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Poll: How much is your spouse or SO interested in canoeing compared to you?

What percent of your interest in canoeing does your spouse or SO have?

  • 0%

    Votes: 19 27.5%
  • 10%

    Votes: 13 18.8%
  • 20%

    Votes: 5 7.2%
  • 30%

    Votes: 8 11.6%
  • 40%

    Votes: 7 10.1%
  • 50%

    Votes: 4 5.8%
  • 60%

    Votes: 4 5.8%
  • 70%

    Votes: 1 1.4%
  • 80%

    Votes: 4 5.8%
  • 90%

    Votes: 1 1.4%
  • 100%

    Votes: 3 4.3%

  • Total voters
    69

Glenn MacGrady

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If your interest in canoeing is called 100%, what percentage interest does your spouse or significant other have?

While my wife accompanied me on some family canoe trips when we had young kids and would occasionally go out with me at our family's lake cabin in Maine, over the long sweep of the thousands of canoe trips I've taken over 50 years of marriage, her participation has been very small and she never much liked camping. She liked motor boating a lot more. So, I have to vote that her historical interest in canoeing has been closest to 0%.

Sometimes I regret this, sometimes I don't; but in any event, it is what it is.
 
My S.O. is "really" into paddling under the following terms......

  • The drive to the put-in should be fairly short
  • The organizing of gear and food is done by someone else
  • The choice of destinations is done by someone else
  • Any portages must be short
  • On any portages the carrying must be done by someone else
  • The weather must be right, not too cold, not too hot, no rain allowed
  • The campsite (for overnight stays) must be nice
  • Camp must be set up by someone else
  • Bugs are not allowed to be present
  • While on the water the paddling must be done by someone else
  • Preparing of meals must be done by someone else

Someone else must also maintain a pleasant attitude at all times from the moment they say "let's go paddling" to the eventual return home.

"Someone else" in this case prefers to paddle alone or with those that have fewer terms and conditions!
 
I only have ex-SOs. But the main one (the mother of my daughter) and I would paddle together regularly over the 15 years we were together. We each had Wenonah WWC-1s (mine green, hers red, as well as a Penobscot and Sundowner), and we did day and multi-day solo and tandem trips in the Northwest. I was racing for a few years, and she wanted in, but I had a dedicated partner and we were doing well. When we both decided to go to grad school, we loaded the canoes on top and headed to the Southeast where I grew up for a 3 month road trip. We paddled Okefenokee, Dismal, Current River and a lots of places with no name. After we split up, she got out in her canoe maybe once--that was 25 years ago! But, she gave the canoe to our daughter--she uses it, but only when I'm with her.
 
My wife's interest and participation has changed considerably over the years. At first we would take two small kids and a dog Adirondack canoe camping loaded into a 17' Grumman. it was good as long as a) it wasn't too far, b) bugs were few or at least manageable, c) it was warm enough to swim with a sandy beach (not always optimal in the Adirondacks), d) I did not insist on taking long bushwhack wilderness hikes from the campsite and dragging them along with me.

In later times, after for several years she was happy sending me off solo to '"do my own thing and recharge" once or twice a season, I then became a racer with friends from work. She is not herself a racer Kids were gone and that gave her a whole new role as my pit crew during my annual 3-day 90-miler race. She would transport me, my boat and team's gear day to day and set up our race end of day state campground campsites, but she always had the very welcome assistance of my team mates' pit crews to set up and cook meals. After my race partners moved on and I began racing on my own, campsite camping setup was too much for her to do alone. She got tired of the new crop of competing pit crews and attitudes they brought to the race. So for me to continue we began to stay at motels each night and eat at restaurants, which continues to this day. However, now with extra time during the day she volunteers to work as an official race timer , which she enjoys (I am pretty sure).

She willingly (I believe) assists me during canoe race training, dropping me off and picking me up at the end of the day with my local lake/river training, and especially for me and team mates when we paddle the 20-hour Cannonball-90 at least once each season.

While she still enjoys getting out on the water with me on occassion, her advancing hip arthritis gives her a lot of trouble getting into and out of a canoe these days, so her days in the boat are fewer now.

When I got invited to race the Yukon races, she was a natural, helping me plan and assisting others on my voyageur canoe team in all aspects of planning and travel here and there. She has been wonderful at that task for five trips to the Yukon and knows the routine exceptionally well. (after 5, she "thinks' she is done with that) o_O

So with all of that I must give her at least a 30%, if not higher.
 
Last edited:
My wife's interest and participation has changed considerably over the years. At first we would take two small kids and a dog Adirondack canoe camping loaded into a 17' Grumman. it was good as long as a) it wasn't too far, b) bugs were few or at least manageable, c) it was warm enough to swim with a sandy beach (not always optimal in the Adirondacks), d) I did not insist on taking long bushwhack wilderness hikes from the campsite and dragging them along with me.

In later times, after for several years she was happy sending me off solo to '"do my own thing and recharge" once or twice a season, I then became a racer with friends from work. She is not herself a racer Kids were gone and that gave her a whole new role as my pit crew during my annual 3-day 90-miler race. She would transport me, my boat and team's gear day to day and set up our race end of day state campground campsites, but she always had the very welcome assistance of my team mates' pit crews to set up and cook meals. After my race partners moved on and I began racing on my own, campsite camping setup was too much for her to do alone. She got tired of the new crop of competing pit crews and attitudes they brought to the race. So for me to continue we began to stay at motels each night and eat at restaurants, which continues to this day. However, now with extra time during the day she volunteers to work as an official race timer , which she enjoys (I am pretty sure).

She willingly (I believe) assists me during canoe race training, dropping me off and picking me up at the end of the day with my local lake/river training, and especially for me and team mates when we paddle the 20-hour Cannonball-90 at least once each season.

While she still enjoys getting out on the water with me on occassion, her advancing hip arthritis gives her a lot of trouble getting into and out of a canoe these days, so her days in the boat are fewer now.

When I got invited to race the Yukon races, she was a natural, helping me plan and assisting others on my voyageur canoe team in all aspects of planning and travel here and there. She has been wonderful at that task for five trips to the Yukon and knows the routine exceptionally well. (after 5, she "thinks' she is done with that) o_O

So with all of that I must give her at least a 30%, if not higher.

Definitely higher! Sounds like diamond trophy level support there 😉
 
Camping very occasionally - canoeing, or anything to do with water, no way (she is a non-swimmer and is truly terrified of water deeper than 5 feet or so). Which is kind of odd, given that we were both born and raised in Newfoundland where boats are more common than bicycles.
 
My wife has done a few extended trips with me, the longest being 8 days. She's a hard worker, last year she cleared for me while we cut portages, one that was a mile and a half and the second one being over a mile. She says she wants to do part of the marshall lake trip this year, the first four days, but it's me that is wondering about tripping now.

Just got back from a three day clearing trip, lots of hard work, bugs were really monumentally bad, and my ticker was acting up. I'm thinking that my days of extended tripping are coming to a close.
 
my wife enjoys it enough that When we bought the 40lb Swift Kippawa, she immediately claimed it, leaving me with the old 60+lb Scott Echo....
 
My wife is probably the reason we why we own/paddle our pack boats. She loves her Oseetah and I am enjoying my Trillium.
 
Me more than he. Portage trips are not in his scheme of things as we age.. We used to canoe trip two weeks a year and I did more solos. Now its mostly day trips but we are nearing the ninth decade. More often than not in solo bats.
 
My wife enjoys canoeing as much as I do but her interest is far less. I guessed it to be about 70%, but when I asked her, she said 50% and that's probably more accurate.

Did you actually vote in the poll, Al? There currently are no votes at either 50% or 70%.
 
I went for 30%.

Chick is up for most day trips but the overnites have taken a hit. Four nites now is about her max, but she will go 5 if it is a bit of a drive.

Temps are the main thing. She will go in mid May through late Sept. Used to be more of April through mid October. Slowly wearing me down.

I can't complain though. This girl will use her 0 degree Kelty bag in July and August. I also bought her a propane heater that she goes steady with in the cool months. I have pushed her towards more down products, but of course there is the issue with the geese being mistreated.

Strangely enough she isn't deterred by black flies. Still can't figure that one out.
 
My wife likes to sun tan on a sand bar on the Wisconsin River and enjoys exploring the river with me and our Dog Jake. She has zero point none interest in canoe camping, tripping … or anything to do with a portage. To this end, she has commandeered my solo canoe as her own … which is fine really as Jake and I prefer to paddle our tandem anyway.

I am just glad we can paddle together, even if only on day trips.

Bob
 
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