Canoeing Articles

Introduction to Canoeing

Who can't paddle a canoe? You sit in it, put the paddle in the water and pull. What's so hard about that? Basically, that is all you're doing, but, there's more to be considered. Put a loving couple who have never canoed before, into a canoe on a tight meandering river, and you are faced with a possible divorce within ten minutes.

The problem is that you have to understand your role in the canoe and how to perform your designated tasks. Generally, one person sits up front (bow), and one at the back (stern). The bow paddler need leg room which is why the seat is set back from the bow. If you are paddling up front and have your knees up your nostrils, then you are paddling the canoe backwards and need to turn it around!

Roles: While both paddlers are hopefully providing the energy needed to move in the desired direction, each has specific functions they need to focus on. These include, steering, navigating, stabilizing and observation.

Bow Paddler: The person sitting up front does not control the steering. They are the "eyes" of the operation. Because they can see what's coming up before the stern paddler can, it is their responsibility to look for shallow water, rocks, logs and other obstructions. They also need to identify the direction in which to travel, based on what they observe in and around the water. This part is pretty easy. The difficulty comes in transmitting this information to the stern paddler, who is in charge of steering.

Remember, as a bow paddler, you are facing in the same directions as the stern paddler. Therefore, when you speak you are talking away from them. With noisy surroundings, it can be difficult for the stern paddler to hear what you're saying and frustration builds very quickly. If you need to speak, turn your head and face them. Use hand signals, particularly when indicating a direction to be taken.

Often the bow paddler will need to assist in steering by using various stroke techniques. This is common in tight situations with narrow channels, or after running aground. You can also assist in steering by paddling on the same side of the canoe as the stern paddler.

Stern Paddler: The person in the stern, is primarily responsible for keeping the canoe going in the required direction. They also help stabilize the canoe. As a stern paddler, you can't see what's coming up, as well as the bow paddler, so you have to rely and trust their judgment. Know their hand signals and how to respond to them. Steering the canoe is most commonly accomplished by changing the side you paddle on. Paddle right and your canoe should go left. While the bow paddler has less effect on steering, they can assist by paddling on the same side, to make a sharper turn. Using your paddle as a rudder or brake can also assist in making more drastic changes in direction.

Wind: When paddling into a strong headwind, it can be very tiring, and also very frustrating. The wind will want to catch the front of the canoe and whip you around, pushing you broadside. No matter how hard you try and correct, by both paddling on one side, the wind often wins. You expend and enormous amount of energy trying to continually correct the canoe's tracking. When faced with this situation, try and keep the bow tracking directly into the wind for as long as possible. If it veers to one side, try and quickly correct before the wind catches any more of the side of the canoe. If you have a light person in front, add some rocks or other weight to the bow, to keep it riding lower in the water, and not act like a sail.

By alternating the side you paddle on, you can rest your arms and also help track the canoe in a straight line. If you both people paddle on the right all the time, you will tend to go left. If paddling with kids, keep them in front so the stronger paddler is in the stern. There are particular stroke techniques you can learn to improve your paddling skills, but master the basics first.

Communication is the key to successful paddling (and remaining friends). understanding your role in the canoe ensures you get where are going and have fun doing it. It is a good idea to discuss these roles and what hand signals and commands will be used, before you get into the canoe.

Happy paddling!

About The Author: Graham Armitage, is founder of the family outdoor website, Georec. The site allows anyone to discover new outdoor places and invites you to review and comment on outdoor locations. To access all the free hiking, fishing, paddling and other information available, or to add your own content, visit http://www.georec.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com

Family Canoeing Vacation

Canoeing is a wonderful family vacation idea. It can be a real family-type adventure that is challenging yet not too difficult. Besides being a distinctly fun activity, it is also a form of travel. With a canoe you have the means to safely access wilderness areas that otherwise might not be possible for a family. In more touristy places you have the means to slip off across the river or lake for more private family fun.

If you have your own canoe, great. It is easily carried on your car to where you will be using it. Or you can rent a canoe for long excursions or for as little as a few hours. This is a very flexible way to travel and explore.

Canoeing as a family is a slow paced activity which provides the opportunity to really get close to nature. The kids are involved not just as spectators but as an active part of the effort. This can be an exceptionally rewarding and confidence building experience for them.

Paddling a canoe is fun but potentially boring for the kids. There are plenty of ways to keep there interest up. Paddling close to shore gives everyone a chance to watch for birds and animals. Find a beach or large rock to stop at and go for a swim. Children too young to paddle can have fun pretending to paddle with small toy paddles. If you have two canoes you can race them. Navigate around and between rocks to create a sense of excitement. Make up stories about what’s in the trees on the shore or what’s around the next bend.

A great idea is to bring a camera along to photograph wildlife. Keep in mind that you should always keep a respectful distance. But you can still get a good close-up shot with a telephoto lens. A water resistant camera is recommended and be sure to wear it on a short strap. You don’t want to drop the camera into the water.

Always keep safety in mind. Bring life jackets for everyone. Anyone who can’t swim should wear one while in the canoe. Go over the rules before boarding the canoe. Standing up or switching places should never be done while the canoe is in the water. Leaning over the side is a no-no because it can tip the canoe and someone could fall out. Do a little research on boating safety so you can prepare yourself and the family to stay safe.

Show the kids who are old enough to paddle how to handle the paddle. Go over the basics of how to steer the canoe.

One of the great things about a family canoeing vacation is that it naturally combines with camping and fishing, which are always popular with kids.

Your canoe can take you to your campsite along the shore of a lake or river. Canoe, explore and fish during the day then relax beside the campfire in the evening. Nothing beats the taste of hotdogs and marshmallows personally toasted over a campfire.

Peter Shannon is a writer and author of the popular http://www.1001VacationIdeas.com – a Web site born out of his passion. Perhaps you have a passion or hobby that you would like to write about. Discover how to turn it into a profitable Web site like Peter has. Visit http://www.1001VacationIdeas.com to learn more.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com

Canoeing

If you've never tried canoeing before then it's high time that you did. Basically, canoeing is an outdoor activity that involves paddling a canoe or kayak either as recreation, transportation or as a sport. Enthusiasts stress that canoeing only uses a paddle to propel your kayak or canoe and human muscle power, nothing more.

There are differences in the way one propels a canoe and a kayak. To propel a kayak, one uses a paddle with two blades and where the paddler sits with their legs directly in front of them. To propel a canoe, one uses either single or double bladed paddles and the paddler kneels or sits on a raised seat.

There are many forms of recreational canoeing. In fact, there are now hybrid canoes as well. Among the more popular forms of recreational canoeing are the following:

Whitewater canoeing. As the name indicates, this refers to paddling down whitewater rivers for fun. There are different difficulty levels for whitewater canoeing, including for short and long trips as well as extreme expeditions on raging torrents. This is the most practiced form of kayaking these days.

Sea Kayaking is recreational kayaking on the sea and covers short day trips to year-long expeditions. It also includes canoeing in heavy seas and tidal currents. Its main difference is that is requires navigational skills.

There are also playboating (surfing while performing tricks), canoe camping (a combination of canoeing and camping), wave skiing (using a craft that's just a little bigger than a surfboard), surf skiing (using a longer craft that maneuvers well on breaking waves) and white water rafting (features a group of people paddling a large inflatable raft down a river).

As a sport, canoeing is governed by the International Canoe Federation, which creates the standard rules for the different disciplines of canoe competition. There are only two canoe sports included in the Olympic Games, Sprint and Slalom. Among the other canoe sports disciplines are the marathon, canoe polo, whitewater racing, dragon boat racing, playboating, extreme racing., outrigger canoe racing and canoe surfing.

My friends and I are eager to try white water rafting one of these weeks. We’ve already picked out a downhill river and it looks pretty wild.

By: Kadence Buchanan

Article Directory: http://www.articledashboard.com

Kadence Buchanan writes articles on many topics including Outdoors, Food, and Travel.

Canoeing Gifts

Canoeing is a sport that appears to require relatively small amounts of equipment. In truth, it is much more than a paddle and a canoe, which provides you with a lot of potential gift ideas.

1. Yokes – This yoke has nothing to do with eggs. A yoke is a device that hooks onto a canoe to make it easy to lug it around. Typically made of wood, the yoke sites perpendicular to the length of the canoe and is padded. Easily connected to the canoe, the boat is typically flipped over to be carried by putting the padded yoke on your shoulders. A godsend for getting to and from the water as well as bypassing low water areas on rivers. A yoke will set you back in the $20 to $60 range. The Voyageur brand is a good place to start.

2. Handmade Wood Canvas Canoe – If you’re looking for a big ticket item, why not consider giving a handmade wood canvas canoe as a gift? Unlike modern canoes, these wood canvas canoes are made with painstaking care and incredible craftsmanship. With beautiful lines and an air of grace, this is the ultimate canoe for traditionalists. Since each one is handmade, you can expect to pay a pretty premium of $2,000 or more. If this sounds like the perfect gift, take a look at Spencer Canoe Company in Canada.

3. Back Supports – Sitting in a canoe for a few hours is not easy on the lower back. Back support are curved devices that create or support existing seating in the canoe. Back supports are a must for weekend warriors who only canoe once every month or so. It is hard to enjoy canoeing if your back is killing you! Look for the Crazy Creek brand and expect to pay between $20 and $30.

4. Nomad Paddle Sports Journals – A bit of self-promotion here. Nomad Paddle Sports Journals are waterproof writing journals that let canoers keep notes during and after their trips. Really great for writing down impressions, routes taken, things seen, people met, alternative routes to be tried in the future and so on. You can click the link at the bottom of this article to see the paddle sports journals which cost $8.99.

If you’re buying gifts for a canoeing enthusiast, the above list is a good place to start.

By: Rick Chapo

Article Directory: http://www.articledashboard.com

Rick Chapo is with http://www.nomadjournals.com - makers of writing journals. Paddle sports journals are great canoeing gifts and Christmas gifts for him or her. Visit http://www.nomadjournaltrips.com to read outdoor adventure articles and stories.