General Canoeing Technique Advice

[Shep]

And a 58" paddle is NOT necessarily too long. Just depends on your preferred style and trunk length. I paddle with a 57" and I am 5'11", but it does raise my T-grip hand to forehead level, which some people don't like.

[JimW]

Most of the raft guides and safety kayakers I know are from California, when I turned up with an OC1 last year it wasn't quite what they expected even though I checked ahead - I got the distinct impression none of them had ever seen an OC1 in California!

I find it hard to use short strokes all the time, between rapids I will paddle more like a trad boat, long J strokes and goon strokes and leave the short strokes for the rough stuff (where I may or may not do them, I have other things on my mind usually!) BUT I paddle an Ocoee which is a good bit longer than an Option!

The normal problem is building up speed without going in circles, some of us alternate cross strokes for the few yards, some use the edge and make the boat carve towards the onside initially to resist the yaw they put in (I find that difficult to do accurately), others just accept the first few strokes are going to be messy with some reverse sweeping or prying to keep the boat on line whilst building up speed.
Once moving at speed the cross forward stroke becomes pretty limited for correction, you can squeeze it a bit but there comes a point where it just doesn't help, and then the power-pry seems to be useful. When necessary (hopefully not every stroke) finish the power stroke with a strong push away from the boat (blade aft of centre) to counter the spin, or impart some opposite spin which you will counter with the next forward stroke. It is not efficient forward paddling, but it is a fast way to put in an effective correction when fancier less energy wasting strokes just won't do it. It's called a power-pry but I tend not to actually pry off the gunwales when doing it, just push the blade outwards sharply at the end of the stroke, minimising the tiem I'm actually prying but getting maximum spin from it.

Cross deck strokes used to worry me no end.
First thing is turn your upper body aiming to get your shoulders lined up parallel to the centreline (I think Kelvin achieves this, I don't) and then take the stroke.
At first you may think 'oh no, my paddle is too long I keep catching it on the gunwale moving it across', but stick with it, you may actually find that the paddle is too short to get an effective cross power stroke and you just need to get used to lifting it over!
The flat water drill I did to gain confidence in my cross deck strokes was quite simple - I had some posts sticking up near the loch shore, but you can use buoys or something. I just tried to paddle around them in a figure of 8 without changing hands. Pretty soon I was going from a forward sweep to a cross bow rudder which I tended to transition into a cross bow draw and then slice forward for a cross power stroke, strangely I seem to do this whilst edging the boat to the outside of the turn. After a while turning to the cross side seems as natural as anything and it is turning the other way (weak initiation from cross sweep?) which feels less positive!

[John Coraor]

This all seems very promising. I'm gonna have to get on some flat water to practice all this. Another question though... Do you all paddle exclusively one one side of the other in all situations? I tend to try choose a side to paddle on as I enter a rapid based on if it looks more likely to need a brace on one side or the other.

I think you'll find that styles vary a lot with the paddler, but probably with a majority of paddlers sticking to one side and using cross-strokes as needed on the other side. What you are describing is selective switching based on the particular moves that you need to make in a given rapid. It can be a handy ability for difficult ferries or other strength moves that might not be possible for an "off-side" paddler.

When I first got into WW I had a lot of tandem canoe tripping experience and was equally comfortable on either side. However, I got into racing C-2M WW slalom with my wife, which meant that I spent several years of intensive daily training paddling only on my left. After that experience I could still paddle OC-1 or OC-2 on either side in flatwater or easy WW, but my leans and edging, particularly in a decked slalom boat, were developed exclusively on the left. Since then, I've paddled WW exclusively on the left (other than cross-strokes).

Whether on the left or the right, this one-sided paddling (other than cross-strokes) is almost universal in both decked and open canoe slalom. However, it is interesting to note that a recent exception to this can be found in top-level international competition in C-1W slalom. Even current C-1W Slalom World Champion Jessica Fox paddles as a "switch-hitter." If you watch video of her winning run down the WISP Course at the 2014 Worlds in McHenry, MD, you'll see her paddling on one-side for a series of gates before making a very smooth switch to the opposite side for the next series. This switch occurs more than once as she descends the course and is typical for many of the top paddlers in C-1W slalom. It may stem, in part, from the fact that many of the top C-1W slalom paddlers started their racing careers paddling K-1W so they have strong skills on either side to fall back on, but I have also heard that it is encouraged by the need for the greater strength that comes from paddling on your on-side for certain moves on today's top-level slalom courses. As good as the top women are, they sometimes find the need for more strength for selected moves than they have available on their off-side. In contrast, you rarely ever see top C-1 men slalom racers switch sides.

As I'm not in nearly as good shape as Jessica Fox and have neither her strength, skills, nor endurance, I certainly wouldn't be ashamed of paddling WW using selective switching. I just don't have sufficient skills paddling righty to be able to do so!!!

John

[ezwater]

I don't J and I don't carve, and I can paddle straight while on either edge.

Good forward reach, not exaggerated, firm catch, blade feathered straight out to the side when passing the hip.

During the catch, the bow pushes up a little mound of water on the side opposite the paddle. During recovery, that mound of water pushes the bow back toward the paddle side. Magic!

The catch need not be thunderous, but it must be firm enough to push the bow away and create that little mound of water. The technique has been called "pinning the bow" though to me that makes no sense.

One may need a J stroke occasionally if the currents get the boat off course.

It is actually possible to single-stroke from rest with this bow-pinning, cab forward stroke. Must be vectors or something.

[johnd]

There is a video called "Solo Playboating" by Kent Ford that is pretty good, and it has some advice on forward stroke technique and paddle length. I would just get that. Otherwise, you don't need to worry too much about canoe paddling technique in California, because there are so few canoeists that no one is going to know if you're not holding your paddle right, etc. (lol). You're probably already one of the best canoeists in the state by default! However, there are a number of slalom races in California, called the Sierra Cup, and that would be one way to work on your technique and speed. I live in Sacramento, I am not planning on boating much until I get around to getting my boat outfitted, but I'll send you a PM.

[KNeal]

Ditto to what JohnD posted. Wayner has been a great open boat instructor and packs a fantastic sense of humor too.

[truckeeboater]

I'm no expert, but I've found that developing a strong off-side stroke repertoire is one of the most unique and challenging things about open boating. I was initially attracted to ww canoeing by the simple aesthetic of the moves and sheer variety of strokes available to us. I like interacting with the water with a single blade in a creative way; blending draws, sweeps, sculls, pries and so on into a series of movements so sublte yet very effective. As for your difficulty with comfort on cross stokes, I too found them challenging to the point of avoidance: I kept whacking the bow of the boat and then losing balance, resulting in a brisk swim. A friend advised dropping my top hand to the gunwale, then rotate torso parallel to the centerline and finally reach forward for the catch of the cross stroke. Many folks find flexibility to be an issue, so don't be opposed to adding a bit of yoga to your warm-up routine. Also, plus 1 on everything prevously posted. I also live in Nor Cal, so if your ever headed to the Sofo drop me a line, I paddle an Option as well.

[dafriend]

Just this past weekend I got a piece of advice from a kind young woman who suggested I shorten my stroke and make it quicker. Her reasoning is that each stroke would require less of a corrective [rudder] at the end which would result in more speed. Can anyone elaborate?

A shorter forward stroke will reduce offside turning. It might help if you accept the idea that the forward stroke ends when the paddle is vertical and that beyond that point you are actually doing a turning stroke. (Think: really lame sweep stoke.) Said slightly differently, when the blade moves behind the T-grip (towards the stern) you are now making a turning stroke - not a forward stroke.

With long strokes a lot of the forward momentum you create will be lost to correcting the turning momentum that is also created. Shorter stoke = less turn to correct. Because strokes are shorter you can do them more quickly. Because there are more strokes - each requiring less correction - you wind up going faster with about the same (possibly less) effort.

I'm paddling a Blackfly Option now and am having a hard time with speed, especially when it comes to building speed for a boof.

Short boats typically have less "hull speed" than longer boats. Basically, they don't glide as well longer boats. I don't understand the physics but it is the truth. This is another reason to use short, quick strokes. A longer stroke means a longer recovery. Since momentum is quickly lost when you're not stroking forward you want the stoke recovery to be as short as possible.

The Options is a super boat, but not very fast.

I find myself switching hand positions far more often than I see in videos of some of the better paddlers.

Here are a couple things to consider regarding switching hands.

• Paddling on both sides means you have twice as many stokes to master.
• The boat is always most stable when the blade is actively engaged in the water and switching sides maximizes the amount of time the blade is out of the water.

Those are probably the main reason the better paddlers are not seen switching sides.

Besides the cross-forward looks cooler too.

Any advice on cross-stroke technique? I sometimes feel as if my paddle could be a little shorter allowing my to have a lower center of gravity when I make cross strokes so don't feel as unstable.

I think you are using the correct length blade.

One thing you can do to keep the center of gravity lower is to position the t-grip hand low while moving the paddle to the offside. To make this more comfortable, rotate your t-grip forearm so that your thumb points to the offside as you move to the other side. In other words: lead with your thumb. In other, other words: t-grip hand is palm up (like for a low brace) and down low (just above the gunwales) as you move the paddle from onside to offside. (This is pretty much what truckeeboater just suggested.) Takes some practice and isn't always appropriate but it does help.

Moving back to the onside can use a similar technique. This is most useful when you employ the following technique to recover from the cross-forward stroke. It's very simple. To get the blade out of the water at the end of the stroke turn the grip so the power face is toward the hull. Then drop the t-grip arm's elbow (and hand) down to about shaft-hand height. The blade will slice up and out of the water neat as you please. Twist the blade flat (palm up again) and move the paddle back to the onside. As the blade crosses the onside gunwale you can start lifting your t-grip into catch position for the next onside stroke. Or, you can leave the t-grip hand low and you're mostly ready for a low brace.

While is isn't always appropriate or needed I try to use the "drop the elbow" recovery technique between cross-forward strokes all the time. Well... a lot of the time anyway. You get a fair amount of prying action out of raising the grip hand while you initiate the power phase of the stroke. I find it makes for a more powerful stroke.

As others have said regarding being comfortable with the cross-forward -practice, practice, practice.

[Bob P]

A shorter forward stroke will reduce offside turning. It might help if you accept the idea that the forward stroke ends when the paddle is vertical and that beyond that point you are actually doing a turning stroke. (Think: really lame sweep stoke.) Said slightly differently, when the blade moves behind the T-grip (towards the stern) you are now making a turning stroke - not a forward stroke.

With long strokes a lot of the forward momentum you create will be lost to correcting the turning momentum that is also created. Shorter stoke = less turn to correct. Because strokes are shorter you can do them more quickly. Because there are more strokes - each requiring less correction - you wind up going faster with about the same (possibly less) effort.

It's not the length of the stroke. It's the paddle position at the beginning, middle, and end.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j0-sgni ... o_WDJogiGw" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[dafriend]

It's not the length of the stroke. It's the paddle position at the beginning, middle, and end.

Absolutely Bob. I could not agree more. Your technique is a perfect example of what I would consider a "short" quick stroke. But you are doing much more than just a forward stroke. I think your video shows a beautiful example of a complex compound stroke of which which the forward stroke is but one small (and short ) element.

To my mind a "long" stroke is where the shaft hand travels much further aft than what you demonstrate. What I see all to often is where the shaft hand ends up well behind the hip and potentially below the gunwale and the t-grip hand is lowered all the way to the gunwale too. I see this a lot here in Minnesota where everybody learns to paddle in +17' tripping boats where little/no technique in needed to go in a straight line.

[Jim Michaud]

Advanced Open Canoe Paddling Techniques

[Wodza]

Found this and thought of this thread. Solo canoe technique comes in around halfway.

http://vimeo.com/96497429" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[driftwood]

Paddle more. the canoeing learning curve is slower than that of kayaking (or sking, rock climbing, etc.) Most white water boaters I have trained took at least 3 years before they looked good in a c-boat.

Don't let the slowness of it get you down though. remember the best paddler is the one having the most fun.

J

[Randy Dodson]

Get together with Shep. although self taught may occasionally work for some, it takes much longer and usually leads to bad habits which are hard to overcome.

[Paddle Power]

Thank you for pointing out the MKC - Open Canoe Technique Video
http://vimeo.com/96497429" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

It does a very good job of presenting the fundamentals of moving water or white water canoeing.

I'm surprised that its stats show only 30 some plays.