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| cano:canoes [2025/12/06 12:03] – Dave Darby | cano:canoes [2026/03/26 18:33] (current) – external edit 127.0.0.1 |
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| # Canoes & kayaks | This topic is part of [[gt:bushcraft|Bushcraft & Nature]] and [[gt:transport|Transport & freight]]. |
| | ====== Canoes & kayaks ====== |
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| ## What are canoes & kayaks? | ===== What are canoes & kayaks? ===== |
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| ‘Canoeing’ is a generic term used to refer to any kind of human-powered paddle boating, including kayaking and stand-up paddle boarding (for the sake of convenience, we’ll use ‘canoeing’ or ‘paddling’ throughout). It’s the earliest known method of travel on water and pre-dates sail. The kayak ('man-boat') was primarily used in Greenland, North America and Siberia for hunting, fishing and transportation, while canoes were widely used around the world by diverse peoples such as Native Americans, Polynesians or Maori, for whom it was also a war vessel. Canoes were traditionally made from bark or hollowed-out logs, usually open-topped and built to carry varying numbers of people. Kayaks tended to be one-person and made from animal hide stretched over a wooden frame, leaving only the cockpit open to prevent icy Arctic water from entering the boat. | ‘Canoeing’ is a generic term used to refer to any kind of human-powered paddle boating, including kayaking and stand-up paddle boarding (for the sake of convenience, we’ll use ‘canoeing’ or ‘paddling’ throughout). It’s the earliest known method of travel on water and pre-dates sail. The kayak ('man-boat') was primarily used in Greenland, North America and Siberia for hunting, fishing and transportation, while canoes were widely used around the world by diverse peoples such as Native Americans, Polynesians or Maori, for whom it was also a war vessel. Canoes were traditionally made from bark or hollowed-out logs, usually open-topped and built to carry varying numbers of people. Kayaks tended to be one-person and made from animal hide stretched over a wooden frame, leaving only the cockpit open to prevent icy Arctic water from entering the boat. |
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| <caption> | <caption> |
| Two-person open canoe | _Two-person open canoe_ |
| </caption> | </caption> |
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| <caption> | <caption> |
| Inuit kayak made from sea mammal skins stretched over a driftwood frame. | _Inuit kayak made from sea mammal skins stretched over a driftwood frame._ |
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| </caption> | </caption> |
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| <caption> | <caption> |
| Drifting. | _Drifting._ |
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| </caption> | </caption> |
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| ## What are the benefits of canoes & kayaks? | ===== What are the benefits of canoes & kayaks? ===== |
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| Canoeing is a great way to travel (and transport things) on water whilst getting some exercise at a pace that suits you. With such a wide range of activities available, you can choose whatever suits your level of fitness and interests. Paddling is very good for cardiovascular health and lung capacity, as well as building muscle tone and core body strength. Regular physical activity is also known to be beneficial for mental health, and gently floating down the river spotting the wildlife is a supremely therapeutic and relaxing activity in itself. With more extreme forms of canoeing, the adrenaline rush and the feeling of having faced the challenges set by nature and survived can also be extremely life-affirming. Canoeing can also be a good way of engaging young people in physical activity who aren’t drawn to, or don’t excel at team or track sports. | Canoeing is a great way to travel (and transport things) on water whilst getting some exercise at a pace that suits you. With such a wide range of activities available, you can choose whatever suits your level of fitness and interests. Paddling is very good for cardiovascular health and lung capacity, as well as building muscle tone and core body strength. Regular physical activity is also known to be beneficial for mental health, and gently floating down the river spotting the wildlife is a supremely therapeutic and relaxing activity in itself. With more extreme forms of canoeing, the adrenaline rush and the feeling of having faced the challenges set by nature and survived can also be extremely life-affirming. Canoeing can also be a good way of engaging young people in physical activity who aren’t drawn to, or don’t excel at team or track sports. |
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| <caption> | <caption> |
| Sea kayaking off the coast of Australia. | _Sea kayaking off the coast of Australia._ |
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| </caption> | </caption> |
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| ## What can I do? | ===== What can I do? ===== |
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| **Getting a boat** | **Getting a boat** |
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| <caption> | <caption> |
| Hand-built wooden canoe. | _Hand-built wooden canoe._ |
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| </caption> | </caption> |
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| <caption> | <caption> |
| Engraving of native Americans hollowing out a log for a dugout canoe with fire. | _Engraving of native Americans hollowing out a log for a dugout canoe with fire._ |
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| </caption> | </caption> |
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| <caption> | <caption> |
| Canoes can get you to parts of nature that other forms of transport can't reach. | _Canoes can get you to parts of nature that other forms of transport can't reach._ |
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| </caption> | </caption> |
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| <caption> | <caption> |
| Stand-up paddleboarding. | _Stand-up paddleboarding._ |
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| </caption> | </caption> |
| For canoeing to be truly low-impact, paddlers need to follow a few [good practice guidelines](https://www.britishcanoeing.org.uk/guidance-resources/waterways-environment/environmental-good-practice/) and be considerate to other water users, both human and animal, including avoiding anglers and respecting the privacy of those who live along the banks. Check, clean and dry canoes & wet equipment after use to prevent the spread of invasive non-native aquatic species or diseases. It’s vital to respect the natural environment: never leave litter, always launch canoes from the water (rather than sliding down the bank), don’t drag boats over ground or beaches, avoid scraping over gravel beds in shallow water (there may be fish spawn) and stay away from spawning grounds or nesting sites at certain times of year. While it’s exciting and hugely gratifying to see animals and birds up close in their natural habitat, remember you’re a visitor in their very fragile world. Never crowd them or continue to approach if they seem distressed, never block their retreat or cause them to change their course, and be aware that some larger animals can also pose a danger to you. | For canoeing to be truly low-impact, paddlers need to follow a few [good practice guidelines](https://www.britishcanoeing.org.uk/guidance-resources/waterways-environment/environmental-good-practice/) and be considerate to other water users, both human and animal, including avoiding anglers and respecting the privacy of those who live along the banks. Check, clean and dry canoes & wet equipment after use to prevent the spread of invasive non-native aquatic species or diseases. It’s vital to respect the natural environment: never leave litter, always launch canoes from the water (rather than sliding down the bank), don’t drag boats over ground or beaches, avoid scraping over gravel beds in shallow water (there may be fish spawn) and stay away from spawning grounds or nesting sites at certain times of year. While it’s exciting and hugely gratifying to see animals and birds up close in their natural habitat, remember you’re a visitor in their very fragile world. Never crowd them or continue to approach if they seem distressed, never block their retreat or cause them to change their course, and be aware that some larger animals can also pose a danger to you. |
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| ## Further resources | |
| | ===== Forum ===== |
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| | This topic belongs to the section [[gt:bushcraft|Bushcraft & Nature]]. You can ask questions or add information on the corresponding [Forum section](https://forum.growingthecommons.org/t/bushcraft). |
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| | It is also in the section [[gt:transport|Transport & freight]] (Forum: [Transport & freight](https://forum.growingthecommons.org/t/transport)). |
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| | ===== Further resources ===== |
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| - [Open Canoe Association](https://www.opencanoe.info/) | - [Open Canoe Association](https://www.opencanoe.info/) |
| - [Wooden Canoe Heritage Association](https://www.woodencanoe.org/) | |
| - [Song of the Paddle](https://www.songofthepaddle.co.uk/) - canoeing forum | - [Wooden Canoe Heritage Association](https://www.woodencanoe.org/) |
| - [Paddle Trust](https://www.paddletrust.org.uk/) | - [Song of the Paddle](https://www.songofthepaddle.co.uk/) - canoeing forum |
| | - [Paddle Trust](https://www.paddletrust.org.uk/) |
| - [River Access For All](http://www.riveraccessforall.co.uk/) - campaigning for public right of navigation on rivers | - [River Access For All](http://www.riveraccessforall.co.uk/) - campaigning for public right of navigation on rivers |
| - [Paddler Magazine](https://paddlerezine.com/) | - [Paddler Magazine](https://paddlerezine.com/) |
| - [UK Rivers Guidebook](https://www.ukriversguidebook.co.uk/) - where to go canoeing in the UK | - [UK Rivers Guidebook](https://www.ukriversguidebook.co.uk/) - where to go canoeing in the UK |
| - [How to buy a canoe](https://www.mensjournal.com/travel/basics-of-buying-a-canoe) | - [How to buy a canoe](https://www.mensjournal.com/travel/basics-of-buying-a-canoe) |
| - [How to build a kayak](http://theknowledgeservice.co.uk/) | - [How to build a kayak](http://theknowledgeservice.co.uk/) |
| - [Building a birchbark canoe](https://www.jumaka.com/birchbarkcanoe/buildingpage/building.htm) | - [Building a birchbark canoe](https://www.jumaka.com/birchbarkcanoe/buildingpage/building.htm) |
| - [Making a dugout canoe](http://www.willghormley-maker.com/MakinADugoutCanoe.html) | - [Making a dugout canoe](http://www.willghormley-maker.com/MakinADugoutCanoe.html) |
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| ## Specialists | |
| | ===== Related topics ===== |
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| | - [Sail boats](sail:sail_boats) |
| | - [Narrowboats](nrbo:narrowboats) |
| | - [Coracles & currachs](cora:coracles) |
| | - [Nature awareness](ntaw:nature_awareness) |
| | - [Bushcraft](bush:bushcraft) |
| | - [Navigation](navi:navigation) |
| | - [Low-impact transport](litr:transport) |
| | - [Fishing](fish:fishing) |
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| | ===== Specialist curators of this topic ===== |
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