First Swim

[Paddlinhal]

Well, I fell in the Charles River last night. I was paddling a Sawyer Shockwave, a vintage lightweight go-fast solo canoe. This thing has incredible tumble-home which may have been what did me in. I was paddling upstream against a decent current, but with a strong tailwind. It was time to turn around and go back downstream. Great big sweep and a modest lean started to turn the boat. A couple more and I'm about piling into the bank so I lean the other way and do a backsweep. This thing is not turning. I probably should have slid forward and let the wind help turn me but instead began thinking about my sea kayak and how I lean that right over till my spray skirt is under water. So I gave the canoe a good lean toward the gunwale, to go with my sweep, and bloop! in I went.

 

[alsg]

When I grew up in the Boston burbs, the recommended treatment for a swim in the Charles River was a tetanus booster shot. Hope that’s not the case anymore.

 

[Guest]

Around here that means your this years swim club president!

 

[gumpus]

Well Hal I give you a lot of points for bravery. Those race boats with bubble sides have nice primary stability and zero secondary stability. Many Wenonahs would also spit you out if you tried to put the gunnel down to the water and even their Argosy and Rendezvous solo "river boats" will scare the bejeezus out of you if you try to put the gunnel all the way down.

 

[dougd]

Was it as bad as that scum covered ditch we paddle near your house where you flipped twice?

 

[stripperguy]

Sorry to hear that, Hal.
I built and used to paddle a DY Special, which was the unimproved uncle of your Shockwave.
I lost count of the number of times I rolled it over... That point of no return was always a surprise, and I spent 8 years in that hull!

Everybody swims sooner or later, too bad the water wasn't warmer for you.

 

[memaquay]

Spring didn't start back east in New Brunswick until we saw the crack of my uncle's bare arse porpoising out of the frigid, newly de-iced water. Perhaps you are simply a harbinger of better weather, anointing the sacred waters like a modern day Poseidon.

 

[Rippy]

Mem, sometimes I think that we are brothers by different mothers.

 

[Black_Fly]

That tumblehome can be tricky for sure. I won't bore you with details, but I'm double careful putting my butt in an unloaded canoe of any design these days. I carry a 5 gal water can in my car just for that reason.

 

[Fitz]

If you had swum twice that is a good chance you could have been considered for an Norumbega Chapter of the WCHA, Honorary Double Dipper Award!!

 

[Pook]

First Swim Good Friday in the Sturgeon River in St. Albert AB and in quite similar conditions, paddlinghal.

I had borrowed a 14' kevlar Clipper Prospector solo boat for a run down a section of class 2 ww. So before I went out on that stretch, I figured I should check this rig out.
For a start the seat was too low to allow me to kneel comfortably- I couldn't fit my big feet under the seat!- and it was set up with foot rests. So beyond not being particularly comfortable, there was a strong tail wind and i was paddling upstream. Not excuses, just setting the scene.

The 14' Clipper Prospector is the "twitchiest" canoe I have ever paddled! According to the owner, that demonstrates its responsiveness. I call bull.
It wasn't a fun paddle- the boat did not track at all so it was constant input and correction strokes. That said, after an hour I thought I had figured it out and was ready to head back downstream. So a big sweep to bring the bow around, but a gust catches the canoe and we're not turning so I dig a little deeper.

To say that this canoe has zero secondary stability is being kind. The combination of my stroke, the gusty tailwind and current put me in the river immediately. Once I recovered from my embarrassment- this was right across from the Canadian Tire parking lot after all- getting back into this tippy little bugger became an adventure.

Finally, suitably chagrined I remounted and headed home soaking wet.

I love canoeing and I'll paddle just about anything, but if I ever borrow a 14' Prospector again, I'll make sure it says "Chestnut" on the deck!

Bruce

 

[lowangle al]

I feel bad for you guys taking a swim this early in the season. The water must have been cold, I hope the air wasn't.

I also took a swim last week, but I'm not sure it counts. We were surfing waves on an off shore break in an outrigger canoe in Hawaii. We missed a wave and got swamped by the wave behind it. We had to swim the boat off the break, tip it up to dump some water then bail the rest. No harm done as we were in bathing suits and it was warm. It was a good experience though being the first time I had to do an open water reentry in a swamped boat.

 

[Black_Fly]

I also took a swim last week, but I'm not sure it counts. We were surfing waves on an off shore break in an outrigger canoe in Hawaii. We missed a wave and got swamped by the wave behind it. We had to swim the boat off the break, tip it up to dump some water then bail the rest. No harm done as we were in bathing suits and it was warm. It was a good experience though being the first time I had to do an open water reentry in a swamped boat.

Sounds horrible. Hope you're not traumatized by the experience.

 

[lowangle al]

^^^ It was, from what I hear the Pacific ocean actually has sharks in it. Not to mention the hazard of UV rays.

 

[Seeker]

Man, and earlier today I was feeling sorry for myself during some unseasonably cool weather for canoe volunteer training here in MD... water temp was about 55*, air temp was in the high 60s, and a stiff wind was blowing... we were practicing dumping, personnel and boat recovery, and it was cold... but at least it wasn't April in MA...