how old and how long have you paddled

[chuck naill]

Another post got me to thinking about the age of most single bladed paddlers. I am sure this question has been asked before.
I am curious as to the oldest paddler and who has been paddling for 20 or so years. You could include you favorite boats over the years if you want. It is encourageing to think about the experiances that a life of paddling has provided.

I am 48, started in '84, one of my favorite boats was a Blue Hole Sunburst 1. Paddled 'til I wore a hole in the bottom.

Thanks

[dixie_boater]

I started during the summer of 1981 paddling a Blue Hole OCA with my college roommate. He was a seasoned veteran and taught me basic tandem strokes. This wet my appetite for more whitewater. Upon graduating I returned home and paddled tandem with my brother in his OCA for three years until I bought a 16 ft. Mohawk Whitewater. I went through several canoes after selling the Mohawk to get something "smaller" and more manueverable , say in the 14 ft. range . My favorite was the Whitesell Piranha, of which I've had two. I paddled those boats for my first runs of the Gauley, Kennebec gorge and the Ripogenous (sp?) gorge of the Penobscot. I have fond memories of those trips I made when I was in my late twenties. Now I am 45 and still enjoy class III/IV. I don't travel out of the Southeast much anymore. The responsibilities of parenthood take up a lot of my spare time. I still paddle the primary SE runs (Ocoee, Chattoga, Nanty, LRC, Tellico) and when we get good rain I run the smaller creeks and rivers (Amicalola and Upper Conasuaga). Most of my old paddling buddies quit a long time ago. Mostly I paddle with a much younger crowd of twenty somethings who are in yaks. However, they respect this old timer who has led them down the LRC and Sect. IV for their first runs.

Michael

[Kevin]

Age 19
Years paddling whitewater 4
Years paddling flatwater 16

Favorite Boat: Umm ya
Weapon Of Choice: Dagger Kingpin 6.2, Dagger Phantom
Looking forward to trying the LL Scooter as C1.

[jKelly-Rand]

I'm 50

I started serious WW in 1994

My farorite boat to paddle now is the Atom.

My favorite boat to look at and hopefully learn to paddle is the Viper.

I started paddling in a Perception ABS tandem with an innertube as floatation. I've been C-1ing exclusively for 3 years now.

til next
Jim

[R. West]

Started in 1981 in a Blue Hole OCA. I'M 46 soon to be 47 in Dec. My favorite boat is the boat I have now a foreplay C-1 of course.

[Ocoee Boater]

I'm 18 and I started out canoeing for 5 years and then paddled ww in an open boat for 1 or so
I started C1ing about last April/May so I'm a newbie in C1ing

[Jim Michaud]

I'm 65. I started paddling whitewater in 1967 in a Grumman 15 ft. canoe complete with a lake keel. I upgraded to an Old Town Tripper in the early seventies after destroying the Grumman in the rapids. I switched to paddling a C-1 in the late seventies and then back to an OC-1 about ten years later.

I live in the northeast but I travel all over the USA and Canada in search of good whitewater. I was even on the North Fork of the Payette last summer. I paddle well over 100 rivers a year and manage to wear out a canoe every year, mostly due to bashing down all those steep creeks. My favorite canoe is the Mad River Outrage.

[aldenb]

I cant say I have ever worn a hole in the bottom of my boat! I am 21 and have been paddling for three years. I paddled kayak for a year and c-1 for two.

I started in a kayak, a perception overflow. one solid piece of plastic. as I got stronger from carrying that thing, the boat started to seem lighter, or perhaps it was because by that time I had changed to a glass slalom k-1. a wicked machine.

the next year I learned to roll a C-1 slalom boat called the Rex Appeal. Duct tape kept the stern following me through the rapids. For two years now I have been c-1ing, and occasionally open boating. my favorite open boat is the Millbrook Ignitor, and my favorite decked boat is the one I am paddling.
later
Alden

[NZMatt]

Weellll, I'm 28 and started paddling whitewater in a kayak about 6 seasons ago and haven't looked back. I'd been wanting to try whitewater for years and wish I had done so earlier

I started seeing the light and paddling open canoe 3 years ago (I think) but swapped out between that and a kayak depending on the situation. Last year I still paddled kayak a bit, but over the winter I converted my first C1 and finally sold my last kayak recently (it hadn't been paddled in nearly a year I think). Of course, I replaced it with another C1 and am now completely committed to the single blade approach. I think I prefer open boats for river running and big water play, but for park and play, ocean surfing (not that I've had the chance this year) and messing around on flatwater, I definitely prefer a decked boat.

My favourite open canoe? Not sure at the moment....I'm looking for my next one: still trying to demo the Zoom and I also really liked the Prelude and am currently borrowing a Massive Air. My favourite C1 would be either the Groove or the Master Cut Acrobat: I'm not sure which I prefer yet as they both toally rock!

[Ken D]

Started paddling in the early 80's. Paddled tandem in a Mad River Explorer, still have it. I'm 51 year young. When I started boating there was a gentleman that was with the AMC and boated class 2 whitewater; he was 82 year old. So Jim M. you've got a lot of paddling years left

Started C1 in 1985 and haven't looked back.

As far as boats are concerned, it still really love my Slasher and really enjoy paddling my Super D.

I've paddled all up and down the East Coast and Quebec.

Ken

[Cone Bone]

Age: 44

Started paddling:

Flatwater, 15 yrs ago, then dormant for 10 yrs
OC whitewater, newbie 3 yrs ago
C1 whitewater, 2 yrs ago

Currently paddle a Groove and a converted Forplay, class II and III. Made it to the river and the pool around 3 times per month (each) for the first two years of whitewater experience. This past year, pursuit of money has me paddling less. I still get to the pool 3 times per month, but only hit the river around once a month right now.

A Viper and one of the smaller OC's are on my wish list for future boats - once I start hitting the river more often again...

[msims]

This post would make a cool infomercial! Instead of girls/guys in bikinis or dancing at a bar we could have little profiles of paddlers intermingled with them cruisin' some whitewater. I'd stay up for THAT infomercial!

Anyway, I'm 30, been paddling whitewater for one season (took a WW course last year but that don't count And REALLY regret not spending more time doing this earlier!

My fav. boat so far is the Ocoee, arrr, but my experience be too limited. I've primarily paddled my Nitro this year.

Lookin forward to C1 (hopefully) this coming year.

Mike.

[Sir Adam]

Well, I'm 27, and my first whitewater experience was at the age of 3...my parents took me down a class III section of the Hudson (yes, they ARE special). We generally paddled at least twice a year on whitewater, (warm up for the Hudson River Derby and the Derby itself), and goofed off in canoes all summer on flatwater. Around 1989 or so I purchased a Kayak (I didn't know C1's existed) that I didn't really use much as my legs kept falling asleep.

I started CBoating in 1994 or so, and purchased my first two boats (or rather bought a Cascade and was given a Slasher) in 1995 (purchased with the sale of the Kayak I might add ). I also received my New York State Guides license that year, and have been guiding on the Hudson ever since.

Since then it's been a long list of craft I've owned (yes, I DID actually sell them until 1999 or so), and I don't really have a single boat that is my favorite as my "collection" is so diverse. I WILL say my favortie all-around boat is my low cut Viper. Cruises nice, stern squirts with ease, it's fast, comfortable, and if I really try I can cartwheel it .

Boats that I feel everyone must try (for my humor value if nothing else ) are ANY Wildwater boat, the Groove, and the Oxygen. Acrobats are great too (just ask KNeal and NZMatt!), but are VERY forgiving compared to the others I mentioned (and just as fun...!).

So, OCing for 24 years, if you count riding
Pretended to 'yark for a few
CBoating since 1994 or so.

[sbroam]

I'm 35 this year. Discovered canoes in college about 14 years ago, but only flatwater. My father-in-law to be introduced my to moving water in a Mad River Explorer (poor wife, she didn't get back in a boat with me for years) in about 1990. Was given a "special" Coleman - it had mahogany trim and cane seats because it was at hand (I know - silk purse, sows ear). Bought a Mad River ME at the NOC fall sale in 1991. In 93 I traded in the ME and bought a Mohawk Viper 12 - that is still one of my favorite boats, though it barely floats! I paddled the daylights out of that thing..

Somewhere around 94 I tried a Gyramax and did not have a happy time of it, probably due to the lack of a roll. In 96(? NOC sale again...) I bought an el cheapo Slasher that had the stern crushed for stern squirting and tried C-1 again - found that roll and never looked back. That's about my second favorite boat, I liked it so much I bought a spare. Spent less on those Slashers than on any one other I have! Discovered short boats in about 97 (NOC fall sale again - Kalin was there!) and bought a Whiplash, my first C-1 conversion - lot of fun in that for a couple of years. Been in a variety of short boats since then, but still appreciate long boats and open boats.

Somewhere in there I tried out K-1ing in a Corsica S I had bought for my wife (it never took). Though I got a roll and could do the basics, it never took with me either. I do have a sea kayak that I enjoy, but get nervous as a cat in room full of rocking chairs in choppy conditions - I need a Sea-C!

We're up to three kids now and have had each out in a canoe before 1 year old. The elder two, now 4 and 6, have been on class II+ and my girl says "I want to run more rapids, Dad!" Brings a tear to my eye. Look out Nantahala here we come! [We are in the market for a good OC-2 or OC-3...]

Scott

ps I don't have a Viper C-1, but if I did, it would be in my top three...

[Mike W.]

I'm 36. My dad took me down the Nottoway in his alluminim canoe in '96 when I was 28. I was hooked. I bought an old beat up glass 16' canoe. I smashed it a bunch & patched it a bunch. Then I bought a new Old Town Scout. Found I was paddling solo way more than tandem, so I bought a new Mohawk Probe 11. I got tired of bailing & two of my buddies who were paddling Cascades let me try 'em. I thought I could adapt & bought one. Then I decided that I wanted something more playful so I converted a Big EZ. I was doing some flat-water racing with my uncle in his Penobscot & wanted something faster. So, I got an old Wenonah Marathon. The river has been real high this year with most of the rapids being washed out. With this in mind I wanted something that would stern-squirt, yet still have some speed so I went to the Armada & tried Jim's Viper. I soon found one (thanks to Brendan & Upsidedownpaddler) & got it.

What's my favorite boat? Depends on the conditions. I love my Big EZ on a steep wave, but it's slow & won't make the moves in technical stuff. The Cascade saved my butt on the Lower Gauley. That Marathon is incredible in flatwater, but is tough to turn. The Probe gets great air doing enders. Stern squirts are childs play in the Viper.

Mike W.