Patrick  Forrester's Kayaking web Page.    
For N.W. Ohio & S. E. Michigan Kayakers 
   
Click on Picture for a enlargement
-- Index --
Clubs
Toledo Area Sea Kayaking Runs
Toledo Area Shops
Great Links
Buy or Sell a used boat
Toledo Area Sea Kayakers
Lake Superior Sea Kayaking Symposium
Killarney
South Bass Island Rendezvous

Clubs - TRG (Toledo River Gang) is the only kayaking club in Toledo.   www.toledorivergang.homestead.com  is one of the best clubs (of any kind) I have been involved with. If you want to kayak a club like this can really help.  TRG is a treasure trove of Good People, Safety, Knowledge, and Experience. Their focus is white water kayaking. If you want to white water kayak this is the group to get involved with.

Keel Hauler Cleveland. Its a good one and they are very well organized.
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/sklake
Yahoo Great Lakes Kayak Club
Yahoo South East Michigan Kayak Club
Great Lakes Paddlers
BradStreet Sea Kayakers Cleveland

12 - Toledo Area Sea Kayaking Possibilities
 1- Halfway Creek public access (Summit st. just north of Oh border) & go to islands - Short to long day trip.
 2- Catawba to South Bass Island.  Great camping options Click here to see pictures
 3- Put in on South Bass island and paddle to Middle bass or around Put In Bay.
 4- Put in at School in Waterville and ride to Ft Meigs in Perrysburg - Nice short after work ride. If the water is low it is not fun because you will get stuck a lot of times.
 5- Put in in Grand Rapids and Pull out at school in Waterville or go on to Ft Meigs
 6- Put in at Wier (spelling ??) Rapids and take out in Waterville or Ft Meigs
 7- Put in at Maple Street in Perrysburg & return to Maple Street. Surprisingly good with many options.
 8- Put in at boat ramp up river from Grand Rapids and return to boat ramp.
 9- Put in at Button Wood Access near RiverBee (spelling ??) and return.  Doable even with low water.
10- Detroit River - It is way better than it sounds.  We do an 8-9 mile run.
11- Toledo Beach Marina & return to Toledo Beach Marina.
12- Put in at Cullen Park & take out at Cullen Park.  Around Grassy Island is 4 - 5 miles.

Toledo Area Shops -  
Beartooth Mountaineering -
Monroe St., Near Farm Jack in Sylvania
Phone: 419/824-4000
website - www.4beartooth.com
4beartooth@4beartooth.com send an email & ask to get on there email list.

The Kayak Corral
It is just south of Ann Arbor
They have a great inventory. Its one of my favorites.
http://www.kayakcorral.com/

getwet@kayakcorral.com
Riverside Kayak Connection
Its just north of Monroe near the Detroit River.
Its owned by some active kayakers in the area.
They have a great inventory. Its a real nice shop.
4016 Biddle Ave
Wyandotte MI 48192
(734)285-2925
www.riversidekayak.com

Sun and Snow Sports
Ann Arbor, MI   48104
Phone:  734-663-9515
Fax: 734/996-1946

GREAT RIVER OUTFITTERS, INC. - Closed or Closing very soon.
Great selection of expensive UK built fiberglass boats. They also have very good plastic boats. If you want a inexpensive boat this is not the place to go.
The carry Valley Canoe Products Kayaks and Niegel Dennis Kayaks
4180 Elizabeth Lake Rd., Waterford, MI 48328  -  106 miles from perrsyburg
Phone: (248) 683-4770 Fax: (248) 683-0306
There website is good.- www.grokayaks.com - sales@grokayaks.com  
Tuesday, Wednesday, and Friday from 10am-6pm; Thursday, noon-7pm; and Saturday from 10am-5pm
Word is they are closing their business some time 2004 / 2005.
Valley Products will be distributed by www.kayakcentre.com


My newest boat is a Plastic Avocet built by Valley Canoe Products from Great River Outfitters
Avocet RM 

Online Stores
www.NOC.com
www.nrsweb.com
www.outdoorplay.com

Good Links

Buy and sell used boats If you are selling this is a good place start listing your boat.  
Some of these sites may not bee good for our area. I found my 3-D with a skirt for $400.  The skirt was like new and would cost $100 bucks.  So you could say this boat cost me $300.  My next best for sure option was over $1000 on a new boat with no skirt plus tax.  My first choice is used and blems.  The canoe shop and the Benchmark some times carry blems.   

Toledo River Gang
www.toledorivergang.homestead.com/ForSale.html

Keel Hauler Club website
www.keelhauler.org/khcc/khcads.htm

KayakOnLine - This is extensive
www.kayakonline.com/used_kayaks.html

BoaterTalk
www.boatertalk.com/gear.php

AtlanticCoastalKayak - Limited and Far from Ohio
www.atlanticcoastkayak.com/usedboats.htm

Paddling.Net -  This is a good one.
www.paddling.net/Classifieds/Kayaks

Paddlin.com
www.paddlin.com/used.html

Waquoit Kayak
waquoitkayak.com/usedkayaks.html

Kayak Centre
www.kayakcentre.com/Used-Boats.htm
This is a kayak dealer in Rhode Island with a lot of good used and demo boats for sale.
Go to their home page to find last yr models at a discount.

Ebay
www.ebay.com

Lake Superior Sea Kayaking Symposium.

They expect about 300 participants.
Our plans are not finalized & this is not an official club function but,  Club members should look into this trip.  The local town (Grand Marais) is great   www.natureinabundance.com
Hundreds of sea kayakers, vendors, manufacturers, water clinics, class sessions, tours, wine and cheese, night tours, ect.  The best attraction is Lake Superior and Grand Marais.  Check out my Pictures.   Endless nature and out door activities.  Great Micro Brewery & snowmobile type restaurants & lodges.  The camping is good also.
 - Last yr you needed no reservations.  They provided all the camping space.  I don't think that has changed.
 - The cost is $120 for late registration for 4 days and they do pro rate it if you will only be there for Saturday and Sunday or just Sunday.
 - It is about an 8 hour drive to get there.
 - The Old Great Lakes Sea Kayak Symposium Site -  www.premiumtechnology.com/mk/great.htm Its informative but they say this site may be abandoned.
Download a 6 page PDF file from symposium organizers  Like most PDF files its big.

Questions can be directed to the main organizers  Stan Chladek SFinsilver@aol.com or Larry Merx lmerx@mkfm.org
I hope this site has helped you with Kayaking.  If there is anything you think I should add to this page let me know.

click on boat to see pygmy boats.

patrickforrester@virtualboss.net
Patrick's personal web site