C-Forum

I took my new Jackson 4fun C1 on the ocoee the other day and had a ball!, I noticed at 55 yrs old I was the oldest c boater out there that day, epically at hades hole. Anyway, I started to feel a little funny with all the kids there and when A Creeking friend came by and said : you too old for this playboat s**T it didnt help . So any you guys out there playboat at my age or know anyone who does?

Heck ya... sounds like you just need a TOG sticker for that boat!

You're never too old to have "fun"! Creek'n or play'n!

I was 47 when I started paddling. Tell him to kiss your @$$! Where it says OOOOOHHHHHHH! I had my fellings hurt by a 25yro blonde this week when she asked if I had any grand kids. I did take it in stride and tried to get her to hook up wit my son. She has a job!

NO, you're never too old - I think "old " people who still know how to have fun are not only cool to be with, but are often persons to look up to. They prove style and experience most of the young paddlers don't have yet

So some of the paddlers I was most impressed by we're the older ones - some kiwi (no idea about his age, but he retired already I think) who stopped by at the Euro Armada, and he had style! There are better paddlers than him for sure, but he had something special, I was really amazed. And he's a fun guy too!

or some british playboater. I would not say he's old, just an adult compared to the 20 to 25year old ususal freestyler bunch - he kicks butt both in C1 and OC1 and he's definetly one of the coolest guys and greatest personalities I've ever met on this planet! Not only at least as fun as the young guys, but also someone honest and experienced to talk to, someone who can give good and useful advice!

keep on rockin', my friend!

If you turned away that 25-year old blonde you might to0 be old for something else , but sure not for playboatin' ;D

Well it was not me that turned her away, It was her that...never mind. What is the song " I'm not as good as I once was, but I'm as good once as I ever was". Key word being once! If it was not for ego, that would not bother me, but back in the day.....

insolence wrote:or some british playboater. I would not say he's old, just an adult compared to the 20 to 25year old ususal freestyler bunch - he kicks butt both in C1 and OC1 and he's definetly one of the coolest guys and greatest personalities I've ever met on this planet! Not only at least as fun as the young guys, but also someone honest and experienced to talk to, someone who can give good and useful advice!

Chris posts on here sometimes, and I daresay I'd agree that he's rather good on the water and entertaining off it.

One of my favorite bumper stickers?




THE OLDER I GET THE BETTER I WAS.






Big Al

Yeah...I'm there. The variety of settings, and of paddling companions...makes every day on the water enjoyable....regardless of nationality, race, age..etc.
I never started out paddling with a crowd, just a few friends = great times in the woodlands.

You (old..er) guys make my day! Here's hoping my wrists, shoulders, knees and feet (can you guess what I was doing yesterday?) will hold up just long enough to become an example of "still going strong & having fun" myself!

Btw. started paddling in a club with a mixed age group, where among the best paddlers are retired & still-in-the-workforce people alike. So to me, its nothing else but natural and I enjoy very much to have some experienced people around ;D

"Unless you're a vegetable, aging makes you better!"

J.

Actually this topic reminds me of a group of retirees who meet at Teeside whitewater course, all over 65 most of them started paddling together as a bit of an adventure after they'd left work, what's disturbing is that because they have such ample time to practice, they're generally as good as if not better than the younger generation.

Unfortunately they're all kayakers.

I get asked two questions a lot by kayakers, (cos kayakers are mostly what I meet) the second is how old are you? I sort of take it as a complement now.
The first one is that usual one: Does it hurt much being in the boat like that? To which I reply, not at all, its like being in your favourite armchair; it only hurts to get out of it....
But seriously though the sadest thing about being older is seeing so many young persons that leave boating after a few years having become so proficient, they have done the hard learning and just chuck it in, they have soooo much ahead of them, so I sort of think it important that us older persons stick at it as a kind of insperation to younger ones not to chuck it in.

I've dialed it back a smidge, not that I ever was much of a hairboater or player. But I didn't start paddling until I was 40, so I have some time to make up. And I have a Slasher coming in a few weeks.

What's really fun for me is to take a bunch of college kids paddling and wear their butts out. I've been called the Engergizer Bunny, but it's really that I've learned how to move the boat economically.

When you take your KX250 out, do those kids say you're too old? Roost 'em!

Steve

I can't think of anything I'm too old for.
Well, maybe winter climbing with a 60# pack.
Or -- carrying around a plastic kayak......

One of my paddling buddies is in his mid-60s and still kicks my butt. He paddles class IV-V whenever he can