Our Canoes
Our canoes are 15’7-17’ in length. Made of a plastic called polyethene, they are very durable and slide over rocks with ease. A canoe can be used on the entire river from Stones Bridge to Lake Superior.
We recommend up to 2 adults and 1 child max. All trips can be used in a canoe but do not recommend D2 with a 3rd (child/youth).
Canoeing Tips
- Wear your PFD. Roughly 80% of drownings happen due to not wearing the lifejacket.
- Paddle on opposite sides of the boat. This will keep your craft from swaying back and forth, making the canoe more stable under motion.
- Kneel during faster flowing water and rapids. This added stability will help from not turning the canoe over. If its windy, do the same, this will decrease your drag.
- Paddle in synch with your partner. Teamwork rocks. It is the bow (front) paddlers job to set the pace, and it is the role of the stern (back) paddler to match that tempo. This insures that you are maximizing your forward momentum. Call a “switch” regularly to change sides, which will help keep your boat going in a straight line, until you learn a couple more steering strokes – namely the J-stroke and the sweep stroke. View a video featuring details on steering strokes.
- Keep your paddle shaft vertical and power through the sweeping motion. This motion gives an aggressive, assertive stroke.
- Dress for the water temperature and the air temperature at the coldest time of your trip. It may be warm when you start, but it may not stay that way. A cold last hour of the trip is no fun.
- Bring Map or a phone. You can use GoogleMaps or a similar app to “help” with locations along the way. Measure before you go and use the “pins” to locate beginning and end locations. Novice paddlers typically cover about 2 mph on flat water. Experienced paddlers looking for a workout can cover 3-3.5 mph. Anticipate what river current might do to your speed and itinerary.
- Sunscreen!!!! The Sun reflecting off the water will burn in some unlikely places – including under your nose and the back of your ears. A wide brimmed hat with a keeper string or alligator clip, and sunglasses on a keeper cord will keep those expensive glasses where they need to be and add to your sun protection.
- Know how to remove the water in your canoe. Practice getting back in your boat. If you’re paddling with another boat, practice canoe over canoe rescues. If you are paddling solo, the best advice is to paddle close to shore.
- Listen and look!!! Be aware of rapid, obstacles and down trees. Learn to recognize these hazards and portage around them if necessary.
- Water, snacks, picnic, fishing poles, binoculars, extra chocolate. Don’t be the “hangry” paddler. Take your creativity to the water.
- Litter control. Bring a fun tool to collect garbage, cans etc. Makes your trip that much more rewarding and if everyone picked up a couple cans, the whole world would be a better place.