Open-canoeing along ocean shoreline?

External Since: Jun 04, 2006 Posts: 46

On 20 Jun 2006 14:57:21 -0700, " "
wrote:

>Which of course means you will need to go through the surf zone at
>least twice every trip.

Thanks for the input, but that's not true, actually. I launch in a
shelted and very enclosed inlet every time. There is no surf to speak
of in there in calm weather.

>Remember that the surf conditions when/where
>you need to come in may be different from what it was where you went
>out.

That's true. My idea was to stay close to the shore at all times.

>I've played in small surf with a WW canoe, and it's fun, but i wouldn't
>want to try to go very far in bumpy water in that boat.

No - I well appreciate that anywere other than cam sea is not
somewhere I'd want to be in my flat-bottomed canoe.

AL D

External Since: Jun 04, 2006 Posts: 46

On Tue, 20 Jun 2006 22:34:41 GMT, "padeen"
wrote:

>Hmm.... flat-bottomed canoe, eh? That screams "RED FLAG RED FLAG" to me.
>If you in fact have a flat-bottomed canoe it is probably the most
>un-seaworthy craft imaginable; some initial stability, but flips when
>conditions get a bit rough. A flat-bottomed canoe won't ride the waves;
>they'll crash over it, and it can't be braced w/o flipping over.

Thanks. Yes, I am aware of the limitations of the flat bottom. I often
have to cope with waves from passing power boats, etc.
>
>My advice to you would be to get this boat out as much as you can in very
>sheltered areas.

Thanks for the advice. It's what I am doing right now.

>Get hours and hours paddling it, and before long you'll
>know its characteristics, and will be able to understand the difference when
>you then try (and buy) a seaworthy craft.

It's something I'll consider carefully, but I'm still tempted to
venture along the shore when the sea is calm. After all, it only takes
a few minutes to reach the shore if the sea starts getting too rough,
yes? In my sailing experience, I've never known sea to get too rough
so quickly that one wouldn't have time to reach the shore if one was
close to the shore in the first place.

As for the hull shape. Yes, I probably would have opted for a V-shaped
hull if I had known more about hull characteristics when I bought this
one. Waves from close-passing motor cruisers can be somewhat scary. So
I'm learning fast what its limitations are, and therefore what sort of
coastal sea conditions would be dangerous.

Al D