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Swapping Boats

I led a short trip the other night, just a mile each direction, barely. Along the way, one of our paddlers was a bit slow, in part because she had picked a boat that was too big for her.

I saw an opportunity for some fun.

I had one of the other paddlers hold the group up at the little nook before entering Spuyten Duyvil. We did a raft and had a fun raft game – stand and recite a poem. Then, I had my little paddler trade with someone in an Elaho – a boat much more appropriate to her size.

She managed that boat quite a bit better. “I have a new favorite boat!”

Later on, I swapped boats with the other swapper mostly to see if I could do it without a raft. I did, and she was much more comfortable in my Argonaut, a fat, dumb and happy boat if there ever was one.

So we paddled a bit, and I got my water out of my “old” boat, and we paddled before.

Later when we put away boats, I looked for my water bottle. Where was it? Not until today did I realize I must have left it in my “new” boat!

Published in 2014 American Canoe Association Backpaddle British Canoeing Coaching ICC Instruction Inwood Canoe Club Kayaking Sea

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