Can you answer steve’s question about Rafting?:

I have been using a 16 foot Coleman plastic shelled canoe for nearly 20 years and discovered today that there is a small hole in the bottom of it. It was caused by dragging the canoe across a parking lot. I wonder if there is some sort of poxy that would work well in repairing the hole. Any ideas?

Alaska Whitewater Rafting

River rafting is a most varied pastime that can range from a plain fishing float trip to the adrenaline rush of fighting the element. Imagine yourself swiftly approaching the rocks with water flooding the boat; you’ve got to hang on as tight as you can to get through the wall of water ahead…Too much for you? Oregon Rogue River Rafting is an unforgettable mix of experiences from a breathtaking adrenaline rush to peaceful drifts through exciting scenery. Protected by the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act passed by the Federal Government in 1968, the Wild Section of the Rogue River managed to maintain the striking beauty of untouched nature. The Rogue River belongs to some of the world’s most popular whitewater rafting sites.

Oregon Rogue River Rafting offers splendid opportunities for virtually everyone. There are moderate rapids for beginners as well as runs for more experienced rafters and even expert-only sections for those who want to test their character and skills. The weather in the region ranges from warm to hot with water suitable for swimming. Green forests, impressive canyons and giant boulders of the river banks add to the feeling of touching a piece of never-changing beauty as your raft breaks the waves of the Rogue rapids. The sense of adventure grows stronger with every turn the river takes and every paddling effort you make. Once you’ve been on a rafting trip in Oregon, the chances are that you will long to come back to explore the majestic rapids of the Rogue River.

Selecting the trip that is appropriate for you is an important decision that will very much shape you rafting experience. Choose the rapids that you can tackle and be realistic as to what is enough of a thrill for you. There are rafting trips suitable even for children and older people, but there are rapids that can be a challenge even for an experienced rafter. Rafters are provided with a life vest that will keep you afloat which enables even non-swimmers to enjoy the excitement of a rafting trip and have a good time on the white water, but Class IV and Class V trips belong to the choice that you should discuss with your guide first. It is not for sure that you will fall out of the boat but even if you do, there’s nothing scary about it. In fact many people enjoy falling out of the boat while it’s an overwhelming experience. Your guide will instruct you as to what to do once you fell out. Following the instructions is likely to make your swim an enjoyable and thrilling part of the trip.



Thanks to Olga Orlova for contributing this article to our Rafting blog:

Adventure Rafting

A world-wide community coming together….

I’m sitting here at my desk on Saturday, March 29 trying to figure out what I should say to my readers other than “Thanks.” This, our third issue, has been made possible by the moral support of a lot of readers from all sorts of canoe and kayaking types, and the contributions of quite a few of you, too. So: “Thank you!”

To date, we have readers in more than 52 countries. If you look at the map I have on the bottom, right of the page, and click on it, you’ll see we are joined by fellow canoe and kayak sailors on every continent, save Antarctica. Readers–fellow sailors–range from New Zealand, to China, South Africa, and Micronesia, to Portugal, Germany, Great Britain and Sweden, to Columbia, Paraguay, Canada and the United States. We are–this community–a pretty big and diverse crew.

You have by now noticed the addition of some advertising. As much as I’d rather win the lottery and be able to just publish this magazine, I have to generate some funds to cover costs. You all seem to understand and appreciate that, so I won’t belabor the point other than to ask you to consider making your online purchases through those businesses we advertise. We get a small portion of purchases you make when you access them through Canoe Sailing Magazine, so please allow me to encourage you to spend, spend, spend! For my part, I’ll be selective about what advertisers we do have and will keep the bilgewater out of the pages.

To better serve you, we’ll soon have a “Resources” page for all your canoe- and kayak-sailing needs. This will be the one place you need to stop by to find whatever you want, thus making Canoe Sailing Magazine your best resource, and first (and hopefully—only) place to look.

I’m also working on getting some videos posted as well.

In this issue we have some pretty interesting articles. We don’t have a ‘theme’ for issues yet; we just take them as they come, and will always offer a wide range of topics in each issue.

A common item of discussion is how to steer one’s canoe or kayak. In Issue 2, I had a piece about my kickup, clamp-on rudder. Since then, I’ve had several readers inquire about how it mounts on the boat. I’ve addressed that in this issue, along with a discussion about using a button-and-beckett connector in place of various bronze fittings or knots used to attach sails to halyards, sheets and etc.

One of the aspects of canoe sailing is how, with a little bit of thought and time, a paddling boat can be turned into a sailer, not something so easily done with other boats. To show us how a bit of ingenuity can add to our own sailing enjoyment, Dan Reiber’s “Kayak Sailing Project” discusses his turning a 14′ rec kayak into a sailboat, and Tord S. Eriksson continues with his Klepper project.

There has been an on-going discussion (both in these pages and those of other publications) about how one can cover an open boat’s deck without having to drill (yet) more holes. Tom Lewis shows us a great solution with his PVC clips in “A Simple Gunwhale Clip.”

Not one (apparantly) to take retirement lightly, Keith Wellman shares his seventy mile, seven day sail along the southwest Florida coast. Keith also sent along some beautiful photos we’re sure those of you who are still snowbound will enjoy! (Needle-Needle)

And, of course, there’s much more for you to enjoy as well. Before you go, allow me to mention that Tord, Keith and Dan are all readers who took the opportunity to share their experiences with the rest of us. I, and I’m sure, they, would like to encourage you to share your own insights, experiences and maybe just plain lies, with the rest of us. You don’t have to be a gifted writer to be in these pages, just a part of the family. Contact me if you’d like to see yourself in Canoe Sailing Magazine.

Thanks—Happy Sailing!



Thanks to Edward C. Maurer for contributing this article to our Rafting blog:

Sea Kayaking Trips

Can you answer sillygal’s question about Rafting?:

My friend and I are looking for a rafting trip that is for beginners, and cheap..something fun and relaxing. Thanks!

Idaho River Rafting

Can you answer ThaiGold’s question about Rafting?:

I live in CT. I recently bought an inflatable raft and want desperately to take it out anywhere. I have been worried about the river though, where there are power boats specifically. Do I have to follow the same regulations as them? Do inflatables even have regulations? We are also planning for an island in the ocean, yes row out there. So is there anything I should know to do or avoid. Also do I need vests or is it just for minors?
I was hoping for something like this. Good thing I found it myself because you both were wrong.
Section 6. Section 15-121-A17 of the Regulations of Connecticut State Agencies is amended to read as follows:
Sec. 15-121-A17. Personal flotation devices for manually propelled vessels.
During the period from October first through May [thirtieth] thirty-first all persons aboard a manually propelled vessel shall wear a Type I, II, III, V or V Hybrid United States Coast Guard approved personal flotation device [and] of appropriate size and in serviceable condition. Except as provided in subsection (b) of section 15-121-A13 of the Regulations of Connecticut State Agencies, no operator, owner or [paddler] user of said manually propelled vessel shall allow any person to be aboard who is not wearing such a device.
And I also found it elsewhere on that page stating that it is refering to ALL manually propelled vessels.

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