Travel Planning
Disclaimer
There are significant dangers associated with both Open Water and Moving Water canoe outings. Units undertaking a Scouting Adventure on either a large body of water or moving water need more than just the basic skills and knowledge required by the BSA to conduct such a trip.
Our Troop has several adults with extensive experience and professional training in watercraft use, sailing and whitewater. If you are planning a Canoe trip and do not have an experienced adult leader able to assess flow rates, wind and "read water", you should reconsider a water outing until you have the proproper resources and people to make your trip safe.
Travel Planning
Travel planning is challenging with Scouts and mixed adult groups
Younger Scouts and less fit Adults
1.5 miles per hour on flats
Max 4-5 hours
On rivers - plan for float travel - time it takes if scouts don't paddle
Experience Scouts and fit Adults
3 miles per hour
Max 20 miles
Max 7 hours
Rivers? - flow plus 2-3 miles per hour
Tandem vs Solo
Scouts and most adults should only be in tandem canoes with 2 paddlers
Set up buddy teams. If a scout buddy doesn't make the trip, that canoe is grounded. It's unfair, but safer than trying a solo experiment.
Solo canoes can't keep up with tandem canoes. The exception is when you have an experienced adult and a younger scouts.
Weather and Tides
Winds and tides will slow things to a halt or may actually push some boats in the opposite direction.
Check Wind and Weather:
Check Tides:
Watch out for afternoon winds on big lakes - these can cause dangerous whitecaps
Portage
Portage takes a lot of time
Just getting in and out of the canoes takes up a lot of time for scouts