roll call (for us newbs to the board)

Decked Canoes, Open Canoes, as long as they're canoes!

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CrazyRiver
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roll call (for us newbs to the board)

Post by CrazyRiver »

ok, from what i have gathered from being a lurker for a while and a member for not that long is that most of the people who post on this board alot are either oc1 or some form of slalom c1 with the minority divided into creeking and playboating. Im not sure where i wanted this to go but id like to get to know everyone here and what they like the most and why. i have never slalom c1-ed nor creekboated c1 (soon to change hopefully) but i am a dedicated oc1-er and for the past 2 months non-stop as much as i can river-running/playboating c1-er. i have yet to see anyone paddling about in a playboat like me as c1 (WS zg54) especially river running solid class IV, the only c1-ers i have seen mostly use the older (style) boats (ie. big ones) like atoms and all the old bigger kayaks, why is this? i have a blast in my little boat (little as in i have always paddled oc1 so six and a half feet was crazy). and another thing why does everyone say that c1-ing is soooo much pain, my kayaking friends have to get out of their boats way more than i do to stretch and regain feeling. thanks for any interest, getting to know other c1-ers is great.
cadster
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Post by cadster »

I enjoy all types of boats and paddle both kayak and canoe style. I’ve spent most of my boating river running in a C-1 over the past two decades. My experience is most limited in “little boats” and squirt, but I was paddling a short conversion over the weekend and will probably be buying one soon. I think ww canoeists find more challenge running rivers and subsequently are less focused than kayakers on playboating fashions which means they keep paddling the same boat longer. I also believe the typical canoeist has been paddling longer than most kayakers.
bathtuboy
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Type of paddler

Post by bathtuboy »

I pretty much only paddle WW OC's, of the small and plastic variety to bounce off rocks. I have a homemade wooden touring boat that gets the occasional run out and have a converted Dagger Redline which I have been meaning to try out.
I've never paddled an old style C1 or any of the larger (10'+) whitewater OC's.

Jon
John Coraor
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Post by John Coraor »

I would agree that there are quite a few open boaters who frequent this web site, but my impression of the C-1ers is exactly opposite of yours. My impression has been that there are more C-1ers paddling short boats - either conversions or otherwise - than slalom boats. Perhaps the C-1 slalom paddlers are just gabbier than the short boaters! Many of us are old school racers (e.g. TomAnon, EZwater, & me), although there are some younger racers as well (e.g. Alden "AB" Bird & bearboater). It may be significant that the younger slalom paddlers tend to also have short boats in their stables. Us old schoolers are probably just too fossilized to change! In any event, you have lots of company as the number of threads on boat conversions would indicate.

As to pain, I must say that I am somewhat gratified to find that kayakers paddling the shorter, thinner playboats seem to have discovered the necessity of leg breaks. It is a long awaited turnabout! I think that leg pain in c-boats tends to be a product of seat height, outfitting, paddler physique, and age. When younger, lighter, and more flexible, I used to paddle 1.5 - 2 hours at a time without a break. Alas, now as an old, slow, fat guy I find that my tolerance for a low kneel has deteriorated markedly. Enjoy your lack of agony; it may not last forever.

John
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KNeal
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Post by KNeal »

Hi, CrazyRiver. You can put me down as a river runner primarily. I haven't had any interest in sliding my boat down boulders that have water trickling down them or blowing my back out on 300 foot waterfall drops. :wink: Nor is my body adapted for hyperextending or twisting my spine in order to flip my boat in mid-air; I can do that just fine on the water. :D

Slalom boating appeals the most to me because I find it pretty cool to carve up a rapid, then attain it and do it again. It's inspiring to watch competent c-1, c-2 slalom racers zip around on a course.

However, like what John Coraor said earlier, you'll probably find more creaky types and tupperware bathtub boaters using this message board. They're the ones more interested in the latest boat designs and getting them outfitted. I paddle an Atom I got back in '98 and am waiting for the moment when the hull explodes open on me while I'm running a rapid. Then I have to (hopefully) walk back to my truck and buy another plastic boat. In the meantime, I'm waiting for the fall to roll around to bring 3 of my composite boats into the garage and prep them for more repairs (which I'm terrible at, but I get LOT'S of practice 8) ).

As far as cboating and comfort, after reading posts about that on this board, I think knee pain is primarily the result of outfitting and saddle height; while ankle pain has to do a lot with the lack of flexibility in the anterior shin muscles and connective tissue (though I'm seriously looking into how much achilles tendon thickening may add to the problem).

Anyway, it's good to C U posting here and asking your questions,

KNeal
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"Believe me, my young friend, there is nothing-absolutely nothing-half so much worth doing as simply messing about in boats."
adamin
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Post by adamin »

If you read back to the early posts, you'll likely find the slalom crowd was inundated by a lot of us river-running folks...who then tried slalom, and many other disciplines.

If someone asked me who the dominant folks here were, I'd have to say river-runners. That said, there are a number of very knowledgable slalom paddlers who are very generous with their technique tips, which I think improves the community as a whole!

The one group seemingly "missing" is the rodeo crowd...and I KNOW they read this board, and post sometimes...but we don't hear as much technique (nor do we hear from younger slalom folks on technique, with a few notable exceptions (Alden and Isaac come to mind...)). I think it's more of a commentary on who is ON this board and PARTICIPATING in the discussions...if you paddle every chance you get, and don't have a desk job you can surf at during work, you likely don't post much....

Regardless, thank you all for making this community what it is, and for being patient with us as we grow in fits and spurts (we have over 110,000 unique visits a month now, and over 1 million hits per month, on average!).

Adam
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squeakyknee
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Post by squeakyknee »

Slalom, boring...(no offence guys, but it bores the crap out of me just like football and golf...I could care less)
Atoms and such, LAME floppy pop-tarts...(If I wanted to paddle a relic down the river I'd strap myself to Bob Foote and hit the Grand Canyon).
Openboats, still a ton of fun and challenging!!
small cramped painful playboats, super fun when there is water...
old farts, screw em...
whatever floats your boat on the river, BINGO!!!
That's C-boating.
we are all a bit different, some more than others
some of us bitch about everything,
some of us are afraid to tick people off ( obviously not me...)
some of us talk about nothin but FREAKIN adhesives!
some of us actually paddle, well, ALOT of us actually paddle.
Stick around and you may just learn something....
Amiga!!
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watrwzrd
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Post by watrwzrd »

You guys crack me up, c,see,sea ITS ALL GOOD SYOTR
PAIN live with it
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oopsiflipped
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Post by oopsiflipped »

I paddle an open boat (starting to nail some offside duffecks!) and am working on my first c1 conversion for river running / play. Seems like inspite of some of the differences in types of boats or styles of boating canoeists are just happy to have other c-boaters to talk to about the sport and to paddle with. being in Colorado for the summer (I have met a few awesome c boaters here) it is great to have this site a as a resource since there aren't a tone of canoeists around.

Gabe
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