Kayaking on a canal
Discussion
I have a youngish family and I think next year we need to get on the water
If I’m honest im a bit nervous of the sea as I feel it can go wrong quickly with a family to think about, perhaps the same with rivers?
I have the idea of a Canadian style canoe and potentially a trolling motor along with paddling
My wife and kids are not outdoors types so I don’t want anything too adventurous
I have in mind the Kennet and Avon canal as it’s not a million miles from me and it feels like canals are safer than a river, or am I already showing ignorance of such things
The potential plan is getting dropped off in willing grandads van and heading on the canal for a day.
Any general pointers etc, it will be next summer to ensure kids are a bit more resilient
Apologies for the noob questions
If I’m honest im a bit nervous of the sea as I feel it can go wrong quickly with a family to think about, perhaps the same with rivers?
I have the idea of a Canadian style canoe and potentially a trolling motor along with paddling
My wife and kids are not outdoors types so I don’t want anything too adventurous
I have in mind the Kennet and Avon canal as it’s not a million miles from me and it feels like canals are safer than a river, or am I already showing ignorance of such things
The potential plan is getting dropped off in willing grandads van and heading on the canal for a day.
Any general pointers etc, it will be next summer to ensure kids are a bit more resilient
Apologies for the noob questions
Canals aren't great for it; it can be done but the infrastructure isn't optimum, getting in and out of canoes can be a bit fraught depending on water levels etc. Canoes are best combined with beaches and for that you need lakes, reservoirs or lochs if you visit Scotland. Maybe try some tuition to see if everyone enjoys it first.
I hear what the previous poster is saying but canals are generally fine (if a little boring) for what you are suggesting.
Agree you may need to pick your entry/egress points and I have to admit I don't know the K&A at all.
For the majority of canals I've been on... When canoeing or rowing and sometimes boating the view isn't great as you can't see over the banks but if you are all having fun that probably won't matter.
Agree you may need to pick your entry/egress points and I have to admit I don't know the K&A at all.
For the majority of canals I've been on... When canoeing or rowing and sometimes boating the view isn't great as you can't see over the banks but if you are all having fun that probably won't matter.
hidetheelephants said:
Canals aren't great for it; it can be done but the infrastructure isn't optimum, getting in and out of canoes can be a bit fraught depending on water levels etc. Canoes are best combined with beaches and for that you need lakes, reservoirs or lochs if you visit Scotland. Maybe try some tuition to see if everyone enjoys it first.
Local Kayak school just launches off the bank of the Avon river. Not quite as straightforward as a beach, but not a big deal.I'd be cautious about canals with beginners - ingress/egress is usually a steep/vertical bank, which is a headache even if it's only 6-9in from the waterline.
The GoPaddling app is good for marking where you can get in and out of that’s any help?
iOS link, I guess there’s an Android version too
https://apps.apple.com/gb/app/go-paddling/id505471...
iOS link, I guess there’s an Android version too
https://apps.apple.com/gb/app/go-paddling/id505471...
We've used the inflatable canoe a god few times o our local canal. No issues getting in / out with a 5 and 8 year old.
Mit be that the macc canal is a different side design to yours?
Also lol at posters syijg "go to a loch". Op mentioned avon canal, and cagding a lift. Not sure thats as easy if it's a 500 mile round trip!
Mit be that the macc canal is a different side design to yours?
Also lol at posters syijg "go to a loch". Op mentioned avon canal, and cagding a lift. Not sure thats as easy if it's a 500 mile round trip!
Excellent forum for advice. Plenty of nice people with all sorts of paddling interests.
https://www.songofthepaddle.co.uk/
https://www.songofthepaddle.co.uk/
Rivers - mostly you only go one direction - downhill; it's very hard going uphill, even if the flow doesn't look much it will be hard to paddle against so you definitely need to be dropped/picked up at each end.
Rivers that are classed as navigable can be used all the way along (providing you have the licence) Other rivers are generally not open for paddling, in England access is owned by the land owner so you can't just get on any river and paddle it (well, you aren't supposed to
We used to sometimes do unauthorised trips but it's not encouraged!) The Thames probably do check, they are very tight on the regs.
Canals have the advantage of very little flow so you can go out and back hence don't need to be picked up from the other end. Probably most likely to have licence checked at a lock, they don't all have lock-keepers but busy ones do. K&A has some long lock free sections.
Rivers that are classed as navigable can be used all the way along (providing you have the licence) Other rivers are generally not open for paddling, in England access is owned by the land owner so you can't just get on any river and paddle it (well, you aren't supposed to
We used to sometimes do unauthorised trips but it's not encouraged!) The Thames probably do check, they are very tight on the regs.Canals have the advantage of very little flow so you can go out and back hence don't need to be picked up from the other end. Probably most likely to have licence checked at a lock, they don't all have lock-keepers but busy ones do. K&A has some long lock free sections.
towser44 said:
Technically you should have a CRT Licence for canals and rivers. I know the canals round by us require one, not sure if anyone ever gets stopped and checked though, we haven't on our paddle boards.
Some rivers are managed by the EA (Thames, Great Ouse for example).Canals are 4-5' deep so I guess that makes them safer, and they don't all have shopping trolleys in them; there will be plenty of the K&A in open country. The narrowness might prove awkward if you meet a widebeam boat in the wrong place though. Is the Thames near enough to consider?
Canals can be narrow, and you have narrowboats coming at you, which are not easy to steer even if the helm hasn't been to the pub.
Also due to the lack of width, you are close to the worm-drowners.
The water quality can be quite 'suspect' where you've got traveller-type liveaboards.
It's OK, but you need to be aware.
My preference is tidal rivers.
Launch an hour before high tide, go up with the tide, come back with the tide.
Paddling into the wind can still be hard work though!
But there is a lot to be said for using whatever is local.
Also due to the lack of width, you are close to the worm-drowners.
The water quality can be quite 'suspect' where you've got traveller-type liveaboards.
It's OK, but you need to be aware.
My preference is tidal rivers.
Launch an hour before high tide, go up with the tide, come back with the tide.
Paddling into the wind can still be hard work though!
But there is a lot to be said for using whatever is local.
When I was a teenager I was quite into kayaking. Would go with school to Symonds Yat on the River Wye and to North Wales.
But home was Oxfordshire, which isn’t well served with whitewater….
So I joined a club that paddled on the canal. We used racing kayaks - unstable but bloody fast. It wasn’t super exciting, but delivered a fix. Portage around locks was a faff. Never fell in despite the wobbly nature of the boats.
Those days are long behind me, but I’ve done some canoe and sit on kayak paddling since (usually on holidays and days out).
I also live near a canal now which has some reasonable stretches between locks. If my other half didn’t hate water I’d long ago have bought a canoe and plodded up and down on sunny days.
You’ll be fine OP - just don’t drink the canal water..!
But home was Oxfordshire, which isn’t well served with whitewater….
So I joined a club that paddled on the canal. We used racing kayaks - unstable but bloody fast. It wasn’t super exciting, but delivered a fix. Portage around locks was a faff. Never fell in despite the wobbly nature of the boats.
Those days are long behind me, but I’ve done some canoe and sit on kayak paddling since (usually on holidays and days out).
I also live near a canal now which has some reasonable stretches between locks. If my other half didn’t hate water I’d long ago have bought a canoe and plodded up and down on sunny days.
You’ll be fine OP - just don’t drink the canal water..!
OutInTheShed said:
Canals can be narrow, and you have narrowboats coming at you, which are not easy to steer even if the helm hasn't been to the pub.
I was going to reply with something along those lines.If your canoe or kayak is in front of a boat steered from the stern the chances are that the steerer will not be able to see you unless you are getting on for a boat's length ahead of them. This also applies to being slightly off to the side at the bow.
They don't stop dead even when going slowly so don't cut across in front of them. Putting it straight into reverse doesn't do a great deal immediately and more often than not skews the boat across the canal.
If there is more than one of you please all keep together when passing another boat and try to pass left to left as that is what they're expecting you to do. It's very unnerving to see say 4 canoeists coming at you and when you look down the side only 3 are there because one has decided to pass down the other side.
Probably the best option of all is a stillwater somewhere (New Forest Water Park anywhere near you?) where you can all paddle together in safety to gain confidence. These guys are good, but not near you: https://www.canoe2.co.uk/
Portofino said:
Do canals have weirs? I don t think they do but they scare the life out of me.
Not like rivers where there's a big flow that has to go somewhere, but there can be small ones to stop the water level getting too high. In heavy rain periods locks act as weirs by default, the water simply spilling over the tops of the gates.spitfire-ian said:
They don't stop dead even when going slowly so don't cut across in front of them. Putting it straight into reverse doesn't do a great deal immediately and more often than not skews the boat across the canal.
If there is more than one of you please all keep together when passing another boat and try to pass left to left as that is what they're expecting you to do. It's very unnerving to see say 4 canoeists coming at you and when you look down the side only 3 are there because one has decided to pass down the other side.
In a narrowboat the best thing is to see them early, head to the right hand side (or wherever they're not), go into idle and let them sort themselves out.If there is more than one of you please all keep together when passing another boat and try to pass left to left as that is what they're expecting you to do. It's very unnerving to see say 4 canoeists coming at you and when you look down the side only 3 are there because one has decided to pass down the other side.
I used to kayak and canoe a lot as a teenager with various clubs and groups both in the sea and on rivers/canals. We would go down white water that was probably well above our ability and out to sea in fairly rough conditions to go "surfing" luckily without incident although there were a few near misses.
Recently been getting back on the water with my two sons and it is amazing how much my outlook to risk has changed. As a teenager with no understanding of risks I would seal launch off of 3+ metre quays into the harbour, shoot weirs and white water and many other daft things to try to show off. Now when on the water with my boys I am very wary of the risks and burdened by the responsibility towards them.
Anyway, as teenagers we did out DofE expeditions along the Kennet and Avon Canal which included a couple of passages through locks as well as many portages around them. It is a pretty safe way to get on the water and there are some beautiful sections along the way.
Another option is to find a slow moving river and canoe a few miles down there. We often get on the river Axe at Whitford and paddle down to Axmouth which is a lovely sedate padle through farmland and down the estuary.
Recently been getting back on the water with my two sons and it is amazing how much my outlook to risk has changed. As a teenager with no understanding of risks I would seal launch off of 3+ metre quays into the harbour, shoot weirs and white water and many other daft things to try to show off. Now when on the water with my boys I am very wary of the risks and burdened by the responsibility towards them.
Anyway, as teenagers we did out DofE expeditions along the Kennet and Avon Canal which included a couple of passages through locks as well as many portages around them. It is a pretty safe way to get on the water and there are some beautiful sections along the way.
Another option is to find a slow moving river and canoe a few miles down there. We often get on the river Axe at Whitford and paddle down to Axmouth which is a lovely sedate padle through farmland and down the estuary.
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