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5/28/15

Ten Reasons a Canoe is Better than a Kayak

5/28/2015
 
This morning I was talking to my friend Cathy who we went paddling with on Memorial Day weekend, and she commented that based on seeing Scott & I paddle along in the bay, that kayaking was a lot harder than canoeing. And actually I didn't know what to say because I've never been in a kayak. I did want to try theirs when we were out the other day, but we didn't get around to it.

Anyway, I think she might think its harder to kayak since her husband weighs over three hundred pounds, while she weighs around a hundred pounds. Not quite the even distribution of weight. So, I didn't disagree with her because I'm sure it was harder to feel like she was making any progress paddling because her baby strokes probably didn't affect their forward movement much. But when I think about it, I think she is wrong - I think canoeing is easier and more efficient, and in general a better choice than a kayak.

Here's my top ten list of reasons Why a Canoe is Better Than A Kayak:
  1. Canoes have more room for bringing along gear, or people. Our friends were packed to the gills with their umbrella and chairs, so we offered to carry their cooler in our canoe since it was roomier.
  2. Canoes are more stable, especially if they are wide like ours. Our old Sawyer is 36" wide and their kayak was only a couple feet wide. Tom actually fell out of his kayak trying to board it while standing in two feet of water.
  3. You can stand up in a canoe, which comes in handy if you need to get some of your gear, or fish out of the canoe and cast a line, or trade seats. Try switching seats in a kayak.
  4. Canoes keep you dryer when there is water in the boat. When you've been in the water and get back in the canoe your clothes drip lots of water but it flows to the bottom, you're not sitting in it like in a kayak.
  5. Canoe paddles don't drain water down the shaft into your lap. Granted the type of paddles are totally different, but those two bladed paddles have a stream of water that flows into your tummy from the shaft of the paddle, when you switch sides.
  6. Canoes give a better view. Since you're higher on the water, you can assess your direction better and avoid obstacles.
  7. Canoes are easier to carry, portage and haul around. Our 17 ft canoe weighs 70 lbs, and our friends 14 ft kayak weighs 80 lbs. The problem with kayaks is the weight is not evenly distributed and they are cumbersome to load onto vehicles and carry into the water. Canoes are much easier since they have the flat top side. They secure to transport and storage better without all those rounded edges.
  8. Canoes are easier to get into and out of. Enough said, see #2 about Tom trying to get in.
  9. Canoes are more comfortable. They just are.
  10. Canoes are cheap. Get a used one, they have no moving parts so they don't really wear out. Our friends paid over $600 for their kayak, and more for the paddles. Ours was $100.
 
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