12 Gifts of Christmas Giveaway

I-CANOE's 12 Gifts of Christmas

Struggling to find a gift for that special paddler in your life?  Well check out our 12 Gifts of Christmas suggestions and also our competition below!

1. HF Compact Alpine Throwbag
   An absolute must have for every whitewater paddlers rescue kit.
   20 Metres of 10mm rope makes extractions a breeze.
   This is one of the strongest throwbags on the market and the 10mm rope won't cut through your hands when you are giving it the heave ho ho ho. 
2. Reliance Euro Splint
   The Euro splint is an incredibly versatile product and is used to immobilise broken bones and sprain injuries, It may sound extreme but its a must have in a paddler's first aid arsenal. You never know when Santa may just slip off the roof! 
3. LifeSystems Waterproof First Aid Kit
   Made from tough, waterproof material, this kit contains first aid equipment for injuries typically sustained from water sports, as well as general outdoor activities. This kit is perfect for all Christmas Kitchen related injuries and "wrapping" paper cuts!
4. Peak UK Neo HeadCase
   That's probably what the wife says too when you head out for the Stephen's Day Paddle to work off the Christmas Pud.
   This little gem is fuzzy lined keeping you warm and toasty even when wet.
5. Typhoon Therma Long Sleeve Fleece
   There's nothing like that warm toasty feeling inside whilst you watch the world go by, perfect for the morning commute or walking the dog this warm thermal layer is thick and comfortable to wear under a dry cag or suit to keep you warm and happy on even the coldest river days
6. HF Paddle Karabiner                                       An absolute essential, this rated karabiner is strong and durable.  The opening is wide enough to fit over a paddle shaft so the ideal tool for rescue situations.
   
   
7. Fox 40 Whistle
   As the nights roll in and the dark weather is here the paddling options are limited.  Make sure you always carry a whistle to attract attention.
   Also perfect for calling Santa down from the clouds.
   An ideal stocking filler for any paddler in the household.
8. Nookie Ti Liner Socks
   Keeping the feet warm on the coldest days can be a tough job, but add a set of these to your layers and you will be in for a treat.  Thin enough that they are comfortable year round but warm enough to use as extra insulation from the cold Irish winter.
9. Sola 5L Dry Bag
   Any paddler will know, You can NEVER own enough dry bags, perfect for storing things in the back of your boat or for keeping the car dry. This 5L Bag from Sola is a great size for snacks or extra layers to safely stow in the back of the boat.
10. NRS Bumper 15ft Straps
    I don't know about you but I'm always losing straps. I never seem to have enough, These 15ft straps are long enough to comfortably secure multiple boats to your rack. Keep an eye on Santa's sleigh as we've supplied him a few this year for his extra large load.
11. AquaPac iPhone 6 Case
    Aquapac are probably the market leader in dry cases for phones they are great quality and easy to use.  The iPhone 6 size case is suitable for most phones and the clear panels allow the phone to be used whilst inside. An ideal gift to stay in touch with loved ones on adventures.
12. Peak Neo Pogies
    Last but definitely not least these Neo Pogies from Peak are a gift straight from Santa.  We've seen him use them on his own reigns during the arctic flights. These are designed to secure over the paddle shaft and slide your hand inside to provide shelter from the outside.  Warm and functional paddling during the winter is hard on the hands. These are a great option to keep the hands warm and functional.

For More gift ideas take a look at our Christmas Gift Ideas page on the Website

For 12 days of December, we here at I-CANOE will be opening our 

Special Online Advent Calendar

• Each day at 12 noon we will be posting a new image on Facebook to like and comment on.

• The following day at noon we will be announcing the winner
  Just before posting the next days image

So you have 12 chances to win over 12 days of December

Jingle all the way to our Facebook Page now

Merry Christmas from everyone at

NRS Tyrant SUP Board - First Look

The Tyrant is a nice short and stable river SUP.

As soon as it is rolled out, you can tell the quality construction. 

Plenty of D-rings and handles for easy handling both on and off the water.

All fins come with the board and are not moulded in like some other boards.

There's a nice selection of fins supplied as well as a repair kit.

Lovely textured deck pad with heel kicker for added control.

And finally everything rolls up in this sturdy carry bag.

Keep an eye on www.i-canoe.com for SUP specials and demos.

New Waka Tuna

News just in from Waka HQ on their new Creeker.

Here's what Sam Sutton had to say about the new design:

"Our main goal when we made this new boat was to improve the things we didn’t like about the Tuna and make something that will be lighter and faster to assemble to fix our production issues we have had from day one. 

The main changes that were made to the hull was

Rounded the nose rails, this has made it much better when paddling straight down the river and not getting pushed on the nose and trying to go straight, it was also hoping to lessen the impact when dropping waterfalls and it feels much nicer to stomp the nose. 

The rocker is a bit more even and now the boat planes much nicer out of drops it holds it speed. 

It will be 3cm longer than the original. 

We have taken all the lines off the top deck to spread the plastic more venially to reduce weight and increase strength. 

There is now 5 alloy handles which make the boat look nicer. 

The cockpit has changed lots now and the thigh braces are moulded in as this was where we lost time in assembly. It also reduces the weight by 1.5kg. 

The seat and pillars are fixed internally to reduce stress on the boat and remove holes through the boat. 

The first two boats we made are 17.8kg and we except production to be 19kg with a solid shell weight."

Personally I loved the original Wak Tuna so I'm anxious to see what they have done with the design.

All going to plan, we should have the new model in stock before the Alpine season starts in May.

Corelite X from Venture Canoes

 

A Breakthrough Material from Venture and P&H

You won't see it, but you'll definitely feel it!
It's not often a product comes along which has improved in absolutely every way, but with CoreLite X there is no compromise:
*   Canoes are approximately 3 to 5kg lighter, and sea kayaks weigh between 2 and 3kg less.
*   Hull stiffness has seen a significant increase, bringing it closer to composite performance.
*   Greater durability means they'll work as hard as you do, without showing their age.
Don't just take our word for it though, try it for yourself! Your local dealer and test centre is:
CoreLite X is quite simply, better; no need to have a separate instructor boat, as you'll enjoy paddling these as much as your clients will!

Venture Canoes available in CoreLite X

Ranger 149

Ranger 162

Prospector 155

Prospector 165

Hunter

These class-leading, British made designs are available in CoreLite X now, and are fast becoming the choice of the UK's top canoe coaches.
"It was the combination of design, Venture's enthusiasm and CoreLite X that convinced me to paddle the Prospector 155; the new material is far stiffer and gives an enhanced experience on the water. Not only am I going to be paddling CoreLite X myself, but I am introducing more Venture canoes into my fleet."
- Ray Goodwin, Author of 'Canoeing' and Freelance Paddlesport Coach.

More informaton on Rays Pink Canoe HERE

"I've been managing centres for over 15 years now and delivering coach courses through them all over the UK and Europe; durability of the boats at these locations is as important as handling and performance.

Rest-assured that I have tried my level best to destroy the CoreLite X prototypes lent to me; I have dragged them everywhere, thrown them down slip ways and pushed them off the top of a 12 canoe trailer. Bystanders winced, but the boat was fine every time. We all know that customers never take as much care of our boats as we'd like, but CoreLite X canoes will put your mind at ease."
- Richard Witheridge, UKCC Level 3 Coach & Coach Educator.

contact us now for more information; joining the CoreLite X revolution just might be the easiest decision you make this year!

Servicing and Repair Options

Boats

So the water has returned and its time to dust off the old boat and paddles and hit some of Irelands wettest rockiest ditches.

As you load up the car you listen as that bolt is still rolling around the inside of the hull from where it came you have no idea, and where its going to go is also a mystery as if it falls out would probably be less annoying for all of us.

A few weeks later and you start to wonder….. how important was that bolt?? As you pull through on your best boof and the seat slides back 3 inches leaving you in no mans land touching nothing and falling graciously from your boat.

So that bolt was a little important…….

 

Here at I-Canoe we understand just how important every single bolt is and also where they actually should go!

We are offering a free* boat check up service

By bringing your boat into us we can tighten replace and refit any bolts, bulkheads or ratchets to give your boat that safe feeling again.

We can offer

• Bolt Tightening and replacements
• Ratchet upgrades and replacements
• Hip pad fitting
• Foam outfitting
• Bung Replacement
• Welds and repairs
• Pretty much anything else

Unlike halfords if you pay for the parts we will fit for FREE! for cracks and welds we can look and quote on any damage.

We carry many spares in stock for specialist part we can order in for you.

*Free check up – you pay for parts we fit for free!

 

Other Services

Paddles

We can fit and repair broken shafts from many brands please give us a call for a quote.

We carry stock blades from Double Dutch, Jantex and Galasport which can be assembled in store for your own custom paddle.

 

Latex Seals

We stock and sell DIY Latex seal kits for ankles, wrists and neck of dry cags and suits. these easy DIY packs contain seals, glue, sandpaper and some 303 protectant to keep your seal in excellent condition. ONLINE HERE

We also offer an instore seal repair service the usual turnaround is approx 2-3 days just depending how busy we are we can get them done overnight if needed.

The price for us to replace

Neck – €50

Wrist (Single) – €30

Ankle (Single) – €30

Socks (Single) - €30

Coffee

Just checking if your still reading we have a fantastic instore coffee machine manned by erm well…US

So come on down, visit us instore for a chat, a gander, a nose, to view, to feel or to sit in. we are happy to help.

See you on the water.

Team I-Canoe

 

20% Off Sale!

So just because its almost the end of August we have decided to clear some stock room space,

we have 20% off of some great items to get you on the water.

20% Off Five Ten Canyoneer 3 Boots

20% Off Yak Vanguard Drysuit (size Medium)

20% Off Yak Kallista PFD

20% Off Astral Green Jacket

20% Off Kokatat Centurion PFD

Plus lots more specials can be found here!

Sunset Sea Kayak Sessions

With the warm bright evenings, I-Canoe decided to do something a little different, As Ireland Premiere Kayak retailer we decided that with all this experience instore we should put it to use on the water so we started running Sea Kayak Sessions, easy beginner sea kayak trips around Dalkey or Howth, two beautiful trips for novice and expert alike, with the Irish Seas ever changing conditions no two trips are ever the same from the glass like seas upto the rolling wet stuff to keep everyone entertained.

Over the past few weeks these trips have become ever popular, and no with the evenings getting shorter again we have had the opportunity to see some of the most beautiful sunsets this side of Ireland

With only a few weeks left of bright evenings if your thinking about coming along get in touch we hope to run these through to late september but as always it depends on the weather.

I-Canoe Web Page – Sunset Sea Kayak Sessions link

Heres some of the latest photos from the trips

 

Check Whether Your Knot is Knotted Correctly or Not

Nearly all throwbags have a looped knot in the end for tying/clipping onto.

Ideally this loop should be small to avoid the risk of accidentally trapping someone's fingers to the bag when it is under tension.

For this demonstration, we are using the Nookie 15 metre throw line which is easy to pack, has nice thick rope which is easy to handle and a listed breaking strain of 13 kN.

The loop in the Nookie bag is tied using a bowline knot. Now, all knots reduce a ropes overall strength by a certain amount and some knots reduce it by more than others.  A bowline can reduce the strength to approx 60% of the total breaking strain whereas a figure of 8 would reduce it to around 80%/90%.

So after making the loop on the outside of the bag as small as possible, I tied a figure of 8 first...

... Which I then retreaded.  I added a cable tie at the base of the knot to stop the loose end from making a nuasence of itself.

And here it, the finished knot - much tidier than before.

Unfortunately we don't have the resources to check and retie every bag we sell but it is good practise to check your bag regularly to ensure it is in good working order.