The Houston Canoe Club
is a Paddlesports Risk Management Club Sign the Waiver HCC
"How to Choose the Right Kayak" "Kayaks come in all shapes and sizes so it's important to understand the available options. Having the right kayak will not only get you the most enjoyment but it will also greatly impact your safety on the water. That being said, narrowing down your options is actually pretty easy and it starts with identifying how and where you'll be using your kayak..." Complete story: Paddling.com "How to Paddle a Tandem Kayak" "Tandem kayaks, or doubles, are a great way for two people to get out on the water together. Watch or read on to learn more about tandem kayaks and how to practice paddling, navigating, and turning a tandem kayak!..." Complete story: Paddling.com "Quick-Release Knots for Canoeing" "Before you go on the water, it'd be useful just to look at a couple of knots that you can use. Both the knots we're going to look at are quick-release so we can drop the towing system or gear quickly. You could also use them if you're tying your boat off onto the bank or on shore..." Complete story: Paddling.com "The 7 Worst Tips For Beginner Kayakers" "We’ve All Been There—Our Very First Day Of Kayaking. A day starting with so much hope and ambition. My first instructor was James Roddick. I was 10 and he was patient. I’m thankful James took the time to guide me through the tears. He didn’t tell me what I wanted to hear, he told me what I needed to hear. Unfortunately, too many first-time kayakers and potential enthusiasts don’t have a James...." Complete story: Paddling Magazine "Certification Killed Paddling Adventures" "Today, certification is an expectation—not just for professional guides and instructors, but increasingly for the lay person. If you aren’t certified yourself, you damn well better hire someone who is. We have become slaves to certification and expertise in a pastime and passion prized for its sheer simplicity. As slaves to certification, I feel we’ve created such a level of risk-aversion and elitism, we’re squashing the heart of authentic adventure..." Complete story: Paddling Magazine "Most Important Sea Kayak Beginner Skill" "There is one kayak skill which says “I’m a self sufficient paddler.” It's not rolling, and it has nothing to do with a certification level. So how do you tell if a kayaker is expedition ready? Someone you know won't capsize and need rescuing in the middle of a big trip? Maybe you want to join a kayak trip but you don’t know how to show without a doubt, that you are expedition ready..." Complete story: Paddling.com "Choosing the Right Canoe - Shape Matters" "When it comes to canoes, it's important that the shape suits the use. Learn how hull shape, rocker, and bow shape can help you select the right shaped canoe for you..." Complete story: Paddling.com "How Unprepared Paddlers Are Risking Their Lives" "Canoe tripping skills aren’t learned quickly, but increasingly many paddlers I see don’t have the patience or even the desire to take the time to learn. Just as watching YouTube videos on how to fix a toilet doesn’t make you a professional plumber, watching clips on how to light a fire, erect a tarp or perfect the J-stroke do not make you a master of the elements..." Complete story: Paddling Magazine "What Is The Future Of Epic Canoe Journeys?" "Maybe I was the only one bewildered by the news of the two brothers arriving at Everest Base Camp earlier this year with canoes on their heads. In the pantheon of crazy-ass stunts one might do with a canoe to get attention, this one takes the Nepalese cake. What’s the next epic canoe journey for canoeists? It got me wondering. How much farther and faster is it possible to go? .." Complete story: Paddling Magazine "Tippy vs. Stable Kayaks" "Watch for a quick comparison of a tippy kayak vs. a stable kayak and why a tippy kayak is actually preferable in rougher water..." Complete story: Paddling.com
"Kayaks come in all shapes and sizes so it's important to understand the available options. Having the right kayak will not only get you the most enjoyment but it will also greatly impact your safety on the water. That being said, narrowing down your options is actually pretty easy and it starts with identifying how and where you'll be using your kayak..."
"Tandem kayaks, or doubles, are a great way for two people to get out on the water together. Watch or read on to learn more about tandem kayaks and how to practice paddling, navigating, and turning a tandem kayak!..."
"Before you go on the water, it'd be useful just to look at a couple of knots that you can use. Both the knots we're going to look at are quick-release so we can drop the towing system or gear quickly. You could also use them if you're tying your boat off onto the bank or on shore..."
"We’ve All Been There—Our Very First Day Of Kayaking. A day starting with so much hope and ambition. My first instructor was James Roddick. I was 10 and he was patient. I’m thankful James took the time to guide me through the tears. He didn’t tell me what I wanted to hear, he told me what I needed to hear. Unfortunately, too many first-time kayakers and potential enthusiasts don’t have a James...."
"Today, certification is an expectation—not just for professional guides and instructors, but increasingly for the lay person. If you aren’t certified yourself, you damn well better hire someone who is. We have become slaves to certification and expertise in a pastime and passion prized for its sheer simplicity. As slaves to certification, I feel we’ve created such a level of risk-aversion and elitism, we’re squashing the heart of authentic adventure..."
"There is one kayak skill which says “I’m a self sufficient paddler.” It's not rolling, and it has nothing to do with a certification level. So how do you tell if a kayaker is expedition ready? Someone you know won't capsize and need rescuing in the middle of a big trip? Maybe you want to join a kayak trip but you don’t know how to show without a doubt, that you are expedition ready..."
"When it comes to canoes, it's important that the shape suits the use. Learn how hull shape, rocker, and bow shape can help you select the right shaped canoe for you..."
"Canoe tripping skills aren’t learned quickly, but increasingly many paddlers I see don’t have the patience or even the desire to take the time to learn. Just as watching YouTube videos on how to fix a toilet doesn’t make you a professional plumber, watching clips on how to light a fire, erect a tarp or perfect the J-stroke do not make you a master of the elements..."
"Maybe I was the only one bewildered by the news of the two brothers arriving at Everest Base Camp earlier this year with canoes on their heads. In the pantheon of crazy-ass stunts one might do with a canoe to get attention, this one takes the Nepalese cake. What’s the next epic canoe journey for canoeists? It got me wondering. How much farther and faster is it possible to go? .."
"Watch for a quick comparison of a tippy kayak vs. a stable kayak and why a tippy kayak is actually preferable in rougher water..."