Maneuvering a Canoe
Anyone who wants to drive a car or sail a boat needs to understand how the controls work. Since canoes aren’t powered by anything mechanical, you will have to learn how to use the paddles to go forward, backward and moving from one side to the next.
Let’s start with going forward. You should first sit or kneel facing in the desired direction be it the stern or the bow. Both hands must hold the paddle with one on top and the other slanted that is 2 to 3 feet from the water.
The blade of the paddle is then pressed down so water is caught and pushed backward. There must be some follow though here all the way to the back to maximize the force in each stroke.
Reversing is just as easy as going forward. While either kneeling or sitting, the shoulders should be turned to a 90 degree angle toward the paddling side.
It will be a good idea to look behind the canoe so you can see where you are going. Instead of pulling the paddle when going forward, it is pushed back so the canoe is finally going in the opposite direction.
But going forward or backward and paddling on one side isn’t as easy as some people may think especially when done solo. This is because the boat doesn’t go in a straight direction and the only way to compensate is by paddling alternately from side to side.
This is the reason the hut stroke was developed. The technique here is not that different from the instructions given on how to go forward or backward. To avoid straining the arms, it is best to switch to the other side after 6 or 8 strokes.
If there are two people in the canoe, the hut stroke can still be employed. This is beneficial for both to prevent having muscle strains of the upper body. The other option would be to turn about and let the one in the back become the lead so the one who was formerly in front can take the secondary position.
When making a turn, the person in front should catch water and push it to the side of the canoe. This should be done either going left or right. The partner situated in the back should put down the paddle at the end of the boat so it can act as a rudder making this task easier.
Tags: canoe, canoe basics, kayak, paddle strokes