Paddling Tips

TOTM AUGUST: Keep warm during Winter

Tip of the Month June: Keeping warm in Winter

Winter, whilst being chilly out on the water, offers some of the best paddling conditions in Queensland. Gentle breezes, cooler days and lack of biting insects make for happy days out on the bay, river or estuary.

To help ensure you make the most of your paddling experience this winter, here are a couple of must haves for your gear list.

CAGS

A Cag is simply a waterproof smock type overcoat worn by paddlers to keep their under layers dry, and therefore warm. Usually made form a breathable water resistant fabric they allow the wearer to remain dry and warm without becoming sweaty and damp as the exertion level increases.

Cags are available in a variety of fabric weights with different collar and cuff sealing options to keep even the coldest waters out.

For the canoeists amongst us, there are also a wide variety of waterproof trousers available to keep you dry when you don't have the option of installing a spray deck.

GLOVES

Whilst usually worn to prevent blistering, gloves are also very effective in keeping the sun off the backs of hands and keeping your hands warm in colder waters. Similar to Cags, gloves come in a variety of fabric weights and with options for full fingered, fingerless or even mitten styles for extreme cold conditions.

SPRAY DECKS

A spray deck is a neoprene cover that stretches over the cockpit combing of a kayak providing a waterproof membrane to keep water out of the interior of a kayak. There is typically a tube in the centre into which the paddler inserts themselves. The tube can be made form neoprene or water resistant nylon for warmer climates.

Whilst not as common in Australia, spray decks are also commonly fitted to open top canoes in North America and Europe or to Outrigger Canoes for open ocean racing. These tend to be made from water resistant canvas with a neoprene tube into which the paddlers fit.

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HOT TIP: Paddling Apps

Paddling Applications

With the invention of smart phones and vast improvement in GPS technology, there is a a plethora of applications available to paddlers to advise and improve your paddling experience.

Here is a list of some of the Apps we have on our phones...

Paddle Prep

Developed by Canoe Australia to be the one stop shop App for preparing for paddling trips
www.canoe.org.au/paddle-prep


MotionX GPS

Leading GPS and mapping App for iPhone and iPad. Allows for recording of tracks, waypoints and access to variety of maps
www.gps.motionx.com


Runtastic

Originally developed as a run timing App it lends itself nicely to recording timing for other sports including paddling!
www.runtastic.com


Willy Weather

User friendly weather app, includes tide, wind and swell data
www.willyweather.com.au


Launch Sites

Developed by Paddling.net it lists canoe and kayak launch sites around the world (including Australia!)
www.paddling.net/launches


PaddleSafe

Originally developed by PaddleNSW it is intended to spread Australia wide. Provides information of river levels, entry and exit points and other useful paddling data
www.waterwaysguide.org.au/paddlesafeapp


Happy Paddling!

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