Author: graham

Boofing Resources

14/11/2017 By graham Comment Closed

Some pre-reading for a Pinkston boofing session. If you like to read then follow the first link. Otherwise some videos embedded can help. Different authors will give slightly different views! https://www.canoekayak.com/skills/how-to-boof/ https://paddling.com/learn/boofing/ http://blistergearreview.com/recommended/pro-panel-boofing-technique Videos: If you have lots of time then:...

Tesco Bag Fund Nov & Dec 2017

02/11/201702/11/2017 By graham Comment Closed

We have been chosen as one of three Tesco "Bag fund" good causes and we need you to vote using a token in store for us during November and December.The award will makea real differnce by helping fund new boats and coach and trip leader training. 1st Place recieves £4000, 2nd place £2000 and 3rd place £1000. You can vote at: Hardgate Tesco Express, Place Hardgate Clydebank Helensburgh Tesco Express, Clyde St Helensburgh. Helensburgh Tesco Metro, Sinclair St Helensburgh Milngavie Tesco Superstore, Milngavie More info Tesco teamed up with Groundwork to launch its community funding scheme, which sees grants of £4,000, £2,000 and £1,000 – raised fromcarrier bag sales in Tesco stores - being awarded to local communityprojects. greenspace scotland is working with Groundwork to provide support to communities in Scotland Three groups in every Tesco region have been shortlisted to receive the cash award and shoppers are being invited to head along to Tesco stores to vote for who they think should take away the top grant. DRUMCHAPEL AND CLYDEBANK KAYAK CLUB...

Autumn Winter River Trips 2017

Autumn Winter River Trips 2017

08/09/201727/10/2017 By graham Comment Closed

We have started adding some new river trips for the Autumn 2017 season. You can download our planning sheet at https://www.dropbox.com/s/72rha9et50m38cx/DCKC%20Autumn%20Winter%20River%20Series.docx?dl=0 but the calendar has the only current/live view. You can find out more by asking Sandy, Graham, Misha or any of the coaches at the pool session. If you are thinking about leading or seconding one of the trips please get in touch. Pinkston sessions are also a great way to develop some river skills. Some info on Grades is shown below. Rivers Although there is an International River Grading System (see below), we have a useful description to help you know which river trips you could consider attending. Easy (River) Trip – Suitable for beginners who have done forward paddling, capsize drill etc. E.g. someone working towards 2* standard and covered the basics. Easy rivers are typically Grade 1. May also suit anyone who fancies a nice paddle! Improver River Trips – A trip on moving water where you can learn breaking in and out, ferry gliding etc. You...

Eight New Canoe Polo Paddles – with help from Sports Council for Glasgow

07/09/2017 By graham Comment Closed

Our new canoe polo paddles have been in action. These were bought with the help of the Sports Council for Glasgow to help us run open canoe polo sessions over the summer. These have been a great success (no Donald Trump irony in the phrasing) and over 40 new people have tried polo and a good number of people have been hooked. We have committed to running Autumn/Winter sessions (see link for how to get involved) and are getting close to needing a second team for the national leagues. ...

Islay Sea and Surf Kayaking Weekend August 2017

Islay Sea and Surf Kayaking Weekend August 2017

10/08/201727/10/2017 By graham Comment Closed

Allegedly, Misha had suggested to Graham a couple of days paddling on Islay. Ever enthusiastic, Graham’s response led to the pair of them organising and leading a full-on club trip to the island. Thus, on the evening of Friday 4th August, a number of club members and their vehicles joined the queue at Kennacraig ferry terminal on West Loch Tarbert to board the 6pm sailing to Port Askaig on Islay. After a two hour crossing that included a meal on board we disembarked for a quick drive across the island to the scenic Machir bay on the west coast where wild camping behind the sand dunes had been proposed as our luxury accommodation for the weekend. On arriving in the Bay we were met by the advance party consisting of Pat, Graham and the Starship Enterprise, aka Pat’s motorhome, who’d all caught the earlier ferry to Port Ellen on the south of the island. After pitching tents, a camp fire...

2017 Dam Releases in Scotland

29/03/201701/04/2017 By graham Comment Closed

The SEPA freshnet schedule is show on http://canoescotland.org/where-go/water-releases.To make it easier to read / plan I have added them all to a google calendar but please check the SCA page before travelling: Club (and Peer) river trips over the summer may include some of these dates! The original SEPA document is at document: 2017 Freshnets...

Spring River Bunkhouse Weekend 10th – 12th March 2017

22/03/201729/03/2017 By graham Comment Closed

With a dry February and start of March we weren’t very optimistic on finding much water for our weekend of awesome river paddling. Thankfully storm Doris gave us a deluge the weekend before which probably saved the trip. Blair, Campbell, Derek, Graham and Grant set off for Aviemore on the Friday evening, not a particularly nice drive as drizzly rain fell for most of the journey. Reaching Aviemore we checked into the Youth Hostel which we could not praise higher, friendly staff, clean comfortable rooms and excellent communal lounge. Off to the local for some refreshments then back to hostel to prepare for Saturdays paddle, note: always take room key when you need to visit the wee boys’ room, corridor carpet not that comfy. Saturday morning we decide over breakfast that we will paddle the mighty Findhorn upper and mid-section 19km grade 2/3 with the odd grade 4 for a challenge. Off we set taking the B9007 over the Cairngorms with...

Day 3 of Graham – The Seach for the Wind

06/03/201714/07/2017 By graham Comment Closed

Day 3 of Graham's hunt for the wind took us on a trip down Loch Arachay in to Loch Venachar. After finding little wind and mirror flat water on our previous trips to Loch Lomond and Rhu , Graham was feeling optimistic on the back of Storm Doris. After a drive through the flooded Trossachs things were looking promising, we dragged the canoes through a flooded swamp and got onto the water. The put in was pretty sheltered and gave us time to warm up by practicing some of the skills we had learnt previously. We then headed down the Loch and true to form the Scottish winter failed to deliver the wind; however Graham kept us working by challenging us to think about what was happening during the catch and power phase of our strokes and to focus on the angle of the blade and what we were doing at each stage. As always I found that making fine adjustments has a noticeable difference on the...

Regular Beginners Trip, Regular Skills Sessions and Intermediate Sea Kayaking Series

25/02/2017 By graham Comment Closed

We have just added 4 new sets of events which offer lots of chances to go paddling. - Beginners Trips (1st Weekedn of month) - Skills Sessions (3rd Weekend of month) - Intermediate sea kayaking (A series of trips/paddles through the summer - we are taking names for these as places are limited)) - Intro to moving water and currents (Wed evenings at Pinkston in March) Find out more about them on the calendar!...

Loch Lomond Sports Hub AGM

25/02/201725/02/2017 By graham Comment Closed

The Loch Lomond Watersports Hub project is progressing and the AGM is this Monday evening. If you are free and would like to know more, show you support or even ask about getting involved please come along. Visit: http://dckc.co.uk/event/loch-lomond-watersports-association-agm/ has info on the meeting or loch-lomond-watersports-hub.org.uk about the project....

Snow-capped mountains of Arran, a deserted lighthouse and dolphins.

04/02/2017 By graham Comment Closed

An impromptu ‘WhatsApp’ trip planned at short notice, the original idea was to paddle from Portencross to Kilchattan Bay on Bute and back via Little Cumbrae. Getting up nice and early on a crisp January morning we were greeted by a wonderful sunrise over the snowy hills en route to the start point, the full moon low in a litmus pink dawn sky. On arrival at Portencross the sea state was a little too choppy to launch from the rocky shore and no one wanted to incur the wrath of the grumpy castle keeper by using the slipway there, so we decided to pop up to Largs Marina and launch from there instead. By then the wind had dropped a bit and the five of us (Tony, Grant, Dennis, Pat and Alan) set off across to the North end of Little Cumbrae. Unfortunately, time was now against continuing over to Kilchattan Bay (sunset was at 4pm) so we decided to go to the...

Call for missing photos!

20/10/201620/10/2016 By graham Comment Closed

If you have any digital images from club trips back in the day then we have space for them on the club's awesome Smugmug photo gallery! Just email graham (grahammswanson@gmail.com) with the name of the trip and year/month/date and he will get you an upload link. We have also started "tagging" some images for people folders... https://dckc.smugmug.com/People-Folders Here is a photo album of the club's selfie king. [SME_gallery ids='93Lg9X4,8nCnBhS,Z22nTrS,GZC4Bx9,wV2QkQC,RH6bS3M,xw7qWgb,C5Xq3R7,4mfPqGz,LRhFj9j,KCGr5gz,75FJD9G,kVsLR8b,3VLfz5d,QNMWnks,cWTR5Vf,zDM3hht' size='ThumbURL' columns='3' caption='' link='Large' new='']...

Young Men visit Pinkston WW Course

27/05/201627/05/2016 By graham Comment Closed

Ross, Cameron and Findaly had their first "real session at Pinkson". Some great images are below......

Trip report 4 star sea assessment, April 2016

25/04/201620/04/2016 By graham Comment Closed

Sandy, Tony and Graham headed off to the Northumberland Coast for 4 star sea kayak assessment. The four star leader assessment checks that we have the personal skill level and leadership ability required to lead a group of paddlers, on short (6 to 8 miles, of at least 3 hours paddling), single or multi-day journeys in a moderate tidal water environment with winds not exceeding Beaufort Force 4. Sounds fine but what is moderate tidal water? A stretch of coastline with available landings every 1 to 2 miles or 1 hour paddling, including areas where it is not easy to land. Crossings not exceeding 2 nautical miles. Up to 2 knots of tide (but not involving tide races or overfalls). Winds not exceeding Beaufort Force 4. Launching and landing through surf (up to 1 metre, trough to crest height). That sounded fine too , we had done the training, practiced in the pool, paddled on sea trips (and river trips), and prepared or borrowed the kit needed...