Category Archives: Hornbeck boats

First Paddle

Nearly mid-June and I just launched the Hornbeck canoe this morning for the first time. Too many other activities, chores, excuses but it was a great beginning. I went early to our local Wrightsville Reservoir and being a weekday and early, only one sculler was on the water.

Dozens of bird calls kept me occupied as I headed north on the quiet water with a few beavers objecting to my presence with loud slaps. Then, up ahead, I saw the white head of an Osprey or Bald Eagle in a craggy tree and carefully approaching it, saw that it was my first bald eagle of the year.

I sat at a distance and watched him for some time and then carefully paddled away leaving him undisturbed.

The inlet of the reservoir is the North Branch of the Winooski River and for a short period, it gets scenic and is a great paddle.

I came upon a Common Merganser with her chicks resting on a sandbar and she slipped into the stream and led them away as I tried to steady the boat and take some photos.

The eagle was still there on the return trip and I saw/heard over thirty species, got a nice workout, and finished up before 8 o’clock. Good to be on the water again.

A Therapeutic Paddle

After several weeks dealing with triple-digit temperatures and a couple of hot, humid days back here in Vermont as I mowed our cow pasture aka lawn and bush-hogged our woods trails, it was great to strap the boat on Mary’s newly inspected car and head out early this morning with the air temperature 60. I was on the water before 6:30 and had the reservoir to myself.

You may recall that we bought our Hornbeck boats last summer

You may recall that we bought our Hornbeck boats last summer

As I drove in, I saw a mama Mallard and her crew foraging along the shoreline. I launched the boat, paddled easily over towards them as she drew them into the lake, and listened to her cluck to them as I drifted, shooting with the long lens, and they motored on. I left them  to enjoy the rest of their morning.

Mama was just ahead of them, outside the camera frame. She seemed calm but attentive to this potential predator.

Mama was just ahead of them, outside the camera frame. She seemed calm but attentive to this potential predator.

Being a weekend, the highway noise was nothing and I just moved easily along with no ear buds, FitBit, or other distractions other than the birding gear. It was very refreshing, physically and mentally, and I listened to the Belted Kingfishers, the Common Yellowthroats, the Veery, some Cedar Waxwings, and a couple of flycatchers, just poking along on a cool misty Vermont summer morning.

The lighting was terrible for photography and I was rusty. I spooked several birds when I brought the camera up too fast, and missed others trying to control the boat speed and direction and doing neither well. It wasn’t a big deal – but I remembered that much of my birding in the last few months has been at preserves and locations where the birds seem more used to people, and tend to sit a little more still.

There was an Osprey perched right over the reservoir on a craggy dead tree who seemed quite uninterested in me. The camera shots were not ready for prime time. The water level was higher than it often is this time of year and so I could cover some areas that are normally mudflats.

The inlet to the reservoir is the North Branch of the Winooski and it offers a short stretch of quiet paddling with ledges, overhanging trees, and on this occasion, a family of beavers. They were very active and I was on their turf and they let me know. I felt comfortable but they were very close, as you can see here.

This guy had a stick in its mouth, then it reversed direction and .....

This guy had a stick in its mouth, then it reversed direction and …..

this image is not cropped. I got wet from it.

this image is not cropped. I got wet from it.

Four Great Blue Herons, probably this year’s youngsters, accompanied me part of the way back, squawking to one another all the way. The boat handled well — it felt good to get a little upper body workout — and Penny had slept after her morning walk and breakfast and was ready for the next item on the day’s agenda when I got home.  The next project turned out to be to remove the hundreds of baked-on bugs 0n the Airstream Interstate that I picked up in the 12,000 miles I’ve put on it since April. But I was in a good mood from the lovely paddle and it went well. Now to get some better early morning light for photography.

Vote for the Boats

You may recall that we sold our kayaks and purchased two super light Hornbeck boats this summer. We like them a lot but wonder about lugging them 7,000 miles, much of which is desert, for the relatively few chances we might have to paddle. I have worried about possible theft – they are attractive, unique, easy-to-remove, and expensive to replace.

I am a member of a Facebook group called “Hornbeck Boat Lovers” and decided to post my concerns and ask for advice. Most commenters said that they used bike locks and had no problems. The consensus was that it is easy to saw through the wood thwarts but most thieves were probably looking for something more portable. One guy wrote “I’ve got two locks and a sign that says ‘smile you’re on camera’ for subterfuge.”

I looked into insurance under my auto policy and I can get a policy with $500 deductibles for $100 a year. I am not sure whether to pursue that – if I lose one boat I pay $600 to replace a $1300 craft.

Lastly, I looked over our travel plans to determine just how many paddling opportunities we might have. On the way out, we might have chance at one of our two-day stops but the best chance would be at Patagonia Lake – which is perfect for birding and paddling and we are scheduled for two weeks. I don’t think I’ll try the Pacific Ocean but you never know.

Returning, we’ll have more campgrounds with chances to paddle (South Llano, Falcon, Goose Island, Village Creek). I estimate that I’ll probably paddle a dozen times and Mary will try it a few times.

Lock1kW

We have two bike locks and locking racks.

The weak link, so to speak, is the wooden cross-piece. I might add a metal strip for the trip.

The weak link, so to speak, is the wooden cross-piece. I might add a metal strip for the trip.

The boats with their covers ride well on the truck, especially when tied down to the front.

The boats with their covers ride well on the truck, especially when tied down to the front.

If we don’t have the boats, we’ll wish we did – if they are on top the whole way, we’ll probably question our decision about Yuma, AZ. However, my inclination is to bring them along. Stay tuned.

Paddling Lake Attitash

After four days of rain showers with some thunderstorms, we finally are getting a day or two of muggy but cloudy weather. Yesterday morning, I asked our grandson Mac if he wanted to paddle for a bit and when Mary graciously offered to watch the dog, we were off to the local lake.

Lake Attitash’s chief feature for us is that it is only a few miles away. It is shallow, small (360 acres) and extensively developed; roads and cottages, two or three rows deep in places, virtually ring the entire lake, as well as a summer boys’ camp, and at least two boat docks. There are literally hundreds of boats of all types and sizes but most just are active in the evening and on weekends. It was rather quiet today but the south wind gave us a steady chop to deal with.

Mac used my boat and I squeezed into Mary's ten-footer.

We just had launched when we saw a Bald Eagle cruising past. The waves were hitting us from the stern quarter so I was more focused on paddling than grabbing for the camera. Ten minutes later, a Great Blue Heron lifted off from the bushes right in front of us, followed by an active Belted Kingfisher who delighted us by diving rather close by the boats.

There is a long inlet that is very shallow and full of water lilies, water hyacinths, and many aquatic weeds. It is protected from the wind and often has a lot of waterfowl. We spotted our Great Blue Heron, or his brother, fishing in the shallows.

This may have been the GBH that we flushed earlier.

Further ahead, I spotted this trio of young Mallards cruising just so they kept ahead of us.

These ducks were wary but never flushed as we kept our distance.

The inlet has a protective boom to supposedly keep nutrients and algae out of the lake. It once may have been a good idea but as Mac says, "Doesn’t look like they maintain it." Sticks and branches pushed sections to allow water to just move over the top – and looking at the lake, it appears to be a lost cause. This lake is eutrophication with a capitol E.

The Gunderboom may have seen better days.

Heading back down the inlet, we saw a Mute Swan family again – having seen the adults earlier. The cygnets are nearly full-grown but still grey and fuzzy-looking.

MSwans1W

 

MSwans2W

Heading back into the wind, the paddling was a little slower but the boats tracked better. We ended the outing with a flyover by an Osprey. It was a fun outing with my fourteen-year-old grandson who is a pretty good paddler/birder. Good birding.

 

Our Hornbeck Boats – What’s Not To Like?

I was on the shoreline at Falcon Lake State Park in Texas, hoisting my kayak up on to the truck, when a gust of wind caused the boat to twist and head toward the ground, with me fighting it to a soft landing. I got it up and in place the next try but thought, “This getting harder every year – lifting a 50-60 pound kayak eight feet up to a rack on the F-150. It was easier when it was the Saab and I was ten years younger.”

I woke up the next morning with chest tighteness but attributed it to the wrenching that my torso got from the kayak. However, I do have some heart issues (Afib) and when our daughter, who was 2000 miles away and very concerned heard about it she texted, emailed, and I think left a message that she felt I should get it checked out.

So the next morning, I drove the 40+ miles to the Starr County Regional Hospital, which is a tiny rural hospital, and went to the ER. Since I was feeling OK, I was sent next door to the clinic for testing.

It was interesting: I was one of the only Anglos there – most go to the larger facilities down on the Valley. My Hispanic PA was good – as was the whole staff. I got an EKG, blood work, and a thorough exam and they felt everything was fine. As it has turned out to be.

But this episode was the stimulus to get serious about replacing the Eddyline boats with something more manageable. I put them on Craigslist a month after we returned and had a buyer at once.

I had heard about some light-weight canoes made over in New York State several years ago and met a guy in Texas with two Hornbeck boats strapped on his car. He raved about them.

So, several months ago on a Saturday, Mary and I and the dog headed over to Olmsteadville, New York and after trying out several boats on their small pond, bought two Classics, one ten-footer for Mary and a twelve-footer for me. We loved the lightness (16 pounds and 18 pounds), the ease of paddling, and the stability.

The boats are easy for one person to handle but if you have a helper, go for it.

Waiting, along with some slower cousins, for a paddler.

The boats are great for grandchildren to paddle — immediate fun.

I bought some custom boat covers to protect the Kevlar from sun damage and road rash from Sue Audette aka The Bag Lady who sold me a cover for my racing canoe years ago.

I love my Hornbeck for its ease of loading and its stability for birding and photography. I suspect that we’ll use them a lot more than our kayaks since they are great for a wide variety of ages, sizes, and abilities. I’m debating whether to take one with us this winter – we’ll be near water about a month out of the three. Stay tuned.