The Houston Canoe Club
is a Paddlesports Risk Management Club Sign the Waiver HCC
"Top 11 Canoe Trip Faux Pas" "4. Littering In The Wilderness - Leaving garbage or food scraps behind on your canoe trips is a sign of not respecting the natural environment that affords us amazing canoeing experiences. It is also unfair to other canoe trippers who arrive at a campsite or a portage and find it strewn with garbage. It is such an easy thing to avoid doing, and there is no excuse for leaving litter behind..." Complete story: Paddling Magazine "How To Choose A PFD" "If you’re new to paddling, one of the first pieces of personal equipment you’ll want to purchase is a quality personal floatation device (PFD). Floatation vests designed for paddling are comfortable to wear and have features that will enhance your experience on the water. There are dozens of paddling life jacket options to choose from, and making an informed decision can seem like a real challenge..." 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 "Our Rivers Meander" "Why doesn’t a river just flow straight ahead? It would in a perfectly straight channel. But no riverbed is perfect. And the mechanics of fluid flow show that the slightest bend creates a downward flow on the outer side of the bend. That causes the water to move downstream with just enough helical motion to scour the out..." Complete story: Engines of our Ingenuity "PFD's - They Float, You Don't" "Personal Flotation Devices only work if you wear them. In challenging weather and water conditions, most people make a good decision to wear their PFD. There are other times when their judgement may not be so clear. Let's examine a scenario that's all too common..." Complete story: Paddling.com "How To Choose The Best Kayak Paddle" "While choosing a kayak paddle may seem as easy as acquiring something with two blades to propel you through the water, there is a little more to it. Kayakers take thousands of strokes every hour. Having the correct information to help you choose the best kayak paddle is key because if your gear doesn’t suit you, it will likely end up in the corner of the garage growing dusty with disuse. From kayak paddle sizing to construction materials, here is what you need to know to help you choose the best kayak paddle..." Complete story: Paddling Magazine "Why A Good Ash Canoe Paddle Is Going To Be Hard To Find" "The ash canoe paddle is facing extinction. Due to the devastating effects of the emerald ash borer beetle on North America’s ash forests, paddle manufacturers may soon have to find a new favorite wood from which to manufacture paddles..." Complete story: Paddling Magazine "In Defense Of The Greenland Paddle" "Newer is not always better. Today’s wide-bladed kayak paddles flaunt cutting-edge technology and materials our grandparents never heard of. But it may be time to look past the latest space-age paddle and peer into the pages of history at the traditional Greenland paddle. These minimally shaped chunks of lumber have been tested in some of the most inhospitable open water on the planet for as many as 5,000 years, where what works survives and what doesn’t is abandoned..." Complete story: Paddling Magazine "Why Adding Ballast Is Efficient For Canoe Tripping" "So, you just bought a lightweight canoe. Good. Now, let’s make it heavier. It seems counter-intuitive, but while the featherweight layup of your canoe is designed to make portaging easier, it might actually be working against you on the water..." Complete story: Paddling Magazine "How to Canoe in Waves and Swells" "Most canoeists know a cold swim is often preceded by a wave taken at a bad angle. Depending on your skill level, canoeing in waves can be either frightening or fun. Follow these simple tips for paddling in waves to keep your experience positive..." Complete story: Paddling Magazine
"4. Littering In The Wilderness - Leaving garbage or food scraps behind on your canoe trips is a sign of not respecting the natural environment that affords us amazing canoeing experiences. It is also unfair to other canoe trippers who arrive at a campsite or a portage and find it strewn with garbage. It is such an easy thing to avoid doing, and there is no excuse for leaving litter behind..."
"If you’re new to paddling, one of the first pieces of personal equipment you’ll want to purchase is a quality personal floatation device (PFD). Floatation vests designed for paddling are comfortable to wear and have features that will enhance your experience on the water. There are dozens of paddling life jacket options to choose from, and making an informed decision can seem like a real challenge..."
"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..."
"Why doesn’t a river just flow straight ahead? It would in a perfectly straight channel. But no riverbed is perfect. And the mechanics of fluid flow show that the slightest bend creates a downward flow on the outer side of the bend. That causes the water to move downstream with just enough helical motion to scour the out..."
"Personal Flotation Devices only work if you wear them. In challenging weather and water conditions, most people make a good decision to wear their PFD. There are other times when their judgement may not be so clear. Let's examine a scenario that's all too common..."
"While choosing a kayak paddle may seem as easy as acquiring something with two blades to propel you through the water, there is a little more to it. Kayakers take thousands of strokes every hour. Having the correct information to help you choose the best kayak paddle is key because if your gear doesn’t suit you, it will likely end up in the corner of the garage growing dusty with disuse. From kayak paddle sizing to construction materials, here is what you need to know to help you choose the best kayak paddle..."
"The ash canoe paddle is facing extinction. Due to the devastating effects of the emerald ash borer beetle on North America’s ash forests, paddle manufacturers may soon have to find a new favorite wood from which to manufacture paddles..."
"Newer is not always better. Today’s wide-bladed kayak paddles flaunt cutting-edge technology and materials our grandparents never heard of. But it may be time to look past the latest space-age paddle and peer into the pages of history at the traditional Greenland paddle. These minimally shaped chunks of lumber have been tested in some of the most inhospitable open water on the planet for as many as 5,000 years, where what works survives and what doesn’t is abandoned..."
"So, you just bought a lightweight canoe. Good. Now, let’s make it heavier. It seems counter-intuitive, but while the featherweight layup of your canoe is designed to make portaging easier, it might actually be working against you on the water..."
"Most canoeists know a cold swim is often preceded by a wave taken at a bad angle. Depending on your skill level, canoeing in waves can be either frightening or fun. Follow these simple tips for paddling in waves to keep your experience positive..."