New Location

We have now moved our Blog to blogger to match up with the other brookbank sites. we are also on facebook as well as on our standard homepages – www.carlislecanoes.co.uk

Ullswater Open Canoe Training

Last weekend we joined up with other staff from some of the other shops to do some open canoe training, basing ourselves from the Glenridding Sailing Centre, Ullswater.

Launching from Glenridding Sailing Centre

We covered different techniques of moving. we looked at poling, lining and tracking, paddling, and sailing, as well as tarpology

Poling and Paddling

The weather was changeable,as you may well be able to see but we did make the most of the conditions, with everyone getting a lot out of the session

taking the boat for a walk

We now have plans to do further training, and maybe organise some longer journeys

Shop Manager from Perth - Cam taking time to enjoy an English Lake

Talkin Tarn Demo Day 09

Once again we were present at the Talkin Tarn Water Day, offering on the water sessions, and demo boats for more experience paddlers.

In All we had 3 Trailers, plus a van load of kayaks, canoes, Sit on tops, and sea kayaks all to try out. Normally these are based around out 5 shops in Warwickshire, Stockport, Carlisle and Perth. but we managed to get our hands on about 60% of the fleet for the day.

Fortunately the bad weather that was forcast stayed away, and we enjoyed a full day from 10-6 of talking to customers as well as helping beginners into the sport of kayaking.

The full fleet of Open Canoes was certainly well used, with a lot of paddlers able to compare and contrast all the boats available from Novacraft, Old Town,Wenonah, and Mad River Canoes.

We also had a large amount of sea and Touring Paddlers who had one of the first opportunities to try out the Tahe Kayaks boats – with the Reval and Mini Reval proving most popular, as well as having a go in our North Shore Boats

Most first timers had a go in the very stable sit on tops, or short touring boats from Perception, Dagger, Ocean Kayak

We eventually managed to get away at 6pm , With the Team from Brookbank Stockport still having a long drive home.

Pete + Antony

how to win your own shield…..

At the start of the month, was the annual Norfolk Island race on Ullswater. Organised by Cumbria Canoeists it starts and finishes from the Outward Bound centre on the Lake, with various classes to suit juniors, canoists, sea kayaker, allthe way up to thefastest K1s and K2s.

 As normal Pete took a van and trailer load of Sea Kayaks. Proving popular this year were the Lettmanns, and North Shores (ring us up as we are selling off the Lettmann demo boats at 20% Off) Soon all the boats were taken, with a few people dissapointed, and having to paddle their own boats!

Ian from Carlisle Canoes Club turned up with his open (not the fastest flat water beast- a Wenonah Prospector), his partner had not yet turned up, so bering the kind sort, I agreed to take part if Mike didn’t turn up…..

looking round, like last year there were quite a few opens on the water, so it looked like a bit of competition, and so it was thaqt I was lined up to compete. 3 miles later we realised we were in the lead of our class.  at the half ay island we couldn’t see any open boats. 7 miles later (after storming past another racer, we won in a class of….. 1…..) in a time of 1hour 28 mins.

It was great to see all the brookbank hire boats at the front of the pack in the sea kayaking classes, and everyone reported back on smooth fast rides, including beating previous race times. However the fastest sea kayakers were well beated by a couple of K2s, and astonishingly everyone was hammered by a racing K1 with a time of 47 minutes.

So thats how I came to win my own shield – who wants to take it off me for next year? my legs have just about recovered!

Comming up in September is the 3 lakes challenge – Coniston, Ullswater and Windermere….. join us if you dare…..

 

Annually we sponsor a shield to present at the annual Ullswater Norfolk Island Race,

2 months in

Well here we are 2 months in,

I had thought this blog would die down, but we are still attracting hits, so an update is in order, what have we been up to?

we have a new sign up,

shop displays have been added

we are settled in.

In June (8th) we will be having a demo day on Talkin Tarn

Outfitting Party Week 1

Well yesterday we got started with fitting out the new shop. Ant, together with some staff from two of the other shops – Mike H, Chris, and Simon have been working hard

(this was at the end of the day!)

The Carpet arrived, and we started fitting out. We have started battening the wall for the software slatwall, and the desk has been started. hopefully today we will finish something!!!

The place still looks huge but it is still nice and warm. You can see from the second photo, we have managed to get the new Remix 59 demo boat as the first boat in the shop!

The racking has just arrived this morning, so over the next few days that will be getting up. the new Canoe and kayak racks should arrive next week.

The old shop is still busy, with lots of new kit arriving all the time, ready for the move. Our storage is also full, ready to expand and fill the space we will have

We will be having an open evening on the 7th of February, but should actually be open by the end of January. In the mean time, you can still contact us on our telephone number 01228 531703

Happy Birthday!!

To us, We are now 1 year old. Last year was great for us. Exciting things are going to happen in the next few months.