UK paddler

[samb]

Greetings from the UK.

I’m a retired teacher and have been paddling around 25 years now. I live in Norwich UK which is on the edge of the Norfolk Broads National park.
Apart from paddling I spend most of my time repairing older wooden canoes. These are few and far between in the UK but I do have a bit of choice of what I paddle. I have:
Rushton Navahoe
Chestnut Teddy
Peterborough Rib
Canadian Canoe Board and Batten
Chestnut Playmate
Chestnut Fire
Home made Longitudinal strip
And a few others

I also have a storage problem!

Sam

 

[stevet]

Welcome! Look forward to some trip reports from across the pond!

 

[Boatman53]

Welcome to the campfire Samb! You do have quite a nice collection.
Jim

 

[Glenn MacGrady]

Welcome, again, samb! It's so interesting to have canoeists from outside North America chipping in.

Are you a WCHA member or do you know the UK's Nick Dennis, who is on the WCHA board with me? Also, did you make any of those paddles hanging on the wall?

 

[Gamma1214]

Welcome Sam. I'm unsure about the storage problem... Is your issue that you can't store any more? Maybe toss that extension ladder; us old guys fall off of them anyway.

 

[samb]

Are you a WCHA member or do you know the UK's Nick Dennis, who is on the WCHA board with me? Also, did you make any of those paddles hanging on the wall?

I've been a memberr of WCHA for about 12 years. I've known Nick and paddled with him for about the same time. We live about an hour apart so paddle fairly often. With the paddles, I made two of them and two others were picked up with broken shafts which I repaired; you can see the top of the scarf on the nearest one.

Welcome Sam. I'm unsure about the storage problem... Is your issue that you can't store any more? Maybe toss that extension ladder; us old guys fall off of them anyway.

The two small boats up top are both 12' and are very shallow. On the left is a smaller version of a PBK skin on frame canoe and on the left is a one sheet Gorewood Canoe which I both made. (if you don't know about Gorewood Canoes, have a look at this). My sea kayak is too deep to fit in the top. I have a royalex wenonah that lives outside and two 15 foot canoes and my sea kayak in my workshop as well as a folding canoe and kayak. I'm now at the stage that if I buy another canoe, something will have to go.

Sam

 

[lowangle al]

It's always good to see another canoe nut Sam. Welcome.

 

[Gamma1214]

I'd seen the Gorewood (tortured plywood) canoe video before and have thought about making one but it looks like it requires a level of precision that I am, often, unwilling to achieve.

I have a friend that often asks for progress reports on the strippers that I build. He gets a kick out of it when I respond that "it's as good as I care to make it" because, of course, we all have the ability to be true craftsmen but I'm ok with "looks good, works great".

I know I can get away with that careless attitude with strip builds but your Gorewood method seems less forgiving. (tell me I'm wrong and I'll probably try one this winter. Ideally, I'll do it with plexiglass or lexan sheets for a true stealth canoe)

 

[Erica]

Welcome!

 

[Ralph]

Welcome. Storage problem??? I second getting rid of the ladder and I do see a large opening in the middle of the area. Might I suggest a canoe rack on wheels that could simply be rolled in or out? I look forward to some UK trip reports. Perhaps a visit across the pond would be in order?