Touring by canoe!

Subject: RE: Touring by canoe!
From: EBarnacle
Date: 30 Jul 08 - 08:56 PM

Erie Basin is just South of Governor's Island in Red Hook, Brooklyn. The path is down the Hudson, keep Governor's on your left and straight into the inlet. The warehouses there date from the Civil War and, until it was destroyed by the construction of the new Ikea in Brooklyn, there was a graving dock dating back to that era also.

Subject: RE: Touring by canoe!
From: PoppaGator
Date: 30 Jul 08 - 03:28 PM

EB:

The Hudson (or, as you point out, more correctly "North") River does not touch upon Brooklyn at all, as far as I can see.

Does the "official" Erie Canal go down the Hudson, out into Upper New York Bay, and proceed east-southeast to Brooklyn? Or does it depart from the Hudson between the Bronx and Manhattan and take the Harlem and East Rivers (neither of which are really rivers, technically) to that basin in Brooklyn?

Depends upon where the Erie Basin is located, obviusly. You've made me very curious!

Subject: RE: Touring by canoe!
From: Valmai Goodyear
Date: 30 Jul 08 - 03:17 PM

'O, my name is John Darwin,
I'm a canoe-going man ...'

(See 'The Man You Don't Meet Every Day' and recent English newspapers for full story)

Valmai (Lewes)

Subject: RE: Touring by canoe!
From: Joe Offer
Date: 30 Jul 08 - 02:23 PM

Christopher Bell has a myspace page here (click). Not what I'd call folk music, but I like the idea of him touring in a canoe.

-Joe Offer, also a former canoe instructor-

Subject: RE: Touring by canoe!
From: GUEST,TJ in San Diego
Date: 30 Jul 08 - 11:55 AM

I taught canoeing for several years. For a single paddler, the secret to avoiding shoulder pain or fatigue is changing sides periodically (whenever one arm begins to tire a bit)and utilize something called the "J stroke" for going in a straight line. It involves dipping the paddle at the bow, pulling it alongside the canoe, turning the blade 1/4 turn (so that it becomes a rudder) and pushing out and away from the boat just before it exits the water for the next stroke. With a little practice, it is easy to do and far less tiring. The other secret (for stability) is to keep your weight low by kneeling on a pad, rather than sitting high on a seat. These are old native american tricks picked up by French Voyageurs and used very effectively. Of course, if two are paddling, one paddles on each side, changing sides simultaneously, as necessary, on a voice command from the stern paddler. If you follow these procedures, you should have no problem keeping your instruments dry.

Subject: RE: Touring by canoe!
From: DonMeixner
Date: 30 Jul 08 - 11:43 AM

I have moved canoes a number of ways through the water and they all have their good and bad points. The problem is people think of canoes as primitive little boats that are used primarily by aboriginal people to chase down settlers in their flat boats.

Canoes are highly refined efficient boats and have been for centuries.
They require balance to work and thats no lie. I've been wet a time or two. I don't paddle a canoe if I can help it. I use oars on rowing stanchions. The seat is a little lower and forward of typical in my canoe but the ergonomics of rowing makes this the perfect location. I can eat up water and cover more distance than any two people with paddles over a long haul. This rig is particularly good on lake crossings.

And I'll gunnel pump a canoe as well if I am in a daring mood.

Don

Subject: RE: Touring by canoe!
From: EBarnacle
Date: 30 Jul 08 - 10:28 AM

If you look carefully, he is using a kayak paddle [double paddling]. This is now a common mode with small canoes, especially single handing. When moving properly, it is possible to go for hours with a good lightweight kayak paddle. A big advantage of this type of canoeing over kayaking is the ability to adjust boat trim and move about in the boat.

An interesting factor is the weight and length of the paddle. My long, super lightweight spruce paddles are at least 50 years old and are the envy of my fellow club members. I also love rowing my whitehall skiff. The weird thing about modern materials is that, despite all the development and improvements, the spruce paddles weigh less and have more "life" than the modern high tech stuff.

Subject: RE: Touring by canoe!
From: semi-submersible
Date: 30 Jul 08 - 04:32 AM

Well... canoes have been popular somewhat longer than cars. Once emptied, one or two people can usually carry a canoe if necessary. Rowboats are often built too large and heavy to portage.

Rowing does spread the work among more of the body's big muscles, though. You don't need a steersman if you glance ahead often enough and set your course by some feature in view astern. Some of us prefer to row facing forward and standing, at least when in haste or close quarters.

Subject: RE: Touring by canoe!
From: GUEST,leeneia
Date: 30 Jul 08 - 12:46 AM

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.

Subject: RE: Touring by canoe!
From: EBarnacle
Date: 29 Jul 08 - 12:48 AM

Legally, the whole river from the intersection of the canal with the North River [legal name of the Hudson, just look at any chart] down to Erie Basin in Brooklyn is part of the Erie canal. The basin is named that because it is the terminus of the canal. Having done a trip down the river for the sake of doing it, I heartily recommend it.

Subject: RE: Touring by canoe!
From: georgeward
Date: 28 Jul 08 - 04:26 PM

I wish him well. We're having a lot of high water this summer (again). If he gets to Schenectady on schedule (whatever happened to our faux Mayor Stratton on Mudcat, BTW ? ), I'll try to catch him at the Moon & River.

Subject: RE: Touring by canoe!
From: GUEST,TJ in San Diego
Date: 28 Jul 08 - 04:16 PM

A group of us once actually did a canoe-based song fest on the lower Colorado River. We rented the canoes near Needles (don't do this in the summer, as it is usually well over 100 degrees) and paddled south to Lake Havasu. Needless to say, it was equal parts music, paddling and speedboat-dodging, but loads of fun.

Subject: RE: Touring by canoe!
From: DonMeixner
Date: 28 Jul 08 - 01:19 PM

Back during the run up to the US Bicentenial my singing partner Mike Waters and I put together a proposal to do just this. We planned to travel the canal (NYS Erie and Barge Canals) set up and do traditional music and story telling concerts at the locks and parks along the canal. Our scope was the American revolution as seen along the waterway and the growth of NYState in music. We would take our paya as a pass the hat venue.

Gruman Canoes were made in Marathon NY just south of Syracuse a few dozen miles. We sent our proposal to them asking for a sponsorship of two 17' to 21' canoes. They basically said to us "Don't be ridiculous."

So the grand tour never got off the ground, or ofshore as it may be stated.

Hope this Mr. Bell has fun and does well.

Don

Subject: RE: Touring by canoe!
From: Lizzie Cornish 1
Date: 28 Jul 08 - 12:11 PM

Chris Bell, out of his canoe, and on his Myspace page

Subject: RE: Touring by canoe!
From: GUEST,rOW rOW rOW yOUR bOAT...
Date: 28 Jul 08 - 11:58 AM

Wonder if he wants an Australian tour?
Today the Erie Canal; tomorrow the Pacific Ocean!

Subject: RE: Touring by canoe!
From: Leadfingers
Date: 28 Jul 08 - 11:56 AM

3 mph ? Thats the legal limit on Our canals in UK !! And Bloody Good Luck to him !

Subject: Touring by canoe!
From: Mark Ross
Date: 28 Jul 08 - 11:44 AM

Let's hear it for a real trooper!

Mark Ross

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/07/28/nyregion/28canoe.html?ref=todayspaper