Single scull commute, is this a daft idea?

[snowleopard]

Quandary, better wear a survival suit as well; it may take some time to be able to skim along the canal happily on a crisp winter morning at cycling speed. Remember balance skills get less the older you get! Its still a great idea though.

In a scull the balance, once you are in, is not as difficult as you might think. As you come forward to the front stop you run the backs of the blades along the water. As you get better at it the surface-skimming will become less until finally you don't need to touch at all. During the power stroke you keep the handles level and the boat stays level.

A tubby tender will be slow and frustrating but a slender dinghy like this:

Would suit you very nicely.

I would say it is essential to have a sliding seat as otherwise you get maybe half your available power. That also implies outriggers as you need to be able to make use of the much longer stroke than a fixed-seat rower.

With that sort of boat 7-10 mph should be easily achieved.

 

[sarabande]

does this canal ever ice up ?

Sorry, global warming deviation

 

[Ubergeekian]

does this canal ever ice up ?

I was frozen into it at Crinan 15 years ago.

 

[alan_d]

Have you considered one of these?

(No, it's not me. I found it on Google Images.)

 

[Searush]

I was frozen into it at Crinan 15 years ago.

Ok, so it's ice skates in Winter.

 

[Adonnante]

Can old, non-competitive, but usable sculls be aquired for a few hundred quid, (and sold on again if I am not up to it)?
Anyone who knows about rowing to advise me to try it or to wise up?[/QUOTE]

One possible option that might work is the Laser Shell http://www.msogphotosite.com/MSOG/pdfpage/lasershell.pdf
We have one that we use occasionally and it is wide enough to enable an average rower like me to enjoy the exercise of a sliding seat skiff without the requirement to be able to swim home. A number were imported in the late 70's, perhaps there are still some laying about unloved.

Peter.

 

[Romeo]

Rowing

These caught my eye in watercraft: http://www.exacteditions.com/exact/browse/603/1075/6796/2/56

Rather than the seat sliding, it is your rigger atached to your feet that slides. Less up and down and possibly easier to balance. Any locks between you and the boat? I think they would spoil your commute.

Rowing is great exercise: outdoors on the water, where we all want to be. You could always click on the link on my signiture, find four pals, and build a boat to row in together. Thirty St Ayles Skiffs built or in build in Scotland a year after the design was launched, but none in Argyll. Yet.

R

 

[Silent Lady]

Canoe

What about a canoe .. Reasonably stable .. Depends on type .. Double would give you room for tools .. Some are very quick .. You can also SEE WHERE YOUR GOING

 

[Bajansailor]

Is that Searush paddling the coracle in the photo above?

As for commuting by skiff, sounds like a brilliant idea to me!
I was up your way at the end of March, when there was still snow on higher ground, and we drove along the Crinan canal - looks ideal for sculling (certainly wide enough) - might be good to have a front view mirror on your scull or skiff though, otherwise you will have to keep looking around a lot.
Or perhaps consider a kayak?
Some years ago, I went paddling on the Thames with some pals in kayaks - we went about 5 miles up river to a pub for lunch, and then back again afterwards, and I was only partially seized up afterwards....

Re skiffs, there are lots of lovely boats to choose from - I would agree with all the comments above re dont go for anything too racy or tippy, otherwise there is a good chance of ending up in the oggin - and the Crinan water did look rather chilly in March.....

The Laser skiff in the link above looks good - you could also keep an eye out for an Alden Ocean Shell - I think there was a dealer in the UK, although am not too sure if there still is.
http://www.rowalden.com/pubsite/

Or a Chippendale Sprite could be an ideal boat for what you have in mind - these folk build them :
http://www.woodenboats.uk.com/skiffs.html

Here is a Sprite that was for sale with Boatshed, but no more - http://www.boatshed.com/chippendale_sprite_skiff-boat-35023.html
And one that is for sale on apolloduck, but they want 2k for it -
http://www.apolloduck.co.uk/feature.phtml?id=111472

Here is a thread from a few years ago by Gavi, who was looking for a rowing skiff on the Thames - http://www.ybw.com/forums/showthread.php?t=113413

 

[ytd]

I have seen these http://www.hobiecat.com.au/kayaking/index.html
being pedalled along at a jogging pace.

 

[Bajansailor]

It is a real shame that the Ro-Cats never took off in a big way - one of these would be ideal for what you have in mind, and it would also be suitable for lumpy sea conditions as well.
http://www.rocat.co.uk/

 

[snowleopard]

These caught my eye in watercraft: http://www.exacteditions.com/exact/browse/603/1075/6796/2/56

That hull looks remarkably like an International Canoe.

 

[snowleopard]

What about a canoe .. Reasonably stable .. Depends on type .. Double would give you room for tools .. Some are very quick .. You can also SEE WHERE YOUR GOING

How about this?

 

[Quandary]

The mad oarsman

Thanks for all the ideas.
I am afraid I am not prepared to spend enough on this to go with some of the better ones. I live in Ardrishaig beside Lock 3 but intended to row from above 4 to the winter boatyard at Cainbaan just below 5, about 3/4 of an hour in a yacht at the speed limit of 4 knots, (for yachts not skiffs.) I could cope with facing backward, as working as an occasional Canal pilot and regular dog walker I know the curves of the canal well, and there is almost zero traffic in winter.
The canal did freeze thick enough to skate on last winter but there are were thinner bits where streams come in and it was too cold to work on the boat then anyway.
All my life I have harboured the ambition to build a yacht from cedar strip but I either could not find enough time or a large enough heated shed, so my ambition has reduced from 40' to a cedar strip canoe which I could build in the loft I deliberately created above my garage. However I suspect that unless I switched to a kayak it would be far too slow for regular journeys, hence the sculling idea. A canadian type of canoe would be more fun in summer for my children and grandchildren to muck about in.
I know absolutely nothing about rowing and can only remember being on a sliding seat once but I was attracted by the vision of graceful conversion of effort to smooth swift motion.

PS Boots, I know you were keen to encourage, but I recall you as a very safety conscious guy, I was joking about your motives, cheers.

 

[armchairsailor]

Have you looked through Iain Oughtred's catalogue? I'm sure Jordan Boats have a copy on their website, and if all else fails, I'm sure the great man himself would be all too happy to design you something to fit your needs. I might be able to find you his email address - nice chap.

 

[Quandary]

Iain Oughtred designs

Yes, a year ago I was considering trying to get a village group together to build a St Ayles skiff, (they are planning to do one up Loch Fyne in Inverary) so I looked at his designs then. To be honest if I was going down that route I would prefer that it was that particular boat but as community project, the space I have in my own garage loft with headroom is only 6m. x 4m. so limited to a quite small boat.
However the one human quality which Argyll has in world beating quantities is lethargy.

 

[armchairsailor]

Gosh, I'd fit right in then. Obviously on the wrong (townie) side of Scotland...

Anyhoo, link here for Iain's designs: http://jordanboats.co.uk/JB/iain_oughtred.htm: a mole should do the job very nicely.

Iain came round about 2 years ago as he was in my area to look at some sitka spruce I have in a small wood. However, I think he was more interested in the 200 year old oak that is there - sorry, but that one's not for sale...

 

[EuanMcKenzie]

in tighnabruaich

Can old, non-competitive, but usable sculls be aquired for a few hundred quid, (and sold on again if I am not up to it)?
Anyone who knows about rowing to advise me to try it or to wise up?

One possible option that might work is the Laser Shell http://www.msogphotosite.com/MSOG/pdfpage/lasershell.pdf
We have one that we use occasionally and it is wide enough to enable an average rower like me to enjoy the exercise of a sliding seat skiff without the requirement to be able to swim home. A number were imported in the late 70's, perhaps there are still some laying about unloved.

Peter.[/QUOTE]

There is one of those sitting in the boatyard at Tighnabruaich. Going up next weekend - will ask about.

 

[Quandary]

Laser Shell

Cheers Euan, I would be interested in this, it sounds like the only thing that I could keep dry in and it is not too far away.
(If you do get any info. that you are willing to pass on, please direct it to me. The quote was mine, not Adonnante's)

 

[Romeo]

Yes, a year ago I was considering trying to get a village group together to build a St Ayles skiff, (they are planning to do one up Loch Fyne in Inverary) so I looked at his designs then. To be honest if I was going down that route I would prefer that it was that particular boat but as community project, the space I have in my own garage loft with headroom is only 6m. x 4m. so limited to a quite small boat.
However the one human quality which Argyll has in world beating quantities is lethargy.

Go for it Mr Quandry. I am sure there must be some big enough sheds in your area. A lot easier to galvanise enthusiasm if two communities close together are vying to build the fastest or the most lovely looking skiff.

R