Krazy Kayaks

After doing a charity cycle ride from London to Sheffield in June 2007, which meant taking up cycling in December the previous year( I was not a cyclist), I , with the little help from a friend decided to (well plan to) canoe from London to Sheffield.

I did this to raise money for the neonatal unit at Jessops Hospital in Sheffield where my son was born 3 months early in Nov 2003. This time we will be raising money for the Premature Baby Charity Bliss.

Initially this idea started out as a pedalo trip from London to Sheffield. More about that later!

So can I canoe, err no!

When I started out on this project my time in a canoe was 40 minutes when I was about 14 at Matlock. I am now 45, and I would like to say that my old skills came flooding back(pun intended) but alas they did not.

So how did we begin?

I had this idea that we would pedalo from London to Sheffield, so on the 8th of July sea trials began (well not really the sea but a big lake). Me and my co paddler (nutter) met for an hour long pedalo trial. Off we set into the swell and lasted for 30 minutes. The thing we were peddling would not have got us across the Thames let alone along it.

So plan two, we meet up at Barrow upon soar for another sea trial (sounds better than canal trial) where we trailed a different pedalo. Much better than the first but still 300 miles appeared a pedalo too far. With the wife on the stop watch we also did a time trial 100 yard dash. Two ducks and a black Labrador beat us into third place. I consoled myself saying that it was a time trial not a race.

Next was a hydro bike. My legs were up for this fresh from my marathon cycle ride , these things could really move, but someone put a spoke in the works by telling me that they cost a grand and half each to buy.

Finally, got in a canoe with my co nutter. Two men in the same boat caused steering difficulties with straight canals but it appears we had a possible winner as we sent a bow wave over the Labradors head.

In the time trials the pedalo was slowest the hydro bike and canoe tied.

So it was decided that we would canoe from London to Sheffield, in June 2008, (and probably July, Aug and most of September as well).

Slight problem to solve. Apart from the lack of a vessel, I can’t canoe and all my strength is in my legs.

To solve this problem I have joined the Sheffield canoe club (they don’t know what a nutter they have in their mists yet).

Day one at the club.

'We will show you some strokes and then the capsize drill later', said a helpful chap.
30 seconds later I discovered the capsize drill, over and over again.
At one session they showed me the stern rudder. He kept shouting at me to keep my arm straight. I see why they call it the stern rudder, this guy was very stern.
Next we show you how to stop, put your paddle in the water 4 times on alternate sides.
I stopped very quickly on doing this, but unfortunately, the canoe carried on as I fell out.

I have been there a few times and at the end of one session I demanded to learn the roll over and back up drill (no doubt it will have a technical name).
Great joy when I did it, left the club on the crest of a wave..

In discussion with my co nutter I bullied him into incorporating a sea leg into our adventure next year. The route as it stands at the moment is down the Thames, round the bobbly bit in the east and hopefully in land at Boston( still being assessed if its possible), then up the Trent.

Back to the club, and time for some rolls as I was doing so well.
I knocked off 4 straight rolls, but then it all went wrong, and try as I did I could no longer do it.

Left the club that night, considering suicide, not drowning though, been upside down in the water most of the night all ready and the water gets up your nose.

For the arm strength, I am visiting Rother valley (big lake) frequently and doing trips round it, and have managed 3 trips round in about a hour, god was I bored, left thinking “I am glad I am not a duck”.

This entry was posted on Friday 10 August 2007 at 12:59. You can skip to the end and leave a response.