How Long to Canoe 100 miles?

Canadian Canoe, 2 men, 100 miles.

Ignoring problems, rapids, weather etc etc should this be achievable in 4 days?

Where? Flat water? Rivers? Camping? Bivvying?

All makes a big difference. A friend and I did the Ribble source (well, as close as is navigable) to sea in my 17ft Coleman.

Did it in 2 days (probably about 50-60 miles). Factor in portaging weirs etc – they can sometimes be a nightmare in remote places where there’s no footpath.

We completely underestimated our distances and left ourselves with far too much water to cover on day 2. But camping out with a big fire and a load of Stellas was magic.

We were lucky that the river was fining down after a spell of rain and we timed it to hit the ebbing tide on the tidal stretch.

Want to do it again now!!!

Very dependent on river conditions and how fast it’s flowing. If it’s a big fast moving river with few rapids and you’ve got some idea of what you’re doing it’d be very doable. If you’re talking straight flatwater paddling then that is a long way, especially if you’re carrying gear. I do a regular trip with some friends on a fairly steadily flowing river (upper reaches of the Vltava in Czech Rep.) which is 40km over two days and is very manageable. Two guys going steadily in a canadian canoe could certainly manage it in one.

Thanks guys.

It would be relatively fast flowing river, and would be camping at night (there may be the odd stella…).

I ideally we need to map out where our stop-off points are each night, as well as the number of weirs etc

The faster guys do the Devizes to Westminster (125 miles) in 17-18 hours in marathon C2s/K2s. So anything is possible if you’re up to it.

I used to lead 5 day expeditions on fast moving water in the Canadian Rockies (North Sask, Bow, Kootenay) and we’d usually do about 50Ks in a day IIRC. Will check log books at home, but this was with 15/16 year olds who were not overly used to paddling. up to Grade 3 rivers.

I’ve done 1000 miles in 35 days so you’d manage. Some days we did 5 miles others we did 65 very much depended on the conditions.

You may find better advice (no offense to everyone else) on ukriversguidebook as that is a canoeing version of stw. Full of advice from people who do this sort of thing all the time.

up hill or down hill?

Also depends if the wind is with you or not.

im sure i replied to this thread, but its gotten lost,

we managed about 3mph on lakes for a few hours at a time, just take plenty of water as it doesnt half make you sweat!

Thanks everyone looks like it is very doable providing we keep our heads down.

It would be for charity so we don’t want tot fail.

I am guessing back ache is going to be a serious problem after some time?

Not really, you can alternate your position beween sitting and kneeling. Google some technique articles to see what you should be doing. You want to try and use your whole body with a straight back to stop you getting tired quickly.

It gives me a stiff back – I was paddling with a novice, so I was at the back using J-strokes which I can’t do ambidextrously, so you you tend to get a bit sore from the lop sided exercise.

A lot of the time you’re really just going to be steering while the current does most of the work. I do seem to remember some frantic paddling to get across current though – my friend wasn’t particularly good at anticipating hazards either!

Mapping the stop offs will help, especially if you can get permission from the landowner to make camp. But you might struggle to stay on target over 4 days.

My only other advice would be to do it before 15th June as there will be far less anglers on the river. Most of them are OK if you bid them a good morning, but a lot of them have a similar attitude towards canoes that walkers have towards bikes!

Great fun though, which river? I’m guessing the Severn?

Read: Voyageur: across the Rocky Mountains in a birchbark canoe by Robert Twigger.
You may reconsider wanting to go.

http://www.songofthepaddle.com is a good site for advice.

Is this the charity thing on the Wye? We sell 100miles to people at our rental- 4days.

Watch: Deliverance.

Remeber to take a bow and arrow with you…..

Squeeeeeel piggy