| Whether you are planning a short tour with the children | | | | your luggage as possible and leave as little weight as |
| or an extended wilderness canoeing expedition, taking | | | | you can in the canoe during transports. Transporting a |
| some time to perfect your paddling technique will add | | | | canoe full of luggage makes it much easier to damage |
| to your enjoyment of your canoeing holiday | | | | your equipment. |
| significantly, allowing you to make use of your energy | | | | Paddling Technique |
| resources in the most efficient way, help you move | | | | Generally, the paddler in the back should paddle on the |
| through the water as efficiently as possible. You may | | | | opposite side to the person at the front, both changing |
| be surprised how a little time spent honing your | | | | over when someone gets tired. Try to move the |
| paddling skills can make a huge difference to those | | | | paddle in a straight line, having most of the blade of the |
| tired muscles! | | | | paddle in the water during your stroke. Keep your |
| Launching Your Canoe | | | | paddle strokes close to the line of the canoe (if you |
| In general, it is best to try to launch with as little weight | | | | wish to paddle in a straight line) and match the speed |
| in the canoe as possible, particularly if you are | | | | and rhythm of your strokes to that of your partner. |
| launching into a river which has steep banks or if | | | | For braking or turning, the standard front stroke can be |
| access to the water is tricky. If possible, place your | | | | reversed. |
| canoe into the water so that it lies parallel with the | | | | Steering Your Canoe |
| water's edge. If paddlers have a difference level of | | | | Whoever sits are the back of canoe will be in greatest |
| experience or ability, put the strongest or most | | | | control of steering. Changing the angle of your paddle |
| experienced paddlers at the back, as this person will | | | | to use a "J-stroke", you can make minor adjustments |
| have greatest control over steering and maneuvering | | | | to your course as you move through the water, |
| the canoe. | | | | though take care not to oversteer. To do a "J-stroke", |
| Getting Into Your Canoe | | | | start your forward paddle stroke as normal, but then |
| Make sure the canoe is floating freely and the bottom | | | | turn the paddle 45 degrees (in a clockwise direction to |
| will not ground on rocks or stones before putting your | | | | turn the canoe to the right, anticlockwise direction to |
| luggage into the canoe. When getting in, place your | | | | turn left) as you reach the end of the stroke. |
| hands on either side to steady the canoe and lower | | | | Navigation |
| yourself in gently. You may wish to straddle the canoe | | | | When you are crossing a large body of water such |
| with a leg either side before sitting down. | | | | as a lake, it is easy to end up taking a zig-zag course, |
| Canadian canoes are extremely stable and under | | | | travelling further and using more energy than |
| normal circumstances you are very unlikely to capsize | | | | necessary. To avoid this, choose an easily identifiable |
| when paddling on calm waters. However, when people | | | | fixed point on the opposite shore and keep the front |
| do fall in, it tends to be while getting in or out of the | | | | of the canoe pointing directly at it. |
| canoe! | | | | Canoeing is a seductive combination of tranquility, |
| Land Transports | | | | adventure and close-to-nature experience - Happy |
| If you need to take the canoe out of the water to | | | | Paddling! |
| cross between lakes, etc, try to carry as much of | | | | |