Canoe vs kayak
- Thread starter BenBhoy
- Start date
I run the water activities program for 200 scouts and have been an instructor for most types of craft for a decade or more.
Something inflatable for a quick muck about on a nice day basically within sight of your launch, with kids and dogs?
Easy, Just get a couple of paddle boards. The Aldi ones are decent value or they are always coming up on fleabay/gumtree etc
They are by far the lightest safest and quickest to set up. Fairly resistant to wind and easy to get back on to. Zero entrapment risk.
Inflatable kayaks/canoes are a nightmare in the wind and so much more faff. Their Ropes and straps present an entrapment risk you will forever find yourself blown into a corner and spinning around
If you want to go a bit further or take a full picnic and camp then a 'proper' canoe will make your life so much easier if you can store and transport one . A prospector or venturer 14 -16ft
Please please please
Get buoyancy aids ('lifejackets') and make the kids wear them and read the cold water shock stuff - this is a real risk on a hot day
Cold Water Shock Infographic
Paddlesport participation is at an all-time high, but so is the risk of cold water shock. In 2024 alone, there were 193 accidental water-related fatalities in the UK. Many of these tragedies occurred…
paddleuk.org.uk
Always nice to have one’s opinions confirmed by a professional!I run the water activities program for 200 scouts and have been an instructor for most types of craft for a decade or more.
Something inflatable for a quick muck about on a nice day basically within sight of your launch, with kids and dogs?
Easy, Just get a couple of paddle boards. The Aldi ones are decent value or they are always coming up on fleabay/gumtree etc
They are by far the lightest safest and quickest to set up. Fairly resistant to wind and easy to get back on to. Zero entrapment risk.
Inflatable kayaks/canoes are a nightmare in the wind and so much more faff. Their Ropes and straps present an entrapment risk you will forever find yourself blown into a corner and spinning around
If you want to go a bit further or take a full picnic and camp then a 'proper' canoe will make your life so much easier if you can store and transport one . A prospector or venturer 14 -16ft
Please please please
Get buoyancy aids ('lifejackets') and make the kids wear them and read the cold water shock stuff - this is a real risk on a hot day
Cold Water Shock Infographic
Paddlesport participation is at an all-time high, but so is the risk of cold water shock. In 2024 alone, there were 193 accidental water-related fatalities in the UK. Many of these tragedies occurred…
Also worth adding if you have two decent size SUPs you can get an adult, two kids and a dog on the water.
We've got a paddle board and can get me and the 2 kids on. Good chance of everyone getting wet. Easy to steer and easy to get back onto.
We've all got buoyancy? Aids. If I wear one then the kids can't complain. And we can all lounge about floating too.
We've all got buoyancy? Aids. If I wear one then the kids can't complain. And we can all lounge about floating too.
Kayaks, you sit in them and use a spray deck to keep the water out and let's you roll back up in you capsize.
Canoes are open and if you tip over you will have to get back to shore to empty the water out.
I have seen inflatable canoes struggling to make any headway in even a slight breeze and they are almost uncontrollable in any wind.
As said above, spend money on a proper canoe, they are so much more manageable and safer.
Canoes are open and if you tip over you will have to get back to shore to empty the water out.
I have seen inflatable canoes struggling to make any headway in even a slight breeze and they are almost uncontrollable in any wind.
As said above, spend money on a proper canoe, they are so much more manageable and safer.
My Pram dingy would spin like a top when Chip jumped off the front so not only spinning around but going backwards with the wind trying to get up the creek for a duck flight lol
BenBhoy
Well-Known Member
Where do you go mate?
Not often enough. Usually just when we go on holiday. We're in Cornwall at the moment and the paddle board is ace on the sea.
Looking to go a few places near home when we get back, as the kids love it.
Borrow mine if you want a try
I have quite a fleet of water craft, mad river open canoe with buoyancy fitted, ocean kayaks sit on top, sevylor inflatable and paddle board. They all have their place, multi day trip definitely the mad river, sea fishing or river fishing on my own, the sit on top, exploring less navigable river spots and anything slightly sketchy the sevylor and general messing about when its warm the paddleboard. I take 2 dogs, 1 kid and sometimes an extra person on all of them except the sit on top. Value for money for having fun on a paddle board is hard to beat. Much easier to swim from too and drives faster the the sevylor
Paddleboards are a game changer for enjoying the water. I have a little locally made canoe (Apache) and three paddleboards. The boards are used probably 20 times a summer, the canoe once or twice. For cargo capacity fit long trips the canoe is superior. I’ve done two weeks paddling with the dogs and all equipment. For ease of use the paddleboards are best. The dogs come one the paddleboards or in the canoe, or swim alongside. Buoyancy aides are great for the dogs for visibility, manual handling at sea, keeping them warm and buoyant in rough seas. On Saturday I was at Barafundle Bay and the dogs received a lot of compliments for their steadiness on the board and endurance whilst swimming. I don’t use the buoyancy aides whilst swimming with them from base, we swam about 1km loop on Sat, to avoid them becoming dependent on them for confidence. But when travelling some distance or difficult water they’ll be in the sea in orange. The children love everything, but the paddleboards are a favourite of theirs. I have a small sea anchor so in good conditions they can go out within set points in a bay or on a river. The anchor means they can abandon ship if needed. I favour life jackets over buoyancy aides for the children. Most trained instructors would say buoyancy aides are better when you are expecting to get wet as they are easier to swim in, children quickly succumb to the cold water. My children are strong, competitive swimmers. They can only swim for a few minutes in cold water before they lose power, they will need fishing out- preferably face up. The dogs will do a 40 min straight swim until they start to seize up. I wear a bouncy aide if I’m out with the children on an expedition. If there is a problem I need to be able to concentrate on their safety not my own survival. Unfortunately that’s what happened up with those little children in Scotland fishing with their dad.
BenBhoy
Well-Known Member
Every time you post anything about you & your lads I find myself smiling, good man. But also makes me feel I need to do more with mine
The issue with social media! It is the edited highlights reel. Same as postcodes from a holiday in 1912.
When Tim had made a canoe with his daughter I loved it, but was rueing my own impatience and not making time to do these long projects with the boys.
When Tim had made a canoe with his daughter I loved it, but was rueing my own impatience and not making time to do these long projects with the boys.
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Glass coated speedstrip?
Very nice indeed!
Was tempted to do ours in strip plank, but opted instead for stitch and tape, for simplicity.
USB charging pumps make setup a much more pleasant experience - full in about 2 minutes. I really like this one.
Heym SR20
Well-Known Member
Strip plank - one of the Bear Mountain Boats design Peterborough Canadien 16
I will build another sometime, but it will be a proper cedar canvas one.
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