JEM Watercraft

I just completed a five day trip down the Cedar River, from Waterloo to Cedar Rapids, Iowa.
It's the first time I've been camping that it didn't rain the entire time I was out.
It's about 60 to 70 miles as the river flows, and I had a great time getting to know the boat a little better.
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There were over 30 Bald Eagles along the way & I had fun throwing them the catfish I caught on the sand bars.

I was surprised at how much camping gear I was able to bring with me. Unfortunately I forgot my grill at the first campsite, so I had to improvise the rest of the way.
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The folding E-Tool I brought doubled as a grill for the remainder of the trip. Ended up working out ok.


Corned Beef Hash & Eggs! Mmmmmmmm!

Getting ready to load up after the third night.


Yes, I brought a toilet seat with me! It doubles as a side table with the rear hatch on top of it!

Hey Lee, just a few days ago I was thinking about the floods and wondering how you were faring. Haven't seen you on the forum for a while so it's good to see you're still paddling and had such a great trip. Can't beat getting away like that, especially when mother nature turns it on for you. Guess she's making up for what happened last year.

Lee
Congratulations on the trip,and give us some more details menu,things you learned about the Freedom anything you would do different.
Each time I go for a multiday trip I learn more about the craft I am using.
Ron

Looks like fun...I'm just starting a Freedom 13...is your boat the 13? Curious about the total weight on board...what gear exactly did you carry, etc....the Freedom looks just right for me, but I don't think I'll be doing any 60 mile trips! Mostly I'll be running down the spring runs here in Florida.

Of course it wouldn't be a civilized "tour", unless you could enjoy a bourbon & water at 5!

Really great idea on the entrenching tool, Lee. I LIKE THAT! Did the heat mess up the threads at all? I'll no longer carry a hatchet or trowel; just the entrenching tool like I used to do.

John Voelker, a Michigan Supreme Court judge who was an avid trout fisherman - quit the bench to go fish, also wrote Anatomy of A Murder, said that "Whiskey tastes better out of a tin cup than a glass."

The E-Tool did bite the dust from using it like that. However it was a cheapo Chineesy pos, so It's off to the surplus store for the real McCoy on future trips.

woodynfla wrote:Looks like fun...I'm just starting a Freedom 13...is your boat the 13? Curious about the total weight on board...what gear exactly did you carry, etc....the Freedom looks just right for me, but I don't think I'll be doing any 60 mile trips! Mostly I'll be running down the spring runs here in Florida.

Woody,
This is a Freedom 15. I'm still in the process of building an 18 footer for even longer trips, & as the "pack mule", for when my wife tags along on some of the Mississippi River adventures.
I had a tent, sleeping bag, foam mattress, backpack(clothes& toiletries), colapsable cooler, cook kit, machette, e-tool, folding saw, tacklebox, two fishing poles, 200' of 550 cord. folding chair, folding toilet seat, two military ponchos(used for shade flys) small grill, camera, thermos, tin cup, 2 five liter wine bladders for water, coffee pot, and a 750ml bottle of Ezra Brooks.
Included in the tackle was a throw net for taking bait fish.
Total weight I would put at around 125 pounds. I weigh 230 pounds, so that puts 355 pounds onboard while underway.
I felt a couple sandbars on the way down and the depth I started to hit bottom was 3/4 of a hand-length deep. I just measured my hand and that puts it at around 6" of draft when fully loaded.
I'm anxious more now to complete the 18 footer and integrate some features in it that will make future journies even more comfortable.


Lee