If I were going to do that, I would use a rowboat, not a canoe. Rowing uses the back and legs, the strongest parts of the body. Paddling a canoe for a long time must really be hard on the right shoulder.

A couple summers ago, I (out of shape), my husband, and my sis-in-law (rheumatoid arthritis victim) went for a rowboat ride four or five hours long. My husband sat on the stern and steered with a canoe paddle while S-I-L and I did all the rowing. Rowing is so ergonomic that neither of us had the least trace of soreness the next day.

In contrast with that, on my first canoe trip at the young and flexible age of 23, I thought my right arm was going to drop off and my right shoulder felt miserable.

Canoes are unstable, rather dangerous boats, though perhaps that is not a problem on a canal. The main they are popular is that they are easy to put on top of a car. In my opinion, that is not sufficient reason for trusting one's family to them.

However, I hope Chris Bell does well on his tour.