Club or buds
Submitted by Brettley on Thu, 09/15/2011 - 15:50
Hi all, i'm new to the forum and wanted to say hi but also ask a question about training.
I have done a few adventure races like Anaconda etc and I train with a bunch of guys each week for those races. The nature of A/R is that you become a jack of all trades and master of none. I really enjoy paddling and want to become a lot better at it over the next few months. So I was wondering about whether to join a club to gain some more skills or just keep paddling with the group I currently do and get better through paddling more.
The issue with training with my mates is that they are heavily into A/R and only paddle a couples of times a week (usually when I'm at work).
Any thoughts would be appreciated. Cheers
- Reply to your post on Rather Be Paddling
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Stronghills Access
A week after the Avon I got a phone call from a guy who had found my paddle. As he had also found another 5 paddles he was running out of space and couldn't retrieve mine, so he stuck it in a prominent tree. A week later a different chap called to say it was still there - many thanks to both of you. At that time I was in the UK and have only just returned, so before I head out to Stronghills, does anyone know if we are allowed on the access road? If not, where would be the closest parking point (I don't mind a walk).
stronghills
Ring the park ranger. He may be able to let you through the gates.
You can't legally use the westrail road along the river. You could paddle Emu-walyunga!
(or cycle emu-stronghills but you're still not allowed)
Stronghills ... 0.6?
If the rain gods find a magic means of getting the levels over 0.6m ... I'll pick it up ... I reckon Bin and Fiasco might be keen too ... pray for rain!
What's your favourite wine?
That's very decent of you. I'm told it's in a tree, approx 10 minutes down from Stronghills. Blue/white blades with a piece of bright yellow foam in the middle of the shaft.
No valley for me :-(
Boo hoo, the gauge just tipped 0.6 today, and I was thinking about it ... in bed. Off work sick and not the kind of sick day that sees me in the valley. Sorry, doesn't look like I'll be getting up there in the next few days. I hope someone else can help you out this time.
Get well soon
Thanks anyway. If you feel like doing Valley Run feel free to get in touch - although I'm not very good! The irony being I'll probably break a paddle trying to retrieve the first one.
Thanks
Thats exactly the sort of info I was after. I was leaning toward a club so that sealed it. Now just to find one that suits.
Cheers
Brett
Try before you buy
Try a few club nights and see what seems to suit. Most of the clubs will let a visitor paddle in their weekly thing, and the details are on the Canoeing WA site under the individual clubs.
Suggestion
Which part of town you in?
Is it purely ocean paddling you want, or bit of everything?
Can offer suggestion or two then (that'll get a bunfight going, 'cos we all love our own club!)
Location
Bolders I'm SoR in Success. So Swan or Canning make sense but I have no issue with travelling to train so happy to look at others NoR.
I want to do a lot more ocean paddling this summer and build those skills up. Having said that I also want to do more whitewater stuff.
I have been spending the last few sundays doing a valley run from Walyunga in preperation for the Mainpeak multi next weekend.
I have the Anaconda in Nov but as I said I want to spend a lot more time paddling this next 12 months.
Canning
As a Canning member I encourage you to come down on a Tuesday afternoon 5.30ish to see if the club culture suits your aspirations. We have a wide variety of paddlers from flatwater to surf. Just remember to bring a litre tub of strawberry jam and a live sheep for the initiation.
No problems
with getting the sheep Coronan (I keep a couple for "special occasions" but where the hell am I going to find a litre tub of strawberry jam??
clubs are good
as everyone says.
And
If you are racing a lot you get discounted race fees and don't have to keep filling in event insurance risk forms.
You get to network, to share partners (paddling, not life), try new things (not sharing life partners) and stuff.
Also..
-You'll meet heaps of other paddlers who can paddle with you at odd times.
-You'll be able to try different sorts of paddling with expert assistance
-You can often try all sorts of boats and equipment that is either owned by the club, or owned by the great people you meet...
-Many clubs have great social paddling element for the rest of the family!
Join a club!
I paddled for many years before joining a club, and regret all that I missed out on - advice, training groups, club racing, paddling buddies etc. Many canoe club members are doing the adventure races as well, but the paddle leg is probably their strongest. I just do the paddling leg of Anaconda etc, and would love to improve in the other stuff.
Here's 5 good reasons to join a canoe club (others will add more I'm sure):
1. You'll improve technique heaps, giving you faster results with less energy used.
2. You'll learn a stack about racing strategy in kayaking - starts, wash riding, downwind paddling, turns, portaging.
3. You'll learn heaps about the myriad choices of boat, paddle and other gear.
4. You'll have regular opportunities to race, both informally and a bit more seriously.
5. A lot of really high quality people like myself and the rest of this website's main contributors are canoe club members.