Paddlers unite

[Brambleschooks]

Any more canoeists out there? Let's talk paddles and boats!

[EssieW]

Wannabe sea kayaker here. Did some before children arrived but limited since then. Hoping to squeeze in a day in Scotland this summer - probably on a guided trip so I have some company.

Dream of having sea kayak one day....

[Brambleschooks]

I have a sea kayak, in desperate to get back out there now the weather's better

[Brambleschooks]

... And I did! Took they kayak out on the river, sun, smooth paddling, heavenly!

[NeverSayNoToDessert]

! I'm a volunteer instructor at local lake, teach Scouts and kids kayaking and canoeing, and a sea kayaker. Scariest moment of my life was when I realised a whale was surfacing under me in Alaska where I was kayaking with my friends (it was either capsize and die or capzise and nearly die).

[BigHairyLeggedSpider]

Hi I'm a canoist, best hobby in the world... I'm up for some talk about thwarts n gunnels, jstroking and boat talk.

Have a mad river family bus and a nippy apache and I luffs them both :)

[PacificDogwood]

Hi, we are newbie canoeists - have 2(!) Canadian canoes to accommodate ourselves and 4 boys.

I used to do a bit of river kayaking in my yoof and have always been frightened/fascinated by sea kayaking.

We are still recovering from the shock and upset by that horrible canoeing accident in Scotland recently - those 2 families must be absolutely destroyed by events. We know the Gareloch as well, although have never been in/on it. And now never will - apparently it is v tidal.

DH has procured buoyancy bags for the canoes that are ?foam-filled, rather than air-filled like our previous ones.

[Bramblesinafield]

Waves, I got buzzed by a low flying chinook helicopter whilst paddling offshore this summer :)

I think there is not enough awareness about checking the currents etc where people are on the water. So sad this summer with the accidents that happened.

[slalomsuki]

Ex slalom canoeist here hence the name. Don't paddle much now but trying to get the kids in to it but not working yet.

[PurpleFrog]

I'm a lapsed paddler. We have a garage full of boats and paddles and I have a large box full of cags and spraydecks that oddly appear to have shrunk in storage!

I used to compete in slalom, and canoe polo as well!