I am so stoked!

[PAC]

We're all beginners - one way or the other - and learn from each other as we move forward...so ask on! Paul C.

[ChrisKelly]

Carter, If you want to come to GAF. On Saturday I am taking another new canoer down the Nanny and would be delighted to have you join.

Not that I am any kind of expert but there are few places on the Nanny that I have not swum and I am glad to hear that you are catching up.

Yes, this is a great place to ask questions. We have many, many know-it-alls here and we are happy to contradict one another. On any question you can ask, boating technique, outfitting, boat racks, directions to this or that river; we will be glad to turn your question into a roaring debate.
SYOTR,
Chris Kelly

[sbroam]

Among the nice things about being a beginner are the sense of accomplishment and that you will not always be a beginner. However, this does not mean that you will not feel like a beginner again. After you are comfortable in that OC-1 and you find yourself looking for a challenge - hop in a C-1 or, shudder, a squirt C-1

[carter1]

ChrisKelly, I'm actually on a guys mtb trip that weekend in the Davidson River area of PNF. My wife is thinking of heading up with a friend to look for a boat (I'm trying to talk her out of an NRS retired fleet boat-but she loves a ducky!). Maybe if I get rained out one day, I'll head up and give you a laugh or two.
OK, a couple of questions:
1) How and to what do you attach your throw bag?
2) I made the beginner mistakes last weekend on my swim at Patton's of grabbing the gunnel, and letting go of my paddle (I got REALLY lucky and found it when the water went down). I did have a spare ($25 cheapy) that got me down the river. I use a size 60 paddle (Werner Bandit) and my spare is currently very cumbersome to have in the boat. Two piece? Short paddle for a spare? I don't mind to spend $ to get the right thing-I just don't like spending $ for a short term solution. What do you guys do?
3) How do you slow down the boat to keep from running over your friends? I like to give space to those in front and felt like I was probably crowding them a bit at times, but couldn't slow the boat.
4) What do you carry to bail with. I didn't really worry about it, I just pulled over and dumped the water when it needed it.

I'm sure I'll have lots more questions, I'll save them for a new post.

c

[jscottl67]

I'm sure you'll get different responses from others, but here's a stab at them;

1) A lot of thowbags have a web strap with a quick release..clip it to the thrwart in front of you. You can grab it quickly from there.

2) I don't always carry a spare with me (bad boy I know). You can try a slightly shorter paddle, blade under the rear deck, handle at the gunnel on your off-side.

3) Two best methods, backpaddle and catching an eddy. Behind rocks, around the inside bends on the river, etc. the current is slow or sometimes reverses. You can practice catching eddys and peeling out on just about any river. (note...peeling out is one of those things where you might swim if you don't practice a lot).

4) Low tech - bleach or detergent bottle...cut the bottom out lto make a scoop. High tech, electic bilge pump...flip a switch and you are fairly dry in no time.

Just a hint...you'll get more responses if you post this in a thread with a subject like "beginner's questions" or something

[sbroam]

3) Two best methods, backpaddle and catching an eddy. Behind rocks, around the inside bends on the river, etc. the current is slow or sometimes reverses. You can practice catching eddys and peeling out on just about any river. (note...peeling out is one of those things where you might swim if you don't practice a lot).

I'll add to 3 - upstream ferry - turn around and start paddling the other way! I'm still not much good at backpaddling in a solo boat, at least not far.

[jscottl67]

Yep, forgot to mention just plain ferrying instead of back ferrying. I can't backpaddle far either...more than anything just slowing down to give them some space and moving over to an eddy without spinning around. Of course, paddling an Ocoee, you can spit in the water and then catch the eddy behind it

[Mike W.]

Distance - NC is a big state, 7+ hours from one end to the other.

I'm about 7 hours from the Nantahala. I'm 5.5 from the North Branch of the Potomac. I'm guessing Raleigh or Goldsboro would add another 1.5-2 hours? Yeah, that makes it a longer drive for the Raleigh folks to make the NBP Armada than for them to go to the Nanty. For your bunch I think it would be about the same drive.

Whitewater experience - For most of us down east, pretty much the biggest thing around is the Haw (when there is water) and every bit of that can be done in a tandem flatwater boat (though not nearly as fun that way). The biggest thing most of us have probably run is the Nanty...just because everyone knows it's there, everything is documented, and it's pretty safe.

If you can do the Haw below 64 or the Nanty you'll be fine on the NBP.

Little publicity outside this forum. I don't think the Armada last month was listed on the Carolina Canoe Club calendar at all.

Don't all single blade paddlers check C-Boats? There are 5 of us from NC in this thread alone. Besides, SBroam comes up from SOUTH Carolina (go Team Old Guy!)

I attended my 1st Armada just to try Jim's Viper. Now I'm hooked (both on the Viper & Armadas ). I Hope to never miss another Armada. It's an awesome bunch of folks & a great weekend. This year they even had a parade for us in Westernport Lately there have been neat trips on the Friday of the Armada's too. There was KNeal leading us on a Downtown run of the James, the year we tried to do the Lower Yough & the Savage (both were too high ) the slalom clinic & Little Falls run w/ Davey Hearn, & this years tour of PS Composites & "Adam Drop" on the Cheat, in what was probably the world's largest gathering of C-1 squirt boats.

As soon as the COE posts the release dates for the NBP, we'll decide which date is best for everyone & there will be plenty of time to get off work for the trip. I highly recomend it.

[sdbrassfield]

Number 6 here from NC. I am a member of CCC (actually it should really be CyakC) and it is is great. CCC has some awesome trips and instruction all season long, but Cboats! RULE.

I agree w/ Mike W. about the Armada. I will definitely be there next June. I missed it this year because I thought my grand daughter was being born... The birth of a new C-boater happened later. Hate I missed it this year when the Savage was runnable also. Any river that has hosted World or Nats would needs to be run... and I forgot to add...GO TOG...

But the biggest, fastest, bumpiest, funnest, and best kept secret down east in NC is the Upper Tar when it is pumping. The Haw can be big, but it is pretty wide open when up and certainly not as technical as a shot through the rooster tail and the screaming left hand turn you have to execute at the bottom of Mill Wall Rapid, or eddy dancing and surfing the 400 yards of School Bus on the Upper Tar when it is pumping at 5+ feet. I would put the middle 2-3 miles of the Upper Tar when it is pumping up against anything within 100 miles of it.

I think we need some help running some of these NC rivers folks....

[fez]

I came also from biking and now I`m biking nearly anymore...

[Larry Horne]

same here.