How Old Are You?

[philcanoe]

51 ...or is that 39

The story began with a couple trips on lakes, as a kid with the boy scouts. . don't usually count those when asked. Started whitewater with one trip in '81, and in 82 was hooked.

Back in the day it was 16 footers, filled with either intertubes, sytrofoam block, and or cooler...heavy coolers, the ones that got lighter as the day went.. that was pre-canoe school days. First air bag I saw was a Perception center bag, this guy was laying on it taking a nap. His cooler was a bit lighter, than ours.

Started in a Old Town kit boat, and then my first love was a Mad River Explorer; later on a Whitesell and followed by a Sunburst II. The dates are a bit fuzzy, but each was one of the first production models. Then the quest to go small began, sleek ...trim ... light... a Hahns Sweet, which lead to a HD1. The world opened up when I got my first Edge. Stopped two timing my other boats, stayed with several edges for a while. The machismo phase we spent all summer on the Occoe and Chattooga, we wouldn't use air bags - "kinda like cheating". Frankie made the Occoe Canoe Co. a legal Viper 11 mold, and it was kevlar-sglass ... oh so much fun. This lead to my designing and building less that 11 footers (several). When Savage rotomolded OC1's ...hurrah, hurrah...a couple Skeeters, Superfly, and now a Spanish Fly

Latest boat is a called Miss Daisy, but I really am sold on HDPE boats. No work, no repair, you can be sloppy, they slide over and off rocks, and you roll'em up on edge to dump water...makes you lazy.

as for starting out....

the learning curve is so quick in todays short kayak's, it's hard to get people in canoes.... and there's no off-sides to learn. I'm afraid most people are basically too lazy for open canoes.

[Roger]

I is 55 (soon to be 56) and started with an Alumacraft 17' canoe at age 24. Got me one of them "hot" Blueholes. Then a Phoenix Slipper kayak (didn't last long with that one).

First real open boat, 2nd year model Flashback (took that bad boy down Chatooga IV in 1983) and then a Gyramax.

Since then, it's been a Whitesell Pyrhana, Viper 12, Probe 12 II and now a Taureau.

I paddle canoes because it puts you in the praying position automatically!

I loves this sport!

[dixie_boater]

I'm 49 and began at paddling at 22. My brother bought a used Blue Hole and I learned to paddle tandem with him. In a couple of years I bought my first boat, a Mohawk WW 16. I used inner tubes for floatation and a made an ethafoam saddle for a solo position..typical outfitting for the time. My wife and I paddled that boat on several canoe-camping trips. She still paddles on occasion with me. Now we have a Old Town Appalachian for tandem trips. My daughters and I take the tandem boat for class II runs when we came find time.

A Mohawk Scamp was my first solo WW Canoe after the WW16. Next came Whitesell's; couple of Piranha's and a Descender.

I've been paddling a Dagger Caption solo the last few years. Still enjoy class III/IV runs

[noobopenboater]

35 years old......, joined a paddlin club 2003 to go on some sea kayaking trips, all the 60 somethings told these open boating stories all the time but never understood. Had been on some rafting trips on the gauley, ocoee, seeing the bazillion yakers I was never interested in whitewater. Then I saw a group of open boats on the lower gauley and said WOW Look at that! I never was interested in ww until found open boating, Went to tandam canoe school with the wife, then solo school, and was hooked. I cant believe It took me this long to discover OC, bought an impulse last year (thanks scott), just bought an outrage....And yes at 35 Im usually the youngest canoeist on the club trips. My wife went to kayaks, but I'll keep her anyway I guess. (at least she paddles).

[beereddy]

I'm 55

I starting with folding two place kayak in 1969 which I ruined in next year. Then I tried inflatable canoe and didnt understand why its turning all the way. After I spend lot of years in more than 30 expeditions in unpopulated regions like Syberia, Pamir, Tien Shan etc.
Mostly with 4 place canoe catarafts In 1993 I start kayaking/ sorry guys!/ mostly steep creeking Norway, Piemont, Corsica etc. Class 4-5.
Last year I bought my first OC-1 Prelude, now I have Zephir. So I'm a beginner

[Brendan]

closer to 49 that I care to think. I loved the canoe course at summer Camp, but seem to recall failing the merit test- something about having trouble getting back into the aluminum canoe from deep water ( I was 11). Growing up in DC we used to rent canoes at Fletchers and paddle up river to the three sisters rocks, and paddle around the Potomac. I had no idea about whitewater at the time, and the falls of the Potomac was just around the bend.
I took my first whitewater trip near the end of college and got my first boat at age 22- a 16 foot Shenandoah, set up with saddle and flotation for solo paddling. Then I traded up to 16 ft. Bluehole- same set up. Then Mohawk Scamp. I rarely saw a C-1 but was always intrigued. Got a gyromax, then Cascade, then Atom. I have a C-2 under that huse that needs some work. Had a Mowhawk Viper 12 but never went back to OC- sold it and I now wish I had kept it. I'd like to get an OC 2 and start getting my sons out more on the river. I have to admit that with all of the other things going on, I don't paddle much, but keep promising myself that I will.

[Alden]

I'm 25, and I had an interesting revelation the other week: C-1 is way harder than kayak! A few weeks ago, I paddled a kayak (a Burn) down a local river that I know well (Upper Yough). In fact, I did two runs that day.

I couldn't believe how much easier kayak is than C-1. It must have been at least 25% easier. I could see how it would make hard rivers much easier and impossible rivers (for me) possible. I tend to forget this difference when I'm on hard runs with kayakers. But the other week really brought home how much of a challenge paddling C-1 is.

Alden

[knu2xs]

Twenty-nine years old and have never paddled a kayak. When people ask my about my first time in a boat, I always answer with a question. Can you remember your first time riding in a car? It is the same with me, except for boats. I cannot remember not being in a boat. With parents who were, and still are paddlers, it was no surprise when I took up the sport.

When people ask why I don't kayak, the answer is simple, I'm just not smart enough. Figuring out what to do with two blades is just too confusing. I keep it simple, just one blade.

[bathtuboy]

38. Paddled a little bit of kayak and open canoe flat water only when I was younger. Decided to take it up again in my thirties as my legs were getting a little slow for rugby. Joined the university club were I worked and turned up with a home made wooden boat for the first trip to find they pretty much only paddled whitewater. They were a great bunch and happily accepted an 'old man' in a 'silly' open boat. Never really paddled with other open boaters which I think has helped me push myself and not accept the limitations of the craft.

Jon

[creek1r]

Started WW at age 43 (canoe fished for several years prior) Now 62yo c-boater

[Mark D]

I am 41, Started when I was 10 in red blue hole , then went to a preception chootaga, raced that boat in youth nationals down river on the nat. placed second out of two,1977. After that I switched to the (dark side) for about 14 years, A phenix sliper , lost that on 8 ball / diamond spliter on the occee. Then the preception mirage, still have the chootaga and the mirage . Now I paddle a Mad River Legend 15. on class 2,3. I am training a friend age 38 and his kid age 14 the both are in legend 15. solo.The 14 year old will most likely be going to a play-boat k-1. He is just amazed at how quick they are. Thats what got me in 1980. I think if I could get him the 14 year old in a smaller boat like a Outrage or something to that affect he mite stay with it.

[watrwzrd]

Started messing about in boats in the boy scouts many moons ago.
I purchased my first canoe at age 26 a Old Town Pack lots of fishing as I already had a small 12 foot john boat with a jack plate shallow draft real river tiller heheh. I then got a Mad River St.Croix so my son and other people could go.Meet some people at some of the river races and decided I would try WW.First trip was in a borrowed Probe 11 on class 2,3 Done good till the boiling hole on the Mayo Rockingham NC. I was hooked going to make it through that boiling hole no matter what it took yee haw any now I have just turned 47 on 9/19 man its been a goood trip down the river. I will do a post about my boats on the( favorite thread)Hope to syotr some day

[BF14]

Hey there i am currently 17 and have been in a canoe since i was 2. Previously did alot of wilderness white water tripping, but this spring started paddling c1 (Forplay) and am fully addicted.

Cheers, Ben

[fez]

I am 39. I´m paddling since 2005 , started in a Robson Homes till it cracked, then switched to C1 (Delirious, Fink) and LOVE it.

[sdbrassfield]

I am 47 and started in scouts and paddled mainly flatwater thru my teens and early twenties. Did not paddle much after that until 6-7 years ago when I picked it up again and have been hooked. It is the only good exercise this old boy gets.

I paddle whitewater from April to mid-November, then primarily flatwater / canoe camping in the winter months. I do get out on the whitewater during the winter on a nice 55 plus degree day. I have a dry suit and all the gear for cold water whitewater paddling, whitewater is my favorite, but I just enjoy the canoe camping also. I do that in the winter since there are no bugs and no snakes to battle.

The last 2 years I have averaged 90+ days on the rivers. I am on pace to meet that this year...