Product Description

Customer Reviews (8)

A head start
Not many books are written on this subject, so it was more information than what I could find elsewhere.Although far from perfect, I read through it and at least could identify the rivers I wanted to explore.I didn't expect perfection and found if I needed updated material I could turn to the internet where there's plenty of personal testimonials.I rate this a "four" and a definite buy if you want a good Alaska river resource.Whitewater ho!

Too many errors
The hallmark of a good guidebook is how accurate it is.Unfortunately, this book contains more than its share of errors - some are merely nuisances, but others are more serious.

I bought this book because I wanted to expand my knowledge of Alaska's river systems. I live in Alaska, and enjoy exploring new waters; I try to get in at least one major trip each year.This book offers a brief survey of over 100 rivers, with an effort to cover systems in each of the major regions of Alaska.

Most of the river descriptions are 2 to 3 pages; the information usually contains a map showing the most common put-in and take-out spots, then a brief description of the overall character of the stream with some of its standout features.A few paragraphs of historical notes are often added.Following the description of the river is a section of useful data: appropriate USGS topo maps; the best seasons for floating; specific safety issues; prominent fish and wildlife likely to be seen; and a list of the government land management agencies who oversee the river and adjacent territory.

The book also contains some nice sections at the beginning on trip planning, with sections on appropriate gear for a river trip, trip safety, and ethical camping practices.

The structure of the book means it probably shouldn't be looked at as a detailed trip planner for any specific river system in Alaska; instead, the book represents more of an encyclopedic listing of float trips, with some background advice common to all river trips.It's a nice book to have when you're facing a question like: "I want to do a trip, but which river should I choose?"It's also a nice book to keep by your favorite chair, to browse through and to dream about the dozens of quality excursions in Alaska.

The river maps are a definite plus and are helpful.Consisting of black and white sketches, they usually cover one column in the two-column page layout of the book, so the maps are oriented longitudally.For orientation, a north-arrow pointer is placed on the map.This means that rivers which run in a mostly-east or west direction are shown with the easterly direction oriented toward the bottom of the map.That's fine I guess, but it would have been nicer if the maps were printed in a more standard fashion: for rivers running predominately east or west, the maps could have been printed so they spanned the width of the page across both columns; for north or south-flowing rivers, the maps could be oriented in the standard longitudal fashion.In either case, the maps would then be oriented with north at the top, east to the right, etc.

This leads to one aspect of the book's maps that is a mystery to me: some of the maps for rivers that run in a north or south direction are oriented with north at the bottom (down) of the page.What purpose does this achieve?Why can't the map be flipped around, to be printed the standard way, with the northerly direction at the top? I don't get it...

But apart from the map issues, it's the number of errors in the text of the book that presents the most serious deficiency.I have no way of knowing how many mistakes the book contains because my first-hand knowledge - and consequent ability to catch mistakes - is limited only to a fraction of all the waters covered. Nevertheless, when I concentrate on the places well known to me, too many blunders begin to jump out.

Some of the faults are very minor, like the description of the Situk River fish where distinct runs of both "steelhead" and "rainbow trout" are mentioned (there are no runs of rainbow trout in the Situk, and the population is very small.All the trout that ascend, or "run" in the river are steelhead).

And then are other errors - again relatively minor - that are merely annoying, like places where the text is mistakenly repeated (e.g. page 275) or where a river is misnamed in the middle of the description (page 163), or places where the text is worded in a way that you wonder if some of the author's stream-of-consciousness notes somehow made it into print (page 277).

But the most serious mistakes I found involve specific descriptions of some of the rivers. The location of rapids is sometimes misplaced, roads are occasionally misnamed, geographic features are goofed up, and sections of text appear under the wrong heading.Again, I found these mistakes in the small number of rivers that I am familiar with.I am left to assume that the rate of inaccuracy is equally high among the other rivers where I don't have first-hand experience. This begs the question: what good is a reference book when the data is fraught with errors?

I checked with the publishers and their web site now offers substitute pages that help correct some of the mistakes.People who already own this book will want to download the pages.Be advised, however, that the substitute pages only cover a portion of the book's faults.

To sum up, I think this book might have value to those of us who want to use it as a "dream book" - a sort of a listing of "what's where" and the possibilities for wilderness trips in Alaska.But I urge caution to anyone who needs to rely on the book for cold facts.I would hope that subsequent editions of this book (if it someday gets printed again) will be more carefully researched and edited.

3rd Edition Highlights
In addition to all of the more than 90 rivers and runs from the previous edition, the 3rd edition of the Alaska River Guide includes new detailed descriptions of the runs of the Nenana Gorge, Upper Alatna, Tlikakila, Eagle, and Upper Chena, and other rivers. It also includes 13 new runs:

Delta Clearwater River
Kantishna River and Moose Creek
Chulitna River
Gulkana River and Middle Fork Gulkana River
Little Nelchina River, Nelchina River, and Tazlina River
Matanuska River
Willow Creek and Little Willow Creek
Stikine River

The 3rd edition also includes information on the application process for a Tatshenshini River permit. The entire book has been updated with websites and contact info, updated Leave No Trace info, detailed information onwildlife and fish species found on each river, and more history and archeology for some rivers.

P.S. Sorry for the self-serving rating, but I couldn't post the review without completing a rating!

The Alaska River Guide:Canoeing, Kayaking, and Rafting in the Last Frontier
I have read many river guides and find this one to be little help in any whitewater decents.I would instead try to find the out-of-print book "Fast and Cold" for information that contains valuable whitewater information.The Alaska River Guide is a book for someone who needs general directions and an incredibly broad overview of the larger picture.Details and maps are incredibly vague to the point one wonders if the author actually ran the rivers described.

Look elsewhere for info on the ANWR
I purchased this book solely for information on a couple of rivers I am considering canoeing in the ANWR. This book has a meager (to put it nicely) section on this part of Alaska. I can appreciate the author not wanting to encourage a bunch of travel to this area, but at least make it clear to potential buyers.

Otherwise, the book has good sections on trip planning, logistics, etc. ... Read more

Product Description
Long established as a popular route guide, Paddle Routes of Western Washington is now completely updated and includes three new routes. Fully detailed trip descriptions include location, distance, time to allow, best season, potential hazards, and shuttle details. Maps point out river landmarks and put-in and take-out points. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

A pretty good book for a guy with two cars
When I bought this book I thought I'd like to try some flat water trips. But I forgot one thing: the trip back to the car is really tough. These trips take at least two people with two cars, so I never go, since I don't have any friends who kayak (or canoe). In fact, I don't have any friends at all, come to think of it.

Anyway, if you are not like me and if you do have some friends who like to drive a lot and can get all the cars and boats in position, remembering to leave the beer in the DOWNhill car, and to take the keys to BOTH cars and all that complicated stuff you have to figure out, then this is a pretty good book, because it gives a lot of information about where to go, how to get there, where to leave the downhill vehicle, where to start from, how long the trips are and so on. The maps are nice and there are some good black and white photos showing what you will see in color if you and all your friends can work it all out.

The author "rescued" us!
A group of companions and I were off to find a run of the Black River near Olympia, and were having trouble finding where we wanted. We were driving through Littlerock in two cars each with a canoe on top, and pulled over to compare ideas of what to do on our map. Behind us pulled up a truck as we stopped. It was Verne Huser himself, who noticed our canoes and that we were going in an odd direction, so decided to follow.

The author helped us figure out how to get to a good spot on the river, and we had a great time! So, how often do you think that happens that the author of a book about paddle routes was there to offer friendly advice while we were lost? ... Read more

Product Description
Jerry Dennis has earned a reputation as one of the finest writers on nature and the outdoors in America today.His brightly evocative, lightly humorous essays and stories have delighted readers on five continents.In From a Wooden Canoe he turns his attention to old passions--and discovers new reasons to appreciate them.

This engaging collection celebrates the quintessential American sports of canoeing and camping and pays tribute to things worth keeping, from wooden canoes to pocketknives to cast-iron skillets.At a deeper level it's about respect--for our possessions, for the natural world, for ourselves--and about the pleasures of a life well spent.

Whether he's describing the joys of autumn ("The year is going down in flames, and I don't want to watch it through a window"), evoking the sensual pleasure of Ohio Blue Tip matches ("Scratch 'em and they flare, a two-stage hissing, smoking explosion that calms in a second to steady flame"), or discussing the art and the agony of portaging canoes ("It's proof of the heart we carry with us into the wild"), Jerry Dennis is a gracious and entertaining companion and an insightful observer of nature, both wild and human.

From a Wooden Canoe is a celebration of the good things--and simple pleasures--of life outdoors.It's a book to be treasured, to be read on winter evenings and rainy afternoons, to be kept handy on a cabin shelf. Amazon.com Review
Collected from his "Traditions" column for Canoe and KayakMagazine, From a Wooden Canoe pays tribute to the trustyhunting jackets that never seem to wear out, the sharpened pocketknives that men wear like badges, and the union suits they'll take tothe grave. Dennis even dedicates a chapter to the unquestionablebrilliance of duct tape. The atmosphere here is rustic do-it-yourself,memorializing a time when coated nylon was a fad and canvas was thestandard. If you get misty for all that is well built and steeped intradition, reading Jerry Dennis will be more like settling back downin front of the wood stove--a welcome respite from the chill of modernlife. --Ben Tiffany ... Read more

Customer Reviews (10)

I've read it 3 times at least in last 2 years!
This book gets pulled from my shelf a lot. I love to read this kind of writing. My favorite author ever is John Gierach - I own every single one of his books but one...this writing is just like that - a treasured love of great stories of favorite things - easy to relate to for any who have spent time outdoors!

My favorite things are those that last, stand the test of time, and serve me well. It's not something I started out believing -as is the way with youth....but over time and now in my 40's, it's certainly a comfort to throw on the same wool shirt I've had with me for almost 20 years, etc...

Apparently the author gets better with age too, I've read his other books, but this one is BY FAR my favorite and can provide either a quick escape for a story or two...or an entire day of enjoyment while trapped in a tent on a windblown lake on a trip.

Reflections on the water
More of a gentle cruise than a furious whitewater paddle, "From a Wooden Canoe" is easily dismissed as superficial and irrelevant to modern times. Taking more than a casual glance, however, is worth the effort. Mr Dennis can write and, when he is tackling a subject dear to his heart, he achieves an apparently effortless grace. The topics here vary from the predictable (a woollen hunting jacket)to the eccentric (shuttle cars, for example) and cover concepts as well as items, outlining the delights of good coffee and a bright red union suit in a couple of pages of easy prose. There is little real depth of information, but it is important to consider that such is not the purpose of the book: this is a volume of memories and feelings, some explained and others merely invoked, pertaining to a life outdoors, away from the urban (and urbane, very often). It's simple, straightforward reading, perhaps best enjoyed in small sips rather than gulping swallows, much like camp coffee. The chapter illustrations by Glenn Wolff are on the whole nicely rendered and at times atmospheric, although he is clearly more accomplished when not sketching people.
In all this is an odd but worthwhile book, definitely more enjoyable to someone who has spent some time in the wilds, though.

Sinking Wooden Canoe
The publisher takes a political liberty of reader consent to print this book without reviewing the "knee deep only" dimensions of the topics, the slight current reader interests or timeliness to the year 2001. Many of the articles, short and newsy as they might have once been, provide only brief historical interest to a small population of readers who might once have read the articles in a northern, small town, paper. Sorry. I was thoroughly dissappointed.

Wood is Good
A classic, said Mark Twain, is a book which people praise but don't read. If Twain was right, the latest collection of essays by Michigan's talented Jerry Dennis will never be a classic, and we should hope not. This bookwill be read, again and again, by anyone who covets the aroma of tentcanvas, the fit of elkskin moccasins, or the crisp solitude of an Octobermorning on a remote northern lake or stream.Jerry's new book contains31 sparkling essays on the merits of everything from iron skillets to UnionSuits, from finely honed wooden paddles to the best wood for a campfire.Reflecting on years of gentle meandering, Jerry lovingly explains howtradition and quality dovetail to make outdoor pursuits more comfortable,and more comforting to the soul. There's a yearning in thesedescriptive passages, a questing spirit that sings, "There's still anhour 'til dark; let's paddle the north fork to see what we find." Andyou do, because for Jerry and his readers, adventure invariably lies aroundthe next bend. "From a Wooden Canoe" is superbly illustratedby Glenn Wolff. The book makes me glad there's wild country to explore andperceptive, contemplative writers like Jerry Dennis to stir the campfiresof my heart.

A collection of elegant essays by a gifted writer.
From A Wooden Canoe wraps the classic tools of an outdoor life in a series of short essays that capture dew drops and mist, the water songs of dipping paddles and rain on granite. It offers a respite from tabloid news, cellphones, and microchips. The essays sting our eyes with woodsmoke thensoothe them with starlight and wrap us safe in an old wool coat.

The bookbrought bittersweet memories of frosty camps, my father watching a snowytree line, the sweet smell of cedar from a hundred swamps. It is cabined ona special shelf with Harrison, McPhee, McGuane, and Abbey. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Excellent Book will buy others in the series
This is a excellent book. Bought after recently buying a kayak. New to kayaking. The book made me want to go to the local lake right then and there. Very descriptive of ponds and lakes with maps. Wish it had a fewmore entrys. Although I do agree with the authors selection process. ... Read more

Product Description
Wildwater: The Sierra Guide to Kayaking and Whitewater Boating is an indispensable companion for anyone who goes down the wild rivers, and it is the only book to set forth a comprehensive, step-by-step approach to learning kayaking.

In Part One, "Whitewater and Whitewater Technique," kayaking skills and river lore are presented in a natural and logical sequence, from the first stroke in flatwater to the advanced techniques of manuevering in "big water." An up-to-the-minute survey of equipment -- boats, paddles, and paraphernalia -- is included. A section on "Boating Alternatives" then describes and evaluates other choices available, from one-man inflatables to family-sized rafts: how to outfit them, basic rowing technique, and other essentials of rafting lore. Part Two, "The Whitewater Scene," provides solid information for all kinds of boaters on safety and emergency medical treatment, planning for short or long trips, and river camping. It contains a regional guide to the best whitewater around the country and a fascinating look at the history of whitewater text throughout.

Lito Tejada-Flores is a well-known writer and teacher of wilderness sport and has kayaked in rivers throughout the West. He is author of the Sierra Club Outdoor Activities Guide Backcountry Skiing and has published articles in outdoor periodicals. He lives in Telluride, Colorado.

"Wildwater is closer to the reality of whitewater sport than any other book available. Joyously written and authoritative, it should become the standard text in the field." -- Dee B. Crouch, M.D. (An accomplished "big-water" kayaker, Dr. Crouch took part in the first kayak descent of the headwaters of the Amazon.)

"The teaching progression is original and very sensible, the instructions are clear...an outstanding book." -- Royal Robbins ... Read more

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Customer Reviews (5)

Carolina Whitewater, 9th (Canoeing & Kayaking Guides)
Received book in a timely manner and in excellant condition.It was purchased as a gift so I cannot vouch for its content.

Great resource
Very descriptive & helpful resource for finding the kind of paddling water you are looking for in the Carolinas. So glad I bought this book!

Badly in need of updating
I've only paddled a few of the runs described in the book but have found a lot of information that needs updating. Apparently the authors are unaware that Al Gore invented the internet a generation ago and that there are online gages for many (?most?) of the runs described. (e.g. French Broad) but few are mentioned in the book. The description is usually along the lines of drive there and inspect onsite. You could waste a lot of time and gas if you don't consult the USGS gages first. Another example the put-in location described for French Broad section 6, is fenced off with a chain link fence topped with barbed wire. Given the rusty nature of this fence, it has been there a long time, well before the 2005 date of the latest "revision".

A Word of Warning
This is indeed THE guide to paddling in the western Carolinas, but it contains one extremely important error:the put-in listed for the Upper Green (class III) is actually the put-infor the Narrows (class V).

Thetrue put-in for the Upper Green is just below the Tuxedo power plant; thetake-out is what Benner mistakenly describes as the put-in.

This is THE book
on North Carolina white water.There are a number of regional white waterguide books, and while they can be more helpful in some ways, they are notnearly so comprehensive.Benner has got it all.If it's in NC or SC andit's whitewater, then it's in there.The Caveat:Bob Benner is the oldschool author of most of the book.His son, David, is from the more elitehair-head generation.This means that the rivers rated by David are on adifferent scale from those rated by Bob.The good news: careful readingwill reveal the difference between Bob's description's and David's. ... Read more

Product Description
This guide is aimed at those looking for calmer waters ...rivers, canals, inland lochs and sheltered sea lochs. Routes described cater for all tastes, from those seeking an idyllic afternoon's paddle to those looking for a multi-day canoe-camping expedition. The guide follows a similar format to the acclaimed Scottish White Water guide. It uses thumb guides and simple maps to provide instant information and backs it up with detailed text. It is easy to navigate, and colour photos provide a flavour of the experiences to be had. ... Read more

Product Description
So here it is at last, the long awaited guide to Scottish white water, written by paddlers for paddlers. Scottish Whitewater opens the door to a host of adventures, epics and fun days on the river. Here you will find descriptions to both well-known classics and little known gems. Covering the length and breadth of Scotland and providing something for everyone, whatever the conditions. Whether you are a white water novice or an out and out hair boater, you need this book. With maps, pictures and first hand accounts, here is a guide that captures something of the spirit of Scottish white water. The proceeds of the sale of this book will go towards protecting and enhancing access to the rivers that we all enjoy. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

A must for any fan of the Mighty Hudson
River of Mountains is more than a travel journal. It is also an historical and anecdotal work about the Mighty Hudson River.The author recounts his journey from the headwaters high in the rugged Adirondacks (Lake Tear of the Clouds), down 315 miles of whitewater, dammed water, polluted water, and brackish water to New York City and the Atlantic Ocean.He meets many interesting river people along the way, and relates much historical information about river.A must for anyone with any interest at all about the Hudson River ... Read more

Product Description
Each year Dave Curran travels alone by canoe into the Maine wilderness. He's paddled the Seboeis, the Allagash, and the Moose. Despite the risk of such an adventure, he prefers to go alone. It's easier to plan, and going alone he's more focused, less distracted. He goes for the challenge, battling weather, bears, black flies, mosquitoes, getting lost. He goes for the scenery, the wildness, the silence, the peace. An insightful and compelling read for all who dream of making this kind of backcountry trip. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (14)

truly a whole other experience
I really couldn't wait to get this book after I found it here on Amazon.As a solotripper - one who takes his canoe alone and goes into the wilds - this book sounded wonderful.

The author does a fantastic job of explaining why he does what he does. Some reasons I share, some I do not. He goes into some extended details that may be a bit much for a non-paddler to chew on, but the book should satisfy the appetite of anyone looking for ammunition to go alone and explore.

In the end, a canoe trip alone is a time of growth, healing, and probably as much salvation as anything.

While the world today is full of man-made noise, this book does well in trying to explain how beneficial it is to eliminate all of that. To be quiet. To be alone. It certainly made me look forward to my next trip...a gift I am sure the author takes pleasure in giving.

Perhaps alarmist, but very engaging
I bought this item immediately before embarking on a long-anticipated canoe trip in Maine, one of the routes mentioned in this book. My co-adventurer also had a chance to read most of it before we went into the wilderness... While there is plenty of practical information, much of seems alarmist after the fact, in our experience, at least. The book is highly readable, gives good tips for beginning canoe campers, and can be quickly devoured. Don't get too worked up over the bears/moose/capsizes/misadventures that seem to haunt the author!

Canoe Trip a very well written book.
Overall the Book Canoe Trip was a very well written detailed book.The book was about David Curran's solo canoeing trip through the back woods of maine.Dr. Curran wrote with great detail in this book.He tells you about great adventures through maine.Many people think he's taking to big of a risk going alone to Maine by himself, yet he proceeds with the trip every year anyway.He even ties in a little bit of humor through out the many interesting events in the story.I recomend this book for anyone who likes a good adventure in the woods, or anyone who likes to get away from civilization, then you'll find many things in common with Dr. Curran and enjoy the book very much so.

Cane Trip: Good Read
The book Canoe Trip by Dave Curran is an adventure book about his trips to the Maine wilderness.He is a psychologist in Massachusetts and loves to take canoes into deep, isolated rivers in northwest Maine.The book gives a very good description about how rugged and wild the woods pf Maine, just about 100 miles north of Boston, can be.It shows how different the woods of Maine are compared to the woods that people are used in more populated states like Massachusetts, and people might be surprised how rugged and wild Maine can be.

The book is more descriptive than exciting, but there are many moments of adventure to enjoy and keep you reading.There isn't a real plot of the book because Curran talks about his many adventures in Maine, and is mainly for people who are fond of the outdoors.There are many close escapes from danger, and the accurate description of the Maine wildlife and deep, dark woods of Maine, is why people should try reading this book.

Great book
This book is great for the type of reader who likes to heat first hand, some stories about traveling through Maine on a Canoo. You'll here about some of the wildlife in Maine (and what will happen when you intimidate them.) You'll even hear about what kind of weather might come your way while you're out in the woods. This story will explain how an inexperienced person will be forced to become experienced through trial and error; because of going through some of the harsh realities of Maine's outdoors. ... Read more

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Customer Reviews (13)

Great Intruduction to the BWCAW
This is a great introduction to the BWCAW.Very informative about things you may not have thought about.Good beginners guide to what you need for equipment and what to expect out on the trail.If your looking for a guide book that tells you every campsite this isn't it.It gives several differnet trips detailed out, but you'll need additional guide books if you want to plan your own trip.Other than that it is a great read.

wonderful book maybe unecessary
For those of you who don't know Cliff Jacobson is a legend in the Boundary Waters area.If there is something to know this guy knows it.This book is an excellent overview of wilderness travel and camping, however, isn't it sometimes more fun to figure it out for yourself?

Boundary Waters Canoe Camping, 2nd ed.
An excellent resource for anyone headed to BWCAW, first timer, or old pro. This book gives you all the information you could ever want or need to plan and execute a trip into the BWCAW. Cliff Jacobson knows the BWCAW well, he's a profession outfitter, and guide, and has many years of experience in the Boundary Waters.

I highly recommend this book for a first timer, that's why I bought it. There's so much information in this book, I would be here all day listing what Cliff covers inside. Do yourself a favor, if you're headed to BWCAW for the first time, buy this book, you'll be glad you did!!

Great Intro Book to the BWCA
This is a great book for someone who has never been to the BWCA or hasn't been there in a while and needs some reminders and pointers.The book was last updated in 2000, so some of the gear mentioned in the book is a little out of date, but the concepts still apply.Jacobson does more than simply define routes, he explains how to plan routes for yourself and then how to carry them out once you enter the park.This is overall a great book and is easy to read and understand, but most likely is not enough to get you through your first trip flawlessly.I suggest reading this as a starting point and then reading more advanced books and talking to people who have actually planned and completed trips to the BWCA.

Greate information on camping this wonderful area
Cliff does a great job of introducing the area and providing good basic information on canoe camping.He also stresses the importance of proper techniques to limit the human impact to this natural national treasure. ... Read more

Product Description
A companion book to the Introduction to Paddling and the American Canoe Association's Canoeing and Kayaking Instruction Manual, Kayak and Canoe Games uses games to reinforce the skills designed for still or moving water, all games are non-competitive and are designed to build paddling skills. From Crab Walk and Tug of War to Wet Sponge Polo and Mirror Ballet, young and old can hone their paddling skills while having fun. ... Read more

Product Description
Chapters: Devizes to Westminster International Canoe Marathon, Kayaking and Canoeing on the River Thames, Viking Kayak Club, Rivers Access Campaign, Waterside Series, Thameside Series, Cardington Artificial Slalom Course, British Canoe Union. Source: Wikipedia. Pages: 40. Not illustrated. Free updates online. Purchase includes a free trial membership in the publisher's book club where you can select from more than a million books without charge. Excerpt: The Devizes to Westminster International Canoe Marathon is a marathon canoe race in England. The race is held every Easter over a course of 125 miles (201 kilometres) from Devizes in Wiltshire to Westminster in central London. It has been run since 1948. Starting at Devizes wharf, the route follows the Kennet and Avon canal for 54 miles to Reading, where it joins the Thames. Another 54 miles later it reaches Teddington Lock, ending 17 miles later at Westminster Bridge. Personalities to own a DW medal are former leader of the Liberal Democrats, Paddy Ashdown, explorer Sir Ranulph Fiennes and Rebecca Stephens, the first woman to climb Everest solo. Devizes wharf (Kennet and Avon Canal)The race follows the Kennet and Avon Canal for 52 miles (84 km) from Devizes through Pewsey, Hungerford and Newbury to Reading. From Reading the race follows the non-tidal River Thames for 55 miles (89 km) through Henley-on-Thames, Marlow, Maidenhead, Windsor, Staines and Kingston before reaching the tidal River Thames at Teddington Lock. The tidal river is followed for the final 18 miles (29 km) through the western suburbs of London to Westminster. The 2008 race was the 60th anniversary of the event. The course requires competitors to portage their boats around 77 locks. Starting from Devizes, there are four locks before the 502-yard (459 m) Bruce tunnel, and another 31 locks before Newbury wharf, and the end of the first stage, is reached. Stage 2 contains 22 locks on the Kennet and Avon Canal...More: http://booksllc.net/?id=1065777 ... Read more

Product Description
This book is a mine of useful information and practical tips. If you aspire to be a better canoe or kayak coach, this is the book for you. The book divides into three sections: Part One deals with coaching theory and fundamentals such as psychology and physiology explained in terms that make sense to a practical coach. Part Two looks at generic coaching skills that will provide useful tools whatever discipline the coach is involved in. It works its way from introducing people to canoesport right through to coaching elite athletes. Part Three looks at specific aspects of canoesport such as slalom, racing, sea kayaking, white water kayaking, open canoeing and freestyle. ... Read more

Product Description
The first comprehensive guide to the white water rivers, playspots and artificial white water courses of England. Here you will find descriptions of both well known classics and little known gems. It covers the length and breadth of England and provides something for everyone, whatever the conditions. Whether you are a white water novice or an out-and-out hair boater, you need this book. Produced in the same format as the acclaimed Scottish White Water guide and illustrated with maps, symbols and photos, this guide is an essential tool for canoeists and kayakers. ... Read more

Product Description
Written by the American Canoe Association and the Ohio Department of Natural Resources, Introduction to Paddling is an easy-to-understand guide to flatwater and river paddling. Based on an earlier work by the Ohio DNR, Flat-water Paddler, this amply illustrated book tells beginning paddlers everything they need to know, from appropriate clothing to the parts of the boat, from correct strokes to proper safety concerns. Good for instructors and those who like to teach themselves, this book is an important resource for those who like to paddle or want to start. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Beginners Dream
For a complete novice like me this book is an essential starter pack and easy to understand. I found it to be a great teacher and agree that it is a starters book which will lead to safer canoeing and the correct thinking to further your learning through the experiences of other canoeists.

Good intro book
In the 26 pages (between Foreword and Glossary) there is an awful lot of good explanation on canoe basics, complemented with many and clear drawings. As a novice in canoeing, I learned a lot more than one could expect from such a thin book. Some techniques like re-entering-the-canoe-in-deep-water and boat-over-boat rescue technique seem better explained here than they are in some thicker books. (I write "seem" as I haven't tried yet at the time of writing this :-) ).
It should be noted that this is -as the title says- a basic introduction book; the book has all the information you need to get started. It will enable you to row and control a lot better than the average newbee in a rental canoe, but that is about how far it goes.

Good first manual for novice recreational paddlers
The American Canoe Association's Introduction to Paddling, canoeing basics for lakes and rivers, is a short and clear introduction to canoeing.It describes the canoe and related equipment, how to use same, and severalcautionary thoughts.

The strokes described are few and clear, and rivermaneuvers and safety considerations are clearly laid out.

A fineintroductory handbook for any novice canoeist, and probably all that isneeded for thye casual paddler ... Read more

Customer Reviews (9)

Sadly, and oddly, out of print
This is an excellent guidebook to northern Wisconsin white and calm water rivers. I keep checking out the library copy since there are no inexpensive copies for sale. The 2007 revised edition shouldn't have disappeared this quickly. I assume it'll reappear soon...right?

Great resource
This book is a great resource when looking for paddling trips in Northern Wisconsin.I have found it to be helpful planning trips to rivers we have never been kayaking on before.If you are a paddler in N WI this is a must have!

Best now in Print
Mike Svob has done a very good on this book, and has included a few new rivers, but the definative work still has to be the 1972 "Canoe Trails of Northeastern Wisconsin", by Wisconsin Trails Magazine, now long out of print. The maps are better, and the entire river is mapped, not just the turisty sections. If you are just going for a day or two, this is a good book, but if you want to travel a longer distance, find the original maps.

Great book for canoeing
This book is very informative.You learn what type of water you will be traveling, where the landings are and anything else you may need to know.I would highly recommend it for anyone who likes to canoe northern Wisconsin.

Paddling Northern Wisconsin: 82 Great Trips by Canoe and Kayak
I bought this book to prepare for a trip with my son's boy scout group.I was very helpful in the planning of the trip ... Read more

Product Description
Whether you are considering a new set of sails for your small yacht, thinking about a leeboard or just want ideas on how to steer a boat, this book contains all the information you need to make sails, build spars, leeboards or centreboards all backed up with measurements. ... Read more