C-Forum

I'm 48, started paddling again 7 years ago with my son Aaron who was 6 at the time. Grummans at summer camp when I was a kid, but most of my life my boating has been sailing. 7 years ago I decided to take advantage of the local rivers and get a canoe. Bought a Dagger Reflection and we were hooked. Now Aaron has the Reflection as his poling canoe and a whitesell Piranha as his river runner. I pole a swift Dumoine and run in a Dagger Encore. Aaron almost went to the darkside, but getting a canoe with some rocker put an end to that nonsense. I love watching him progress, at least one of us is able to
http://good-times.webshots.com/photo/26 ... 5782BZPAqS
http://outdoors.webshots.com/photo/2611 ... 3331tmgONJ
was just reading Jim Michauds take on the Whitesell being a sidesurfing dream. Aaron has found this out and I can't get him downriver anytime theres a bunch of holes. Kids got to play in every one of them Could have worse problems I guess....

I will be 37 this spring and am in my forth year in the solo boats. The great thing about this sport is that you are continually learning. The problem I see is that these kids (-14 years old) that are just getting in the boats now, will be showing us all up in a few years. We need to find a way to even the playing field. Anyone have any ideas other than quitting work and paddling full time?

Scott

I'm 259 years old... in dog years... hope these knees can hold up for another 140 years.

you're just a pup

Ya`ll crack ME up

I'm 13 and new to cboats. Started oc2 with my dad when I was 6 or 7(flatwater) in a dagger reflection.. First whitewater when I was 9 or 10. As I got bigger we got a swift domoine. First solo run when I was 12 in the reflection. And got my whitesell pyranha this year.Hope to get into class IV-V when I get older.

Surprising that I'm not the youngest on here


Adam, were you paddling the Esopus and Farmington the 6-7th and 13-14th respectively? If so, I may have seen you up there paddling. I did notice a couple of kids around my age paddling open boat (an unusual sight)

Nate

Not Adam, name's Aaron. haven't been to the esopus, and was too sick to do new boston. went to crystal rapids last weekend to get the feel of it again after 4-5 weeks off.

Okay I've held off answering this until after I hit 50 but since its just a couple days (hours) away I chime in. Why because I think its cool to see some youth posting. Makes me feel young at heart. Aaron welcome and we look forward to seeing more posts and getting your cut as to Cing. Nate - you we know and paddled with. Good to hear you're still racing and I hope your STILL doing well.
Jacob (my boy age 12) paddled the National Down Rivers with me and seems to be hooked on OC2 (with me) and is now bugg'n me for an OC1... although he might get a C1 prior to getting a OC. But it will not be my Acrobat. He's raced with me in C2 with me since he was 9 and just recently his sister Renee (9) started this year at the Riversport. I know Scott B's getting his kids out down south and seeing the photo's of Al G's girl from up north and her Splash is oh so cool!
Hopefully we'll see the youth at the next Armada including some of the older youth that are kick'n it out. So I can just shake my head and wonder how the heck you can pull off a flatwater loop.
As for me I really can't remember when I have not paddled (or rowed) my mother was an hard core fishing person and drag us kids along from the get go in canoes and john boats. Started whitewater in round rubber, moved to a k (meet and married a paddling partner), moved to squirt, to OC, and finally C, C2 and rubber again (in a shredder) . Bottom line is its all good - the more senior folks on the site are my heroes! Still paddling and making it look oh so easy!!! Paul C.

I'm 29. I started paddling in my 20's at school. Got into OC1 this year (finally). I am paddling a Detonator, or the banana boat as its gets called here.

Nate and Paul. Hello . Aaron and I have paddled the Lackawaxen in Pa. a couple times. I believe it's about our favorite river, very playful. Maybe next year during one of the releases we could get some "multi-generational" paddling families together. If you head up to Ct. anytime (farmington/shepaug/10 mile/housatonic) give a shout. That goes for anybody. Matt

You do the math.

I'm 34 and started canoeing around 200o as I recognized that I was too dumb to ride motorcycles without accidents . Bought the first "boat" (55kg, laminate) to prepare and earn some skills for a wilderness trip in Alaska. Sold the "boat" immediately after this trip and bougt the first real canoe (NC Prospector). Wilderness trips in AK and Canada followed as well as whitewater runs in the Alps. Zooooomed the learning curve by taking a few ACA classes with Heinz Götze. AT the moment mostly tandem paddling whitewater up to III-IV, sometimes IV with my fearless partner Martina in a Blast.
Learning to paddle a C2 at the moment and extending the paddling season in a Bell Mystic, but there's still a lot to do...
Next big trip: Costa Rica in March

Florian

42
Started flatwater when I was a kid.
Started white water back in 1995.
Really got into solo whitewater in 2006.