Paddle & Portage 2007

Coming up very shortly is P&P 2007. If you dont know what P&P is here is an overview of it.

The race is broken into 14 classes (see list below). The purpose of the breakdown is to ensure that racers are competing with others who have similar qualifications. Serious competitors are urged to enter the Fast/Racing Class. Fast/Racing, Solo, and Kayak Class entrants will paddle 2.5 miles on Lake Mendota and will start on the beach 5 minutes before the standard class race starts. It is the purpose of the Fast/Racing Class to separate the serious competitors from the recreational paddlers. Competition boats or boats over 18 feet will be placed into the Fast/Racing Class. The Lightweight Class is for recreational paddlers using boats under 50 pounds and under 18 feet. At weigh in boats will be assigned their appropriate class. No weight may be added to change classes. The decision of the canoe inspectors will be final.

Fast Class (2.5 miles)	Definition
Fast/Racing Solo Kayak	competition boats and recreational boats over 18ft boats less than 50 pounds and under 18' solo kayaks only
Standard Class (1.5 miles)	Definition
Lightweight Adult-Child Mixed Up Hill Women's Up Hill Men's Up Hill Mixed Down Hill Women's Down Hill Men's Down Hill Women's Over the Hill Men's Over the Hill Women's Century Men's Century	solo canoes only adult age 25 & over, child 15 & under 1 male, 1 female, ages total 59 or less ages total 59 or less ages total 59 or less 1 male, 1 female, ages total 60 or more ages total 60 or more ages total 60 or more both 40 years or older both 40 years or older both 50 years or older both 50 years or older

My friend David and I will be doing the Fast class this saturday July 21st. We even drove to Ann Arbor MI to buy and fix up a 1986 Wenonah SCR 18'6 Ultralight canoe.
1. We used steal wool and bleach/water to get all the grim out of the gunwales, which helped them dry out.
2. we hand sanded them down so they were soft.
3. Linseed oil to bring back the life of the them
4. replaced david's foot brace and reinforced it
5. took off the ugly pads on my seat and goo-gone'd it down to the Kevlar again
6. patched the outside of the hole and part of the bow.
7. sanded twice more
8. Oiled the gunwales once again
9. padded what we needed for the race

We have gone out and paddled it a few time on Lake Wingra but this week we need to get out there and run with it and paddle it more. The weather for the week looks rainy all week and beautiful on saturday for the race. Cant wait.


The picture on the Left is the day we bought it. There was a hole in it and it was gross looking. Deff needed some TLC

The 2nd picture is the reworked and done picture of the boat. only about 7 hours of labor went into bringing some value back into the boat, we just wish it could tell us the stories of the past.




If you would like to come and watch that would be wonderful. July 21st 9:30am at James Madison Park.