Do you canoe back upstream to your vehichle?

Question

I am planning on buying my first canoe very soon and I have some odd questions.

Once you paddle downstream, how do you get back to the car?

If I have in registered in Ohio can I still take it to other states?

What are the best buys for the money?

Where are the best places to go for day trips in Ohio? Surrounding states?

Thanks in advance!!!

Answer 1

A golden rule when paddling is to go with at least 2 other people.

For river running, you need two cars. Now before you even put the boats in the water, both cars will need to be driven to the point of the river where you plan to finish. Leave one of the cars there and ride back to the start in the other car. Now you have a car at each end!

Plonk the boats in the water and off you go. When you've reached your "get-out" point, find your car there and drive back to where you started. It's a good idea to leave towels, dry clothes and snacks in the car parked at your "get-out" point.

Answer 2

Whoa! I think you are getting ahead of yourself. There are canoe clubs in Ohio. Inquire/search, American Canoe Association, Ohio-Penn Division. The Nantahala Outdoor Center is close. They offer very good canoe instruction.  Again use search for information.

Inquire in each state at the Department of Natural Resources about licenses. Inquire in each state about canoeing.

Your newsstand should carry magazines about canoeing. Try the library for canoe nformation.

Prices will depend on the kind and quality of the canoe. Don't neglect the cost of auxiliary gear.

Answer 3

Congratulations on your up coming purchase!  I for one, love paddling both canoes and kayaks - each has its merits.  (We currently have 2 really nice canoes, 1 recreational kayak,  2 sea kayaks, and a surfski).  Thus, no room for cars in the garage anymore!  

River paddling is a blast - and the other answers have already touched on that. If you go with friends, you can self shuttle (all meet at the launch, drop the gear), then 2 of you drive to the end of the trip with the boat hauling vehicle and leave it there.  Both drive back to the launch location in the non-boat hauling car.  Just be sure to secure your gear somewhere safe, or leave someone behind to watch it.

Lots of canoe liveries or outfitters will either pick you & your boat up at the end of your trip with their vehicle or drive your car to the end for a fee.   And, of course, you can paddle back up stream if the current is okay.  I do one trip in particular where we paddle up stream to camp, then back to the car.   In some locations, it's possible to bring a bicycle in the canoe...pop the front wheel off, and put the bike in the boat.  Paddle downstream.  Bike back to your car... Two workouts in one!

If you're going out of state to paddle, check online for their boat registration laws.  From my experience, if you plan to use your canoe in another state requiring registration you will need to pay and register. Many states do not register man-powered boats, however.

Canoe Buyers Guide: http://www.paddling.net/buyersguide/Cano...

Go to a reputable shop and try paddling a variety of boats there, most dealers (not big box stores) will allow you to do this.  

http://www.paddling.net/dealers/OH/

Canoes are made of several different materials now days.  The old aluminum ones are still out there, they are pretty much indestructable, but very heavy.   Royalex or Royalite ,depending on the manufacturer, is the next cheapest material . Lighter than the aluminum barges, but still very durable.  There are boats in Kevlar too - very light weight, but you need to be extremely cautious with them as they can be damaged by rocks and sunken tree branches, etc.  I have one canoe in Royalex and one in Kevlar; you really do need to be cautious with the Kevlar, and never drag it onto the beach, rocks, dock, etc.

These days, there are a number of excellent manufacturers... If you plan on paddling mellower water (up to Class II Whitewater) I'd start by looking at boats by Wenonah, Mad River, NovaCraft, Old Towne, and Clipper.  If you intend to learn and paddle whitewater exclusively, then look to manufacturers like Dagger, Mowhawk, Wenonah, or NovaCraft.

Places to paddle in Ohio: http://www.paddling.net/places/OH/

Answer 4

The river process you speak of is the shuttle.  There are many ways to accomplish the shuttle.  In some area, an outfitter will do this for a fee or it will be included with a canoe or kayak rental.  It's also common to meet up with other folks and agree to take a car to the end, agreeing tha that car will in turn take someone back to the beginning.  I've also driven a bike down to the take out so one person can bike back to the car.

If you have a group with more than one car, you can of course do your own shuttle.

Check online for more rivers online.  I know there is a book of Ohio rivers as well.

Generally speaking, most states have registration reciprocities with other states, so as long as you have a valid registration sticker you are probalby okay.  The big problem occurs when you are in a state with no registration, but take your canoe to a state that requires registration.

As far as materials and kinds:   I'd go with Kevlar for canoe expeditions where I need to portage the canoe, for white water or bumpy creeks I'd go with a plastic such as Royalex.  I think aluminum canoes can represent some of the best values around.   Taken care of they will outlast plastics and can be purchased used at great deals.   Grummans and Alumacrafts are a few good aluminum boats.   Some dings, etc are fine - some things to check are:  any broken or fractured ribs or keel.   A sprung keel (big bend) and see if either the stern or bow compartment are holding water.

In our program we use plastic canoes and I recently swtiched from Old Town to wenonah, mostly for reasons of customer service.  Both make great canoes. Stay away from coleman canoes.   For kevlar, I'd probably select Wenonah or Bell.

Answer 5

If I'm not bothering with a shuttle (see previous answers), I've found it best to paddle upstream while I'm still fresh, then I can paddle and coast back down to my car.  It is no fun to find yourself 10 miles down stream and realize you're going to have to call a (very good) friend or relative because you simply can't get back in any reasonable amount of time, if at all.  Also realize, with smaller rivers, there are areas that are possible going downstream that are difficult, at best, when paddling back.  Portages when you're already tired are no fun.

I'm in Missouri, we don't register our kayaks and canoes here, but having a copy of the law showing you don't have to register is usually enough if you're just "passing through".   Some states require temporary registrations, you should check before you start out.  I won't visit some parks in Illinois (our neighboring state) because it costs as much or more to bring my boat out for a day as it would to rent one.  Other areas are a little more sane.

Best buys for the money?  A kayak, of course. :)  But if you're determined to buy a canoe, I would recommend buying used to get the best bang for the buck.  Check craigslist.com, ebay.com, and your local outdoors shops and outfitters.  Many have boats they're "retiring".  Also check your local canoeing clubs, there's always someone who is looking to thin his or her fleet.  

Answer 6

There will be people you can hire to drive your car downstream.

The best places depend on the time of year.

In most of the US, the best time is early Spring when the melting mountain snow makes the streams and rivers run forcefully.  Otherwise, you'll have a lot of exhausting rowing to do.  The water will be cold enough that you'll need to buy or rent a wetsuit.