News and Updates from Canoe and Kayak Store

New Dagger Mamba Demo Boats at CIWW

The new Dagger Mamba is now in our Cardiff store ready to demo in the 8.1 and the prototype 8.6. Its a great opportunity to paddle it against its rivals at the white water course!

SALE! - 20% off Limited stock of Liquid Logic Boats

We are offering 20% off the RRP of all Liquid Logic Boats listed below while stocks last.

Hoss Blue - £520 Jefe Grande Ice Blue - £720 Remix 59 Red - £720

The Liquidlogic Stomper has arrived!!!

The long awaited Liquidlogic Stomper has now arrived! There is a demo 80 and 90 available at Cardiff so come along and try it out! The new Stomper takes the speed and agility of the Remix series mixed with the boofability and safety of the Jeffe series which, coupled with the Stomper's playful semi-planing hull will give you the confidence to maximize your experience on your local run and take you far into your paddling future. So far the Stomper has had some raving reviews but we want to know what you think! To book a demo call Ronnie at our Cardiff store on 02920829980

£225 off Dagger Mamba… While stocks last!!!

We have a limited Stock of 2011 Dagger Mambas with Adjustable and Creek Seats available at a specially discounted price.

Buy yours now for just £675!

The Dagger Mamba is a stable and forgiving river runner which is great for creeking, expeditions and coaching. The Mamba delivers performance and confidence to a wide range of paddlers – no matter their size, weight, strength, or experience level.

Beginners Guide to Paddling

Fancy yourself as a paddler but not sure where to start? We are here to help and are always eager to get more people involved in the sport we love. Paddling is enjoyed by many people for a range of reasons but here are some of our favourites:

• Socialising- Whether you are paddling with a club or have decided to take yourself to one the of many popular kayaking destinations in the UK or even abroad, you will find paddlers a very friendly bunch who are always happy to offer advice share tips.
• Challenging yourself – No matter what type of paddling you’re into there are always new challenges to be had.
• Enjoying the Outdoors – Experience some beautiful surroundings from a new perspective.

Getting Started

The first thing you need to decide is the type of paddling you want do as this will determine which boat you need.

Sit-on-tops

Sit-on-tops are stable, durable and easy to use making them perfect for beginners and youths. They are ideal for use on beach coast, lake or surf and can also be used for fishing. Tandem Sit-on-tops are also available.

Whitewater

For the adrenaline junkies out there whitewater kayaking may be just what your looking for! It is challenging, varied and exciting. Whitewater is measured in grades starting at grade 1 (slightly moving water with ripples) and going up to grade 6 (dangerous, almost unrunnable white water).

There are 4 types of boat suitable for whitewater use:

Creek Kayak - River running with technical and difficult rapids, steep drops and a high gradient.

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River Running Kayak – A tour down river experiencing some challenging whitewater.

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Freestyle Rather than going from point A to B, freestyle kayakers tend to stay in one place and play on the features of a river or surf waves while competing to perform tricks and moves such as cartwheels and flips.

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River Play – A cross between river running and freestyle. River play involves running a river and playing on its features on the way down.

Touring Kayaks

Touring kayaks are designed for use on flat water and gently flowing rivers on a single or multi-day trip. Touring kayaks trade the manoeuvrability of a white water kayak for cargo capacity, ease of straight line paddling and comfort for long journeys. Touring is by far the most popular type of kayaking in the UK.

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Sea Kayaks

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 Sea Kayaks are designed for use in open water such as oceans, estuaries and bays. They are seaworthy small boats similar in design to Touring Kayaks. 

Open Canoeing

Canadian Canoes come in many different specs and can be used for touring, white water, down river, expeditions, racing and performance and recreation.  As the name suggests open canoes have an open hull and can be paddled solo or tandem from either a sitting or kneeling position with a single bladed paddle.

Kit

Now that you know a little about the types of kayaks and canoes available here is some info on the other kit you will need before you can get out on the water.

• Buoyancy Aid - will need one specific to the type of paddling you will be doing: General purpose, sea and touring, search and rescue, whitewater
• Spray deck for kayaks.
• Paddle - double ended blade for whitewater and sea & touring kayaks; single blade (general purpose, wood or composite) for canoes.
• Helmet (if you will be going down any whitewater)

• White water/sea and touring cag and trousers or a dry suit.

• Thermal Base layer for the colder months.

• Footwear.

Getting Started on the water

The best and most sociable way to start paddling is to join one of the many canoe and kayak clubs around the UK. These clubs charge a small yearly fee and usually run courses for beginners or have experienced paddles available to lend a hand. Clubs also have their own boats which you can arrange to use if you want to give it a go before buying your own. You will find links to some local clubs and coaching on the links page of our website.

Hopefully this information has given you an idea about the basics. If you would like to know more or arrange a beginners package deal please call us on 01454 261058. or come and visit us at our Bristol or Cardiff store.

Canoe and Kayak Hire

Safety equipment and paddles provided. Terms and Conditions apply. For more information call us on 01454 261058 or email Rebecca@canoeandkayakstore.co.uk

We’re now on Twitter!

Follow us on Twitter OutdoorActiveLtd for updates on new products and exciting events!

Jackson Rock Star – New Playboat in our stock and for demo at Cardiff

Go and try the new, high performance playboat - Jackson Rock Star - at Cardiff.
We have this fun playboat in small and medium available.

Introducing The 17 Wenonah

For the first time in the UK, the boat that started it all. The original boat designed and made by founder and owner of We-no-nah Mike Cichanowski.  A mould has been crafted from the original boat produced in Mike’s parents back yard and now is available in state of the art layups.

Canoe and Kayak Store has a demo for you to try

A great general use and family boat with a unique look.

Layup Options

Tuf-weave® Flex-core:  60 lbs.  (27 kg)  w/ Standard Equipment 

Standard:
Optional:

Colored (Gel-coat) finish 

All-silver aluminum trim 

Curved hung web seats 

Ash yoke 

All-black aluminum trim 

Wood gunwales-only (Tandem)   

All-wood-trim (Tandem)  5 lbs  (2.25 kg)

Kevlar® Flex-core:  55 lbs.  (24.75 kg)  w/ Standard Equipment 

Standard:
Optional:

Colored (Gel-coat) finish 

All-silver aluminum trim 

Curved hung web seats 

Ash yoke 

All-black aluminum trim 

Wood gunwales-only (Tandem) 

All-wood-trim (Tandem)  5 lbs  (2.25 kg)

Kevlar® Ultra-light:  44 lbs.  (19.8 kg)  w/ Standard Equipment 

Standard:
Optional:

Natural (skin-coat) finish 

All-silver aluminum trim 

Curved hung web seats 

Ash yoke 

All-black aluminum trim 

Wood gunwales-only (Tandem) 

All-wood-trim (Tandem)  5 lbs  (2.25 kg)

Wayne Brown demoing our Jackson Star Series at Cardiff International White Water Centre

Cardiff International White Water Centre is improving all the time, Wayne Brown shows his talents in Canoe and Kayak Store’s Jackson Star Demo Boat.  To try out a boat of your choice visit our demo page to find out how

Ray Goodwin – Around Wales by Canoe and Kayak

Having trained some of the staff from the Glanllyn Outdoor Centre for a sea kayak crossing of the Irish Sea a couple of years ago, the success of this trip led me to being asked if I would guide on a circumnavigation of Wales - I readily agreed.  It was to be the biggest trip I have ever guided/led. Rob Egelstaff and I had done the first circumnavigation of Wales by a paddle craft some eighteen years ago. The whole trip was completed in canoe. This time we would do the inland section in canoe and the coastal section in sea kayaks.

We started from Aberaeron on the last day of May and headed north. We had some rough water on the second day with low cloud and rain. By the day's end we had good sun and the surf had dropped right off.

Throughout the journey we would either be landing or launching at low water, so where possible, we used trolleys to shift the boats.

Part way into a sixteen mile open crossing, six miles off the coast and we could touch the seabed. This was Sarn Baldrig (St Patrick's Road), that runs some fourteen miles out to sea. In Welsh legend it was said that it was the remains of a great dyke that protected the land. The lands were lost when a dissolute prince did not maintain the earthworks. It is in fact the lateral moraine of the massive glacier that ran westwards from the mountains of Snowdonia.

Our campsites varied from the sublime to the bizarre. From pitching up just below the old lighthouse on Llanwyn Island, to making camp in a scrapheap at Beechly on the River Severn on one occasion.

Our first tide race was at Penryhnmawr on Anglesey. This was during a neap tide on a calm day. I have been there on BIG days when it becomes monstrous, however, on this occasion it was big and fast enough to be fun without being intimidating.

Another delight was the seal colony on Puffin Island (SE corner of Anglesey). A gentle start to what would turn out to be a brutal day. The forecast was for the winds to strengthen to Force 4/5 or stronger. We were part way into a long crossing to the Great Orme when this began. Off the Orme we had one of the biggest seas of the trip - I was not sparing a hand to take photos! All of us were using the occasional support stroke. We ran along the coast towards Rhyl and as the wind strengthened it became an awkward quartering sea, battering from the rear.

Just before Rhyl there was a small area, rather like a dune sandwiched between the sea wall and a housing estate. The decision was made to land; any camp would have to do! We hit lucky and once set up were undisturbed. Better still a chip shop and supermarket were within five minutes walk.

The next day took us up the Dee Estuary to Chester. It was the one area I didn't have a nautical chart for and ended up following the wrong set of buoys. To rejoin the main channel we resorted to dragging through shallows for over a mile.

In Chester we were to be met by Richard from Outdoor Active. He provided vital support by taking our sea kayaks and kit and providing us with two stunning Kevlar Wenonah boats. Alun and I were paddling a Minnesota II, Arwel and Hefin a Jenson, which maybe slightly faster than the Minnesota but not a lot in it, and it has a slightly lower freeboard.  After the first two hundred miles on the sea we faced two hundred miles of canal and river. In these splendid canoes I was excited by the prospect.

In darkness we portaged and paddled our way through Chester. There was a stunning vertical sided cut and then we were into the city. We passed a number of bars with the customary groups of exiled smokers outside. Invariably they were friendly and jovial. We camped on the first area of towpath that was away from houses. After being awakened by the morning’s first joggers and cyclists, and as we packed up our kit, a hoard of kids on their way to school passed us by.

Our route followed the Shropshire Union, Llangollen and Montgomery canals. Generally we were faster than the barges.

Our kit was well organised and we could get everything around locks in two hits. Portaging a Kevlar canoe is a delight. This is the start of the Montgomery canal.

The Montgomery canal is being restored at present and that leaves a gap of four miles to the River Vyrnwy. Time for the trolleys! Again the lightness of the Wenonahs was paying off.

We got onto the Vyrnwy late in the day. I had knocked at the door of a house and got permission to access the river via their garden, the whole family came out to watch and ask questions. The whole thing was amusing and exited the kids. I found throughout the trip, folks were very supportive

The next morning saw us on the River Severn and the start of the run to Gloucester. This is the famous Iron Bridge the gorge being named after it. It was the world's first iron bridge and it was erected in 1779 (built whilst the American War of Independence raged on). This now tranquil valley was the birthplace of the industrial revolution and would have been alive with noise, smoke and flame twenty four hours a day.

Jackfield is the ONLY grade 2 rapid I have ever walked around! The run is straightforward but it’s fast and there is a lot of rock around. None of us fancied risking these superb boats that Outdoor Active had kindly loaned to us.

The Severn was unusually quite as it was the start of the world cup so we generally had the locks to ourselves. It was a treat not to have to portage the gear.

The boats moved so beautifully that they were extraordinarily quiet. Al and I would go hours without speaking. Because of this I had a wonderful sighting of two otters swimming upstream on the Severn. Sadly they were camera shy. We paddled from Gloucester to Sharpness on the ship canal. Again Richard kindly met us. This time at the finish of the inland section, to sort out the change back to sea kayak. We were also offered a floor for the night and transport to a good pub. All was very welcome indeed.

The forecast the next day for the start of our run down the Bristol Channel was marginal. A final decision could only be reached on the water's edge. It was a quiet and pensive start to the day. It was the first time the others had seen me under pressure in many years of working together. It was a big Spring tide and the wind was force 4/5 but heading in the same direction. The problem is the lack of get off points but ten miles on was the old ferry ramp at Beachley. I decided to go for it! For twenty minutes we paddled gently up the eddies waiting for the tide to turn. The turn was abrupt and we were hurtled down the channel. The wind was kicking up a messy sea and it was rebounding off the submerged mud flats. We reached 12 mph at one point.

The decision to pull out at Beachley was easy. The guys at the coastguard station were very friendly and we soon had mugs of tea in our hands. We camped up in the scrap yard/dump of the Old Ferry Inn. I was glad to be off the water that day. An hour and a half in the kayaks and we were wrung out.

The wind dropped the following day. We were on the water a good 40 minutes before the turn of the tide and waiting for it to go our way. With a committing paddle of thirty miles or more we felt quite tense.

It turned out to be a brilliant run and perhaps my favourite day of the trip. My planning had worked and we made it through to Sully Island just short of Barry.

With such a large tidal range getting off the water could have been difficult but the local sailing club has (they claim) the longest slipway in the Bristol Channel. Better still when we got to the top of it we were met by club members curious as to what we were doing. Quickly they made phone calls - but couldn't, unfortunately give us permission to camp: but would we like to use the club facilities and sleep on the floor?

The remaining two hundred miles went well losing only one day to bad weather. There were some long days and some big water. There are no photos of the really big stuff as we were far too busy paddling.

So a big thanks to Arwel Phillips of Glanllyn for putting the trip together and inviting me to lead it. Also to Hefin and Alun for their companionship. As part of the trip the guys were raising money for Air Ambulance Wales. Richard at Outdoor Active, Canoe and Kayak Store was superb in supporting us.

The trip was 640 miles and took 24 days.

This is turning into an amazing year for me with an appearance in Justine's 'This is Canoeing', this trip and my canoe techniques book due out for Christmas. But best of all......

My daughter Maya Rose, born only seven weeks before the trip, was waiting for me at the finish (mum was there too).

Ray Goodwin

www.RayGoodwin.com/

Alpine Essentials

It’s that time of the year for the annual alps pilgrimage where we get our fix of sun, cold beer and awesome alpine paddling.

If you are heading out this year here are a few tips gathered from me and my friends experiences. 

Remember, this will be one of the best holidays you’ll have and your best opportunity to improve your boating, so make the most of it.  These hints and tips are by no means complete but hopefully will help you on your way.

Before you set out

• Make sure your car is fully comprehensively covered, in Europe some insurance companies will only insure your car 3rd party by default.   You will often need to carry extra kit such as fluorescent jackets when motoring abroad.
• Apply for your European Health Card and carry it with you at all times.
• Get decent travel insurance. If you have pricey equipment insure that as well because of the volume of paddling occurring and because people often get the urge to test themselves in the alps (quite rightly) due to the beautiful conditions.  This often results in lost or broken kit, so decent insurance will cover this and you won’t end up out of pocket.

• Prepare your equipment beforehand. If you are planning to buy kit there, make sure you know there is a decent kayak shop nearby and it stocks what you require (fashion and convention differs in Europe). 
• I don’t want to be too serious, but if you practice and train before you go as much as you can you will get more out of your holiday, whether this be paddling on your local lake or practicing your skills at Cardiff International White Water Centre.
• The Alps is a great place to practice your skills however if you are not that confident think about getting some coaching beforehand.

When you are there

• Split paddles are essential in the Alps - for reasons explained in the above paragraph kit can go missing in the alps.  Make sure you carry splits in your group so you are not faced with a long and frustrating walk out of the river.

• Carry foreign currency when you are paddling – It can come in very useful in all kinds of situations (food halfway through or at the get out, taxis/ buses, etc)
• Wear and carry clothes for the worst conditions.  A long, cold swim can seriously effect your paddling and enjoyment if you do not warm up quickly. Remember, just because the entrance of a gorge is warm the actual gorge may not be bathed in sunshine.
• Remember there is more to the area than just Canoeing. You will be in Europe's finest mountain range/playground where outdoor activity is a way of life.  Try Via Ferrata, climbing, mountain biking and other extreme activities.  If you need a rest or prefer something more docile, then most areas have well marked paths and GR walking paths.

• Remember that most of the shops in some regions are closed on a Sunday so prepare before hand.

• Make sure you talk to people on the river and be friendly.  It can lead to great opportunities.  In Switzerland I met up with some German paddlers and had the best five days of paddling I have ever done. We didn’t know what was round the corner on each river because the rivers we were doing were not in the English guidebook.  A fantastic adventure.

Gear Guides

Reduce your risk on the river with safer kit

We all know the basic kit you need for white water paddling but how much do you think about it.  Hopefully this article will make you look at your kit in different way.  Remember you don’t need to spend a fortune, we are always willing to give impartial advice on what is appropriate.  Phone, email or pop in to the shop anytime.

Airbags

Airbags are an essential piece of kit for any level of paddler in any kayak, remember you cannot expect anybody to rescue your boat if it is not fully filled with airbags.  If you are really keen to have your friends rescue your boat you should put air bags behind the footrests as well.   The airbag mean that the boat will be filled with air and not water after a swim making it lighter and easier to rescue.  They have the added benefit of making your boat sit higher in the water so it is less likely to get pinned and broken on rocks.

Helmet

Make sure you have a decent quality helmet, appropriate to the river you are paddling, if you are paddling steep rivers where large impact is likely you may want to spend a bit more on your helmet.  You also want to make sure the helmet fits correctly, a helmet is no good if it is not covering your head.

Buoyancy Aid

Make sure that  the buoyancy aid you wear is suitable for the grade of river you are running.  For example you do not want to be wearing a front zip touring buoyancy aid on a grade 5 river as it is likely that when you come to rely on it, it won’t be there.  It is also important that it fits correctly, a buoyancy aid should not ride up when you swim, however it should still remain comfortable.  It is important your buoyancy aid is snag free, cut or tuck away any excessive loops (not ones integral to the fit and function of the BA).  You should also trim any excess straps Palm give a useful guide to trimming down a chest harness.  You should aim for as clean a profile as possible, remember if anything gets caught on a tree it will be very difficult to get out. 

Clothing

Clothing should be suitable for the environment you are entering and it should be highly visible.  Remember it may not look cool but you will not thinking about this if your are pinned underwater with people looking for you.  Your clothing should keep you warm and protect you for the element.  Cags protect you from the wind, even a simple spray cag will reduce the wind chill and a huge positive difference to your day.

You should always be dressed and prepared for the worst, even if you rarely swim you don’t to spoil your day but getting cold and struggling to paddle.

Spraydeck

You should have a good quality Spraydeck, neoprene is accepted as the norm for whitewater paddling.  Regularly check the release loop at the front for degrading or wear of the stitching.  

Footwear

Your footwear must give you good grip and support wherever you go, usually a muddy or rocky river bank.   You do not want to fall in the river on a portage or inspection.  They are also useful if they protect your foot.  Good footwear is also important for good efficient bank rescues.  As kayakers and Canoeist we have to find a balance between weight, size, supportiveness and grip.  For example cannot have shoes which are bulky and supportive like walking boots because they would not fit in our boat and we would sink when we came out of our boat.  This is a challenge that many manufacturers have struggled with our two most popular shoes are the Five Ten Canyoneers and the Palm Gradient which combine these factors pretty well.

Extra Protection

Extra padding especially elbow pads can be a godsend whilst on steep fast rivers.  They also have the added benefit of protecting your nice shiny cag in its most vulnerable area.

A helmet with good coverage, brightly coloured cag and paddle blades, with no loose straps or snag hazards.

Brain

Remember you must also possess the skill to run these rivers safely and utilise your kit.  You can find good quality coaching on our useful links page, combine this with experience, judgement and practice you will find yourself running rivers safely in no time. 

• Remember you don’t need to spend a fortune, we are always willing to give impartial advice on what is appropriate.  Phone, email or pop in to the shop anytime.