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Posts Tagged ‘Canoe’

Starting 2021 Paddling Season with Kruger Canoe in Colorado

04 Jan

New Year Day afternoon. I started the 2021 paddling on Horsetooth Reservoir with Sea Wind, my expedition canoe. No drysuit or wetsuit needed, but loading this boat on Toyota 4Runner and carrying to water was a good crossfit training in […]
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Unfold Your Getaway: Canoe for City Dwellers Packs Down to a Suitcase

30 Jul

[ By SA Rogers in Design & Products & Packaging. ]

onak fold up canoe 4

You can’t exactly fit a canoe through a narrow staircase in an apartment building, let alone take it on the metro, so for many sporty city dwellers, owning one may seem out of reach. Many canoes are so bulky, you can barely find enough space for them in a suburban garage. Playing with an origami canoe made of paper one day, Ghent-based designer Otto Van De Steene wondered whether a similar folding method translated to a sturdy, seaworthy material could help him get out onto the water more often. The result is ‘ONAK,’ a portable canoe that folds down to the size of a suitcase.

fold up canoe 1

Working at an outdoor recreation store, Van De Steene had seen plenty of other portable canoe designs that he found lacking. “You have the canoes that have really good performance on the water – they’re fast, but they’re quite heavy and take an hour to assemble. Nothing to do in an evening after work.”

onak fold up canoe 5

The Oru folding kayak had recently debuted, offering an intriguing possible solution, but Van De Steene thought its corrugated plastic construction could use an upgrade, and chose a custom-made polypropylene for his own design, explaining that it’s lighter and stiffer, improving the boat’s performance. About ten times as strong as standard polypropylene, the honeycomb-core composite material is also highly durable and fully recyclable.

onak fold up canoe 2

onak fold up canoe 3

“By making hundreds of paper models and fifteen real prototypes, we also refined the design of our patent pending hull. This was a huge challenge due to the limitations of origami. We opted for a narrow and fast canoe design that keeps its momentum very well, while still being delightfully easy and stable to maneuver for beginners.”

onak fold up canoe 6

The Onak may not fold down quite as small as Oru, but putting it on wheels makes it easier to haul around. From its compact 47”x15.7”x10” roller case, it expands to 183” long by 33.5” wide, and can carry about 440 pounds. There’s enough room inside for two adults, a child and gear. The process of assembling or packing up the portable canoe takes about ten minutes.

onak fold up canoe 8

With just a couple days left on its Kickstarter campaign, the Onak has met its goal, but you can still snag one for significantly less than retail cost if you back the project in time. It’ll sell for about $ 1450 with two paddles once it hits the market.

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[ By SA Rogers in Design & Products & Packaging. ]

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Springtime Paddling on Horsetooth Reservoir with Sea Wind Canoe

09 May
I started my 2015 paddling season on Horsetooth Reservoir in early February, but my favorite time is springtime: a lot of fresh green, wild plums and other bushes in bloom, high water lever with submerged cottonwood trees and little power boat traffic. The reservoir is more than 98% full at this time (see reservoir data.

Horsetooth Reservoir is 6 miles long, but I wonder how long would be a lap around the entire lake following closely the shore. 25+ miles? There is only one way to check it out. So far this year, I haven’t paddled more than 10 miles, always in Sea Wind canoe.

There are several access spots to launch your kayak, canoe or SUP:
1. South Bay – boat ramp
2. Inlet Bay – boat ramp
3. Satanka Bay – boat ramp
4. Sunrise Area from the Centennial Road (closed during winter).
5. North Eltuck Cove from the Lory State Park (trail access up to 0.25 mile at a low water)

I am avoiding boat ramps during power boat season. Off season, I am often using one of the South Bay boat ramps. It’s possible to park on a beach close to water there. Right now, boat ramps are very short and a regular parking is really close to water. I use Sunrise Area next to swimming “beach” mostly during summer. The shore there is quite rocky and not protected from waves and boat wakes. Access point 1-4 require Larimer County Parks pass and 5 – Colorado State Park pass for your car. I used to carry my light Thunderbolt kayak from the Lory State park or tow Sea Wind on snow.

winter dusk over Horsetooth Reservoir

February 5, 2015: Winter dusk over Eltuck Cove looking towards Horsetooth Dam. CameraL Canon 5D M3.

Aerial view of Horsetooth Reservoir

March 30, 2015: Aerial view of the South Eltuck Cove. Camera: Panasonic Lumix GM1 on F550 Flaming Wheel drone.

paddling Horsetooth Reservoir

April 27, 2015: Paddling north along the west coast between South Bay and Dixon Cove. Camera: Sony A6000 with 16-50mm lens.

May 1, 2015: Wild plums blooming.

May 1, 2015: Wild plums blooming. Camera: Sony A6000 with 16-50mm lens.

paddling Horsetooth Reservoir

May 6, 2015: Old sandstone quarry in Satanka Bay. Camera: Sony A6000 with 10-18mm lens.

May 6, 2015: Orchard Cove from the top of old road.

May 6, 2015: Orchard Cove from the top of old road. Camera: Sony A6000 with 10-18mm lens.

Related posts and resources:
Horsetooth REservoir map
Winter Season Paddling on Horsetooth Reservoir with Sea Wind Canoe
Early Morning Paddling on the Horsetooth Reservoir
Fisheye Lens Perspective for Paddling?


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Winter Season Paddling on Horsetooth Reservoir with Sea Wind Canoe

21 Feb

In a typical winter all lakes in northern Colorado are frozen, so I am paddling on the South Platte River. However, this winter I have not been on the river yet. All time I am paddling Sea Wind canoe on the Horsetooth Reservoir just west of Fort Collins. I didn’t paddle in January when the lake was partially frozen and there was no good access to open water.

The ice on Horsetooth is usually starting from its southern end. So, if the South Bay is covered by ice it my be still possible to launch in the north at Satanka Cove from a boat ramp or rocky tip next to the Horsetooth Dam. Sunrise Area on the eastern side would be perfect for winter launching, but is closed for a cold season. You would have to use a cart to transport boats from a parking lot down to the water or execute a pretty long portage.

Pictures below cover all my paddling from late November 2014 till late February 2015.

winter paddling on Horsetooth Reservoir

November 27, 2014 – Eltuck Cove

winter paddling on Horsetooth Reservoir

December 9, 2014: A quiet evening near Inlet Bay.

winter paddling on Horsetooth Reservoir

December 20, 2014 – Exploring Inlet Bay and Hansen Feeder Canal supporting water to Horsetooth Reservoir from the Colorado River through the Big Thompson Project (map)

winter paddling on Horsetooth Reservoir

December 27, 2014 – Quarry Cove in winter scenery, my last paddling in 2014.

winter paddling on Horsetooth Reservoir

February 4, 2015: Quarry Cove, a month later. My first paddling in 2015.

winter paddling on Horsetooth Reservoir

February 13, 2015. Eltuck Cove. Testing a new remote control for my Canon camera – CamRanger with iPod touch.

February 13, 2015: Sunset over Horsetooth Dam seen from the ELtuck Cove.

February 13, 2015: Sunset over Horsetooth Dam seen from the ELtuck Cove. Springtime weather.

winter paddling on Horsetooth Reservoir

February 16, 2015: Back to winter weather. It was snowing. Old sandstone quarry in Satanka Cove.

February 18. 2015: Quarry Cove. Some multitasking: paddling canoe, flying a drone and shooting selfie.

February 18. 2015: Quarry Cove. Some serious multitasking: paddling canoe, flying a drone and shooting selfie.

And, winter is not over yet …

Most of the pictures displayed in this post are included in my stock photography portfolio and are available for license and download as royalty free images. Some of them can also be purchased as prints, posters, cards and other art products.

Related posts:
Icy Horsetooth Reservoir – Opening Lake Paddling Season
Winter Paddling with Sea Wind Canoe on Horsetooth Reservoir – movie
First Snow Paddling with JKK Multisport Supernova Kayak


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Paddling Canoe through a Magic Forest

20 May
canoe paddling in fisheye lens perspective

Fish eye lens perspective when paddling through a submerged forest

I love to paddle the Lonetree Reservoir southwest of Loveland during springtime. You can always enjoy a nice view of Rocky Mountains Front Range. It is a great spot to shoot sunsets over mountains. When water is high I like to paddle through submerged trees and bushes. Please keep in mind that the heron rookery is a restricted area during the nesting season, but there are other places where you can paddle into a forest.

Picture featuring Sea Wind canoe in cottonwood forest was shot on May 15m 2014 with Canon 5D Mark II camera and Sigma 15 mm Fisheye lens. I confess … I spent a longer while gliding in a canoe between cottonwood tress and playing with that lens. I was shooting in both landscape and portrait formats.

Which version do you prefer? Horizontal or vertical?

canoe paddling in fisheye lens prespective

Let’s look at this scene in a vertical format.

Related posts:
– Canoe paddling in fisheye perspective – royalty free pictures.
– Paddling through Forest and Irrigation Ditches
– Fisheye Lens Perspective for Paddling?
– Horizontal or/and Vertical Format in Kayak Photography


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Paddling Canoe through a Magic Forest

18 May
canoe paddling in fisheye lens prespective

Fish eye lens perspective when paddling through a submerged forest

I love to paddle the Lonetree Reservoir southwest of Loveland during springtime. You can always enjoy a nice view of Rocky Mountains Front Range. It is a great spot to shoot sunsets over mountains. When water is high I like to paddle through submerged trees and bushes. Please keep in mind that the heron rookery is a restricted area during the nesting season, but there are other places where you can paddle into a forest.

Picture featuring Sea Wind canoe in cottonwood forest was shot on May 15m 2014 with Canon 5D Mark II camera and Sigma 15 mm Fisheye lens. I confess … I spent a longer while gliding in a canoe between cottonwood tress and playing with that lens. I was shooting in both landscape and portrait formats.

Which version do you prefer? Horizontal or vertical?

canoe paddling in fisheye lens prespective

Let’s look at this scene in a vertical format.

Related posts:
– Paddling through Forest and Irrigation Ditches
– Fisheye Lens Perspective for Paddling?
– Horizontal or/and Vertical Format in Kayak Photography


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Boat Portrait – Penobscot 16 Canoe from Old Town Canoes

10 Mar
red canoe on Poudre River

Red Penobscot 16 canoe on the Cache la Poudre River in Fort Collins, February 2014

This red Penobscot 16 from Old Town Canoes is a new addition to my paddling fleet. I got it from in Cheyenne. Right now, it is my only tandem boat, although, the Badfish SUP can accommodate two people.

This is the first boat bought as a photography prop. Now, I need to produce 50-100 saleable pictures to recover the cost. Red canoe on a calm lake with snowy mountains in a background comes to my mind. Maybe, Grand Teton or Clacier National Park? Well, after some abstracts shot in a garage, the first field photo sessions took place in February 2014 on the Poudre River in Fort Collins. There is up to 0.5 mile of calm or slow water behind a diversion dam accessible from the Kingfisher Point Natural Area near Nix Farm. This river section can be paddled even at a minimal river flow including winter time if it is not frozen.

You are welcome to check new paddling pictures to my stock photography portfolio. There are available for immediate download and licensing as royalty free images.

I will try to photograph other boats from my paddling fleet: kayaks, canoes, SUPs (stand up paddleboard) and a packraft. I am really waiting for some green color …

Related posts:
Waterproof Duffels, Canoe Paddle and Hat …
Carbon Fiber and Wood Canoe Paddles in Royalty Free Pictures


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Surfrigger 2 Video – Paddling Outrigger Canoe in Colorado

12 Apr

10 years ago: paddling outrigger canoe, Surfrigger, on Horsetooth and Boyd Lakes in northern Colorado, winter and summer.

Surfrigger (24′x13.5″, ~28lb) built by John Diller from Savage River Works arrived to Fort Collins in the very end of January 2003. This solo outrigger canoe designed by Kris Kjeldsen, a New Zealand designer and has won many races in that area and in the west coast. A very light and stiff carbon/kevlar lay-up, rudder, the small volume cockpit with sprayskirt, two small hatches allow me to do some light overnight paddling.

I’ve been paddling Surfrigger on local waters in Colorado including Horsetooth Reservoir, Boyd Lake, Gross Reservoir and Lake Pueblo. I also paddled her during 2003 WaterTribe Everglades Challenge in Florida and 2009 Missouri River 340 Race.

Surfrigger is an interesting platform for photography and videomaking providing a variety of shooting angles.

Related posts:
Bent Shaft Paddle and Racing Outrigger Canoe
Surfrigger Canoe on the Boyd Lake
Crocks or Everything Turns Green in Springtime
Photo Impressions on Surfrigger, My Outrigger Canoe


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Winter Paddling with Sea Wind Canoe on Horsetooth Reservoir

01 Apr

winter canoe paddling in Colorado

8 years ago, end of March, 2005 …

Sea Wind canoe was featuring in a movie clip from paddling on the Horsetooth Reservoir in a winter scenery.

I launched from Lory State Park at North Eltuck Cove and paddled south to Orchard Cove and back. Launching was fun since I didn’t have to carry the boat to the water. Water Abstracts come from the same paddling trip.

I used Canon Optura XI camcorder mounted on a regular tripod on land and on mini tripod in the front of Sea Wind.

I visited the Orchard Cove a few day later. It wasn’t that nice without snow. When the reservoir was drained during recent years most of cottonwood trees along the shores died. There were cut down and only stumps and piles of wood scraps remained. I remember paddling beyond these trees years ago when the reservoir was full.

The opening picture in this post, Sea Wind canoe in Quarry Cove of Horsetooth Reservoir, was shot on March 28, 2009 with Canon 40D on a tripod. It is one of Horsetooth pictures in my stock photography portfolio available for purchase and licensing.

Related posts:
Thunderbolt Racing Kayak and Ice in Early Spring Paddling
Icy Horsetooth Reservoir – Opening Lake Paddling Season
Paddling Horsetooth Reservoir in Winter Scenery


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