Canoeing with family and customers. I am the author of Canoeing: it is an illustrated guide to canoe technique with over 900 photos. It is available direct from myself or from any of the incarnations of Amazon. I work as a canoe guide and coach. Website is www.RayGoodwin.com
Ray was awarded a prestigious MBE (a Member of the Order of the British Empire) in the 2019 Queen's New Year's Honours for services to canoeing. The award was presented at Buckingham Palace.
In 2020 Ray became a Council Member for the Canadian Canoe Museum in Peterborough, Ontario. The first non-Canadian to be invited to become part of the council. canoemuseum.ca
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Hi, I noticed your friend has a dog with her. I’d like to paddle the Ardèche with my son and our dog, but I read that dogs might not be allowed in the natural park. Do you have any information on this? Thank you!
I just checked with a friend of mine that operates on the Ardeche. Here is his response: 'Dogs must be on leads at all times when walking in the gorge or staying at the bivouac. They must also be in a bouyancy aid if on the water. Oh, and not tied in, in case of capsize.' Hope that clarifies.
@@RayGoodwinCanoe that's good news, thank you!
LEGEND RAY, much love BIG MAN
Thank you kind sir (loving your adventures too).
@@RayGoodwinCanoe Thanks Ray!
Truly an awesome series! Thanks for sharing with us couch canoe enthusiasts 👍👍
Thank you so much for your kind comment. Loved it.
These long, thin bolts (preferably stainless steel) are really hard to find. Where do you buy them?
I have always got them from canoe shops that sell kneeling thwarts. Normally it is part of of a kneeling thwart kit but I have bought extras from the same people. For example Endless River sells them: www.endlessriver.co.uk/canoe-gear/seats-bolts/
Excellent demonstration all round Mr. Goodwin. You have real skill pilloting that craft, it looks like great fun. Thanks for the terrific upload!
You are very welcome and your kind comments are appreciated.
Great videos Ray 👍
Thanks Dan. Appreciated. 👍
Great down river ~!! amazing technic~
Thank you very much!
Outstanding video 👍👍
Thank you! Cheers!
The way I explain it is that when you take the first part of your stroke (from the right side, say), you are pulling the boat slightly (or at times, significantly) toward the side you are paddling on. But the second part--the actual "j"--helps course-correct you, but pushing the direction back toward the original direction.
Not sure I am with you there. The power element of the stoke will push the boat away from the stroke. So paddling on the right the bow moves left. Then the steering element (the J) corrects this. This is massively exaggerated on the very first stoke form stationary to in requires either much more steering or a modified stroke like a C to start with. Anyway that's my thinking. Thank you for commentating. Discussion is always good.
Hi Ray. I work with a lot of groups when I run canoe sessions. Getting the swimmer(s) back in the canoe is always challenging. Once the initial shock of the cold water is over, instructing them where to be and what to do falls mainly on deaf ears! Agree with you that the heel hook is a more reliable method of getting them in especially for younger people with less strength. I'm always nervous of transferring them to my canoe (as you mention too) as they can unsettle the balance. Great video Ray - always glad to learn from the best 🙂
Thank you for that kind and thoughtful response. Yep the cold shock is always issue and I generally stay well back until they are listening to me. Keep well and good paddling.
Looks great! How close can you sail into the wind like that?
Not very. With a lee board I can make way to wind ward but the angle is small. The sail is a bit small and not cut well enough to be efficient to windward. I do have a Solway Dory rig and that is very much better and will act more like a dingy. I love this sail for the convenience but I still end up paddling into the wind.
Bruh, just use duct tape.....
I did use duct tape to get the canoe home. This is a more permanent repair.
The best part of the show is your dog.
He is such a good dog.
how far you can go being on your knees not far
Thanks for putting this video out. Just in the process of prepping some notes to lead an instructor course and thought I would mine your video for some key points to bring forward. Excellent as always!
Glad it was helpful!
super ( Poland)
Thank you.Dziękuję
I bet that's what The Strid looks like under water..
Yep there are lot of places with siphons, caves and narrow slots. Good fun with no current and someone who knew the cave well (thanks Tom).
Tanks Ray and Co. I've made it as far North in Saskatchewan as there Grey Owl cabin, North of Waskesiu and Prince Albert. The Porcupine River looks amazing!
I really love the story of Grey Owl and have visited a number of the places associated with him in England. Yep the Porcupine is amazing, one of the best.
Really useful video as you said the instructions are very good, but it’s great to watch someone do it. Just done the bow and it looks a lot neater than I expected thanks to your video. All ready for canoefest 😀
Glad it helped! See you at Canoefest.
It’s good to get the prospective of the trip from a right handed steersman! Maybe I’ll do it some day.
It is a fabulous trip. One of the best.
If you enjoyed this then consider making a small donation at: buymeacoffee.com/raygoodwin
If you have to have a favourite - this would be mine. Not only does it feel at one with nature through the stroke but it forces you to limit your speed to allow you to enjoy the wildlife and critters around you.
But don't forget the powerful version for control: I am sure you use it. But yes it does allow that 'at one with nature' feel. Love it. Keep well Tony
Great stuff, I was glued to my screen
Glad you enjoyed it. Thank you. I hope you enjoy the other parts as (part 2 is my favourite).
very good content
Thank you
I first saw you on a series called Northern Wilderness with Ray Mears. You seemed effortlessly meander down rapids looking almost feather like, but controlled. I was happy to find your channel almost a decade later. It’s sad to hear that your health troubles are putting an end to this type of expedition for you. The very fact you were on this trip shows your perseverance. I also remember you demonstrating that in starting a bow drill fire in Northern Wilderness. I look forward to more of your content, even if more laid back.
I am not sure if it is perseverance or bloody mindedness! 😅 Yep that trip with Ray Mears was really formative for me. I had never really been up in front of the camera before and I felt a lot of pressure/nervousness about how I would come across. In the event it worked well and gave me a new confidence. Thanks for the kind comments and yes I have a lot of ideas and plans but excluding the tough portages. Keep well
I have a Mad River. Nice work sir.
Thank you. I loved my Mad River Canoes. Favourite was the Explorer 15'
Hello, Ray. This is really important. I've been wanting to go canoeing the open waters for almost a year now. I just don't have the money to buy one yet. But if I do, how do I prepare for a trip?
Well that is a really big question! Find some sources of information: my book is just one possibility. Join a club: in the UK you could look at the Open Canoe Association. Once you have a canoe get out on simple water: canals, slow moving rivers and small lakes but stick to the sides. When you are a novice you can easily make a mistake and end up in the water so early paddles should be within swimming distance of the side. Possibly get a couple of days instruction to get you going.
Great River for your last big expedition Ray & brave decision. As you say lots of fun stuff to do in a canoe still to do ! Enjoy.
Thanks, yep I still have lots of plans. The list is quite big. As you say the Porcupine was a fitting end to that style of trip.
Bittersweet. Ive had to give up or dumb down many of my hobbies and interests due to injuries sustained in the line of duty. I know what it's like adapting to a new normal and coming to terms with the fact that there are certain pleasures in life you'll never experience again. I wholeheartedly empathise. Plenty of hard graft on the portages, but what a phenomenal, pristine, and beautiful environment to be immersed in. I thoroughly enjoyed these videos and hats off to the entire crew for making it such a success. Lastly, big respect to David as your a hard act to follow, Ray!
Yep David did well and he looked after me on the get in and outs. He is a kind man. Yep it is hard when we have to let go. I still have a lot of plans so its not over yet although the body keep telling me otherwise. Making the videos is very good therapy for me and gives me a purpose. So thank you so much for your kind comments. Thery are very much appreciated.
Fantastic now join the two together and get a bigger sail. I like your idea and style. Thanks
Awesome, thank you!
HARD TO ENJOY THE VIDEO WITH YOU DICTATING TO YOUR PARTNER.
Oh dear. David had no experience of that size or speed of water. He needed direction. He wanted direction. That is not the way I like to paddle tandem. Sorry you didn’t enjoy it.
Great video Ray. That last piece to camera brought s tear to my eye.
It almost brought one to my eye! But it was part of the story of that trip and felt it needed to be in there. Plenty of trips left but not of that nature.
For those of us new to canoeing we are standing on your shoulders of men like you who have giving so much. Many thanks Ray you are a warrior. Cheers from Colorado.
That is so kind of you. Very much appreciated.
Well that was a hell of last wilderness expedition. I learned a lot about filming ones excursions and about canoeing. Good on you Ray!
It was a big high to go out on. Very special
I learn something with every video, you're a great teacher.
Thank you Jay. That is kind of you
Some of the descents were hair raising! I don’t think you guys were using ferrying techniques in the white water. That would have helped. I think it is better to back paddle in big water rather than crashing thru. Also it didn’t look like anyone was doing Eddy turns. Beautiful river. Glad everyone made it out ok.
Hi Richard, we often used ferries to get in position at the start of rapids. Lots of eddy turns but often the Eddys were often shallow and full of rock in the rapids. So eddy taken at the start of most rapids and at the end but few taken in rapids for the reason given. Back ferries are good but it takes a lot of skill on the part of the bow paddler and there wasn’t the experience to do this: this was not the place to learn it. Anyway thank you for commenting.
Good to see Paul K putting his skills to play
He is good and quite at home out there in the wilderness. It has been a pleasure to work with him over the years
Brilliant Ray, would a swift 15 foot prospector be able to do this
Solo yes. At 15' i would say it was too small for tandem plus loads.
Mr. Goodwin, I have fallen in love with paddling just in the last few years. Your content and training videos, as well as your adventurous spirit are so inspirational. Thanks so much for the videos you make and post, they are all part of my research, enjoyment and edification process. Cheers from Vancouver BC
That is so good to hear. Thank you so much. Long time since I have been in Vancouver: what a tremendous place to live. Keep well and have fun.
A great final part of the video series of this trip and for marking a fitting end to our epic Canadian wilderness adventures together.
It has been good and thank you for creating the opportunities. Without you I would have never done nearly as much. Thank you my friend.
@@RayGoodwinCanoe Without you I wouldn't have been able to do nearly as much. It's been a truly mutually beneficial partnership. And we still have the Lakes and the Spey to look forward to 🙂
Great video Ray. I feel your pain. My knees have forced me to make the same difficult decision to back off the more challenging routes. There is still lots of canoeing left in me however. I am always ready for an easy trip with good company if you find yourself in Canada again. Take care.
That is a great offer, thank you so much. Yep I still want to do things out there. I feel the same about getting more canoeing done. Thank you.
Great video, nice to see the tripping warts and all. Love the lining segments, it is one of my favourite things to do. Fine finale to great career of river tripping, chapeau!
Thanks Gord. Yep I do to do the Cromwell thing and include the warts😁. Swims and mistakes are really important to acknowledge for both myself and other to learn from. Yep I too enjoy lining and the whole inventive thing of getting down a wilderness river, judgement calls and all. I may head out west to the Yukon again to do a river out there: no portages.
Looks like the old Mohawk aluminum and plastic bladed paddles is that what you all were using??
Sorry but I don't recall. It was fairly typical of the paddles that outfitters provide and with no choice I just use them. Back at home I use wood paddles almost exclusively but it is too expensive to fly my own paddles.
Probably wise to use the outfitter paddles on such a river. One of our team damaged a nice bending branch navigating rapids on the Sturgeon River.
Fantastic trip 😍😁👍
Thank you 👍 Yep I done it quite a few times but always enjoy it (PS I have packed it in on one occasion due to appalling winds).
Ray in many of your videos I've enjoyed your blend of paddling know-how and lessons in setting up a canoe, reading rivers, currents and history of areas I will never get to. I've enjoyed you and your paddling partner's banter, and discussion over whether to run, line, or portage the next section of river. You have given me much to keep busy in video and print to help me learn and I just wanted to say 'thank you' for sharing your experiences with us. I'm glad my neighboring province hosted your last 'big river' trip (although I struggle to say why really - pride in what Canadian paddling has to offer I guess) - all the best to you and your family in whatever you choose to pursue. Brian
Thank you so much Brian. Your comments are so appreciated. Yep I have loved my trips in Canada and might still have one or two to do on rivers with no portages. Lots of stuff to do here at home as well so the videos will keep coming and I will keep paddling. Cheers.
Hi new sub here..ime new to canoeing and ime loving it I've found your tutorials so easy to understand thankyou very much😍👍
Awesome, thank you! Glad you find them useful. Stay safe and have fun.
Respect ray your an inspiration for canoeist
That us is kind of you. Thank you.
Can't believe that it's been almost a year since we did that! Lots of hard work but managed to make it through.
I know!! Yep it was hard, adventurous, beautiful. An amazing trip.
Yet another amazing journey, thanks for taking us along Ray. An epic trip to end the era, thanks again for all the adventures Ray. atb
Thanks you so much. Yep it was an epic and a fitting end. Keep well.
Your videos are so inspiring and make one feel like they are in the boat with you. It may be the last of your big wild river trips but there are so many places to explore that are a bit gentler...I love your passion for sharing your knowledge and adventurous spirit!
Wow, thank you! I have a lot more to do but yep that is the last of that type of trip for me. That is a hard pill for me to swallow but there are plenty more adventures to be had. Again very many thanks.