Jon Rounds - Basic Canoeing: All the Skills and Tools You Need to Get Started

Copyright 2003 by Stackpole Books

Published by
STACKPOLE BOOKS
5067 Ritter Road
Mechanicsburg, PA 17055
www.stackpolebooks.com

All rights reserved, including the right to reproduce this book or portions thereof in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher. All inquiries should be addressed to Stackpole Books, 5067 Ritter Road, Mechanicsburg, PA 17055.

Printed in China

10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2

First edition

Photographs by Skip Brown

Illustrations by Taina Litwak

Additional photos by Alan Wycheck (paddles and gear, pp. 12, 6669); Pat McConnell, NOC (pp. 3940); Jon Rounds (dam, p. 46; p. 63)

Photos of Dagger canoes (pp. 2, 64) courtesy of Watermark

Cover design by Tracy Patterson

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Basic canoeing : all the skills you need to get started / Jon Rounds, editor ; Wayne Dickert, paddling consultant ; photographs by Skip Brown; illustrations by Taina Litwak.

p. cm.

Includes bibliographical references (p. ) and index.

ISBN 0-8117-2644-4

eISBN 978-0-8117-4605-2

1. Canoes and canoeing. I. Rounds, Jon.

GV783 .B375 2002

797.1'22dc21

2002012182

ISBN 978-0-8117-2644-3

Contents

Acknowledgments

S ince its founding in 1972, the Nantahala Outdoor Center in the Great Smoky Mountains of western North Carolina has been a magnet for the finest paddlers and teachers in the sport, and over the years the NOC has become synonymous with excellence in canoeing and kayaking instruction. Wayne Dickert, current head of instruction at Nantahala, is the latest in a distinguished line that includes Gordon Grant, Slim Ray, and Kent Ford. Like his predecessors, Wayner, as he is known to fellow boaters, is both a world-class paddler and a world-class teacher. He is also a world-class person, and it was a pleasure working with him on this book.

It was likewise a pleasure working with photographer Skip Brown, who brought a rare combination of talents to the project. A competitive paddler himself, Skip understands the subject like few in the trade and is always ready to do whatever it takes to get the shot. Thanks also to:

Horace Holden, Wayne Dickerts Olympic paddling partner, for help demonstrating river moves.

Kent Ford, for review of the text.

Gordon Black, head of safety and instruction, American Canoe Association, for answers to questions on technique and safety.

Mary Liskow and Doug Gibson of Blue Mountain Outfitters, for the loan of equipment and the gift of advice. Located on the Susquehanna River in Marysville, Pennsylvania, just above Harrisburg, Blue Mountain has a huge inventory of canoes, from handmade wooden masterpieces to all-purpose Royalex boats, and is a must stop for paddlers anywhere in the area.

Mike Steck and Cheryl Cendrowski of Watermark, for providing images of Dagger canoes.

Finally, special thanks to Tracy Patterson, book designer, for her creativity and vision; and also to art director Caroline Stover and illustrator Taina Litwak.

Jon Rounds

Introduction

T he canoes basic design has remained unchanged for centuries because the long, open, double-pointed hull continues to do certain things better than any other craft. Its lightweight and portable, it cuts through the water, it can carry a good deal of cargo, and it can be paddled by one or two paddlers facing forward. No other boat does all these things as well.

The canoes enduring popularity is also a function of its simplicity. You pick the boat up and put it in the water: no trailer, no gas, no tune-up, no battery charge. And once afloat, a well-trimmed canoe in the hands of a good paddler is one of the sweetest things youll see on the water.

Paddling a canoe, however, is deceptively simple. Although with no formal training, anyone can sit down and move the boat forward, learning good body mechanics and paddling principles in the beginning reaps immediate and lasting rewards. Youll be able to paddle farther with less muscle strain and youll have much better control of the boat. Youll also be safer.

This book is for the beginner who wants to learn sound technique. It focuses on skills: thorough, graphic instruction on the paddling fundamentals and the essential strokes and maneuvers that apply to all types of canoeing. It also provides a guide to canoe types and gear and the basics of safety and rescue that every paddler must know.

Whether you aspire to river running, wilderness touring and camping, racing, or just paddling around a lake, the skills shown here will provide a solid foundation for a lifetime of paddling pleasure.

Fundamentals

R ead this chapter before you pick up a paddle. It contains the basics that will get you on the water with the least amount of trouble and start you off paddling with good form. The first thing youll have to do is carry the boat down to the water and launch it, and though this isnt rocket science, a number of things can go wrong that are easily prevented. You will then have to decide where in the boat to sit or kneelsimple decisions, but ones that make a big difference in how your canoe performs. And finally, take a few minutes to study the stroke mechanics outlined at the end of the chapter. These fundamentals of movement and posture are so basic and universal that understanding them from the start may be the single most valuable lesson in your paddling education.

Lifting and Carrying a Canoe

Note the position of the bow and stern seats in a tandem canoe. The bow seat (right) is the one with more leg room in front. This is a Dagger 16-foot Legend, an all-around touring canoe suitable for lakes, rivers, and mild whitewater.

One of the big advantages of a canoe is its portability. Even a small person can carry a canoe some distance and put it on the roof of a car. And a canoe can be carried between lakes or rivers on wilderness trips, giving you access to much more water than youd have in a heavy boat that has to be hauled from the water at a boat ramp and driven around on a trailer.

At some point, then, you will be picking up a canoe and carrying it somewhere. Knowing the basics of lifting and carrying a boat will help you get on the water with the least amount of hassle.

TWO-PERSON CARRY

Two people can easily carry a canoe right-side-up by standing on opposite sides and grasping the bow and stern decks. This method is fine for carrying the canoe a short distance, from car to water, for example, but its awkward walking on either side of a canoe for longer distances, and a narrow path may not have enough width to permit this method.

Two people, one on either side holding bow and stern deck, can carry a canoe a short distance comfortably.

SOLO OVERHEAD CARRY

Carrying a canoe solo on your shoulders is the preferred method for longer carries. Walking is less awkward with one set of legs under the canoeyou can more easily navigate around obstacles and the turns in a wooded path. And if the load is balanced and you have some padding on your shoulders, one person can comfortably carry even a large canoe a good distance. Touring canoes have a wooden portage yoke in the center thats shaped to fit behind your neck. If youre carrying the canoe a long way, put a towel or other padding between your shoulders and the yoke.