Some friends and I are planning a 3 day, 90 mile trip on the Minnesota river.  We are all pretty much canoeing virgins.  Is it posibile to do?  On average how far can 1 get in a canoe in a day?

90 miles is along time, we take atleast 6 hours to float 3 miles on a regular flow, i would warn not to plan for that long a trip, your butt be sore 4 sure!

 

what do you mean by a float?  We want to paddle hard.  Not enjoy the sights. So how far could a guy really get when you put your mind to it.  Thats what I'm asking.

 

Thanks for the info, I need more.

On a good day with no wind you can go 6 miles in a hour. well thats the best i can do in a kayak

One MYTHBUSTERS episode they waterskied behind an 8 man shell. It (the rowers) could make 15 to 20 knots for a short distance.  I hope this gives some perspective.
Life Member since 1996, Greenlantern, Wichita, Ks

One can determine the speed of the canoe mathematically by timing marks (bubbles or objects in the water) moving past two points (distance in feet) on the canoe

 

The mathematical formula for speed in knots is: Distance (converted to nautical miles) ÷ time (converted to hours) = Knots (nautical miles per hour)

 

Example:  Lets say you have a 20 ft canoe

 If an object moves 20 feet point to point in 3 seconds you can determine your speed (nautical miles per hr) by pluging the numbers into the formula

1. convert feet to nautical miles: 20 feet = .0033 nautical miles (20 divided by 6077 feet per nautical mile).

2. convert the seconds into hours: 3 seconds = .0008 hours (3 divided by 3600 seconds per hour).

3. divide the distance (.0033 nautical miles) by the time (.0008 hours) to get the speed (4.125 knots).per hour.

If you mantain that pace non stop over a 8hr day you could travel (4.125 x 8 = 33miles per day)

Good  Luck stay safe and wear your lifevest

 

 

"Friends are GOD's way of showing us that we don't have to fish alone"
"Take a child fishing"

(Wi) Life Member

Jerry K.

That is a very long trip for virgin canoers. Im a very experienced kayak paddler, and for a 3 day trip, I wouldn't plan on going any further than 40 miles. You don't want to set up a drop point and then not be able to get to it for 5 days when you've only planned for 3. Start with a smaller trip, say 25 miles, and then slowly work your way up to bigger trips. Safety is your first concern, and if you throw that to the wind, then a fun trip can quickly turn dangerous. Bring at least 2 gallons of water per-person per-day, and all of the essential saftey gear. Be very careful, and do not underestimate how quickly the weather can change. Good luck.

The Whizzle

On open water such as a large river expect to cover about 20 -25 miles per day. Also make sure you find out all you can about your route. My brother & I took a "mystery" trip down a small, local river several years ago. even though we were fishing & sightseeing, we could not plan for every unknown.42 miles & five days later we made our landing.Pack smart, plan ahead, enjoy your trip.Good luck & be safe guys.