route around the wind.
But, there are many canoes out there that provide a terrific platform for fishing and will be easy enough to paddle.
While I don't fish, I do take long treks. If with my wife or young people my philosphy is the same; love having you along, if you want to be ballast, fine but, you will always carry something on the portages. And if the wrong wind kicks up, everybody paddles.
Good luck,
Howard
If you can solo in the Otca you can take the child fishing in the Otca. There is always a route around the wind.
But, there are many canoes out there that provide a terrific platform for fishing and will be easy enough to paddle.
While I don't fish, I do take long treks. If with my wife or young people my philosphy is the same; love having you along, if you want to be ballast, fine but, you will always carry something on the portages. And if the wrong wind kicks up, everybody paddles.
Good luck,
Howard
Dave Wermuth
Who hid my paddle?
HI Don
One other idea. This worked for me. Paddle the OTCA backwards with your kid facing the wrong way in the stern (the new bow) and you in the bow (the new stern) there should be just enogh room for him. You essentially paddle how you would solo but with a bit of ballast. YOur trim should be such that the canoe will handle quite well.
One other idea. This worked for me. Paddle the OTCA backwards with your kid facing the wrong way in the stern (the new bow) and you in the bow (the new stern) there should be just enogh room for him. You essentially paddle how you would solo but with a bit of ballast. YOur trim should be such that the canoe will handle quite well.
out this past Saturday
I took him out in the Otca Saturday when the wind died down. It was nice paddle. And he does want his own paddle, so I will get him one for next year. Our boat season has been extended with unusually warm weather this fall. It may not last much longer.
We also met another WCHA member at the Mid-Atlantic Small Craft festival this past weekend. He is active in a wooden boat school up at Havre de Grace Maritime Museum. That may be some fun. There is one group there specializing in restoring wood and canvas canoes. I just need to get some free time.
I took him out in the Otca Saturday when the wind died down. It was nice paddle. And he does want his own paddle, so I will get him one for next year. Our boat season has been extended with unusually warm weather this fall. It may not last much longer.
We also met another WCHA member at the Mid-Atlantic Small Craft festival this past weekend. He is active in a wooden boat school up at Havre de Grace Maritime Museum. That may be some fun. There is one group there specializing in restoring wood and canvas canoes. I just need to get some free time.
