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How to Solo Lift a Canoe

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Hey guys, just recently put together a quick video on “How to Solo Lift a Canoe” or at least how I do it. Feel free to chime in and share your opinions, your own personal methods, along with your experiences on the portage trail.

https://youtu.be/1x4npgavsxs

- Cheers


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That's a good demonstration of the classic technique, Eric.

A second method, for weaker folks or with a heavier boat, allows you to lift only half the weight. You leave the stern on the ground, grab the gunwales three or four feet forward of the center thwart -- perhaps by the bow thwart, if there is one -- and then flip the canoe over your head with the stern pivoting on the ground. You then hold the canoe up with your arms and walk backwards a step or two until your shoulders are under the center thwart.

When you rest on a portage trail, look for a horizontal tree branch, or trunk crotch, to lean the canoe up against. That way, you don't have to put the boat down on the ground and then flip it up again. This helps to save energy and to minimize the risks of a muscle pull or other injury, which is especially important as we age.
 
A second method, for weaker folks or with a heavier boat, allows you to lift only half the weight. You leave the stern on the ground, grab the gunwales three or four feet forward of the center thwart -- perhaps by the bow thwart, if there is one -- and then flip the canoe over your head with the stern pivoting on the ground. You then hold the canoe up with your arms and walk backwards a step or two until your shoulders are under the center thwart.

Unless it is a sub-40 lb canoe* I will use that “weaker folk” method every time. I can replace a scarred up stern deck plate after a decade’s of grounded grinding abuse, but until I get a new bionic spine I’m not throwing a heavy canoe onto my shoulders. The consequences are too dire; before, during or even after a trip.

Hull weight matters, and length-plus-weight does too. I watched the young strong buck who bought the 110 lb, 20’ long Miramichi do that “proper” flip, and it visibly staggered him. He staggered a few steps around the yard under it until he regained his balance. The swing weight inertia with a big, heavy canoe can be an issue.

That 110 lb beast, for me, was a two-person flip; once inverted one person stiff armed the bow in the air while the other walked back under the yoke, unimpeded by holding the canoe aloft and hand shuffling along the gunwales.

BTW, solo shuffling back under the yoke in that fashion and losing control of one gunwale is not good. Even a 60 lb canoe will leave a bruise. Or so I’ve heard.

When you rest on a portage trail, look for a horizontal tree branch, or trunk crotch, to lean the canoe up against. That way, you don't have to put the boat down on the ground and then flip it up again. This helps to save energy and to minimize the risks of a muscle pull or other injury, which is especially important as we age.

Amen to that. Same for home storage racks; I slide the canoes partly off and rest the bow on the front storage crossbar, walk underneath into the yoke, stand up and walk away. Same for loading onto the roof racks; set the bow on the back crossbar with the long suffering stern deck plate on the ground, step out, slide the canoe up into place.

Yeah, my crossbars are scarred up from years of flange washer scraping. I can fix that, not my spine.

*I don’t yet have a sub-40 lb boat, so, eh, yeah, invert and walk back into the yoke every time, with every canoe.
 
Got love those trees for solid a break on the trail, have always called them “V” or “Y” trees, in fact some portages like the 2.8 km on the North T loop in Algonquin already have canoe rest already built


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You can't blame us for not trying to find you one! N + 1

I can only blame myself. I lean towards a lightweight semi-decked hull with a rudder for day sailing purposes, or a composite pack canoe. Maybe a Rapidfire, a hull that I loved.

But I’m 20 years older now, and have a hard time extracting myself from low slung seating.
 
I can only blame myself. I lean towards a lightweight semi-decked hull with a rudder for day sailing purposes, or a composite pack canoe. Maybe a Rapidfire, a hull that I loved.

But I’m 20 years older now, and have a hard time extracting myself from low slung seating.

No problem for me. I lost all the abduction range of motion for my hips.. And the lack of a rear deck does not allow me to push up on that as its not there as it is in a kayak. So when sitting in a pack canoe I either swing both legs out over one side and stand up ( and the older you get the deeper water you need). Or do the ungainly but effective seal wallow.. While seated swing yourself around on your side and then bring your knees under you.. Then you can push on the seat while putting one leg over the side then bring the other while still pushing down on the seat( It is embarrassing to get leg 2 stuck inside so the downward pressure is necessary. I try not to push on the RapidFire thwart ( its been broken twice when I fell on it)

This slow technique does not work in surf.. I give up in surf and just fall out anyway.Away from the shoreline so as not go get boat thwacked.

I liked the video Eric.. Now you can finesse the portage even more. I notice how you can balance the boat and take a few no handed steps. Lets make all steps no handed on the gunwales ( which all of us can attest to gets to be painful).. A paracord line from bow to stern about three feet longer than the distance from bow to stern.. Cut the cord in the middle. Install a grommeted strap with buckle to each end where you cut it. Like this https://www.bodypoint.com/ECommerce/product/sh025-2/grommet-strap-front-pull
 
Old habits die hard. It's funny, I was thinking about this very thing today as I was standing next to my bicycle pondering how I'd get ready to mount and depart from a momentary picnic stop with my wife. I stood with my 2-wheeled steed and actually thought of my canoe, I asked myself should I break from my habit and try the right side? No. I approached as always from the left, just like pulling on my socks and my pants and my shoes...and lifting any canoe I've ever portaged. Old habits die hard. I could probably get on any bicycle from the right side and not fall over (I hope), and lift any canoe to portage from the right side and not stumble (oh gawd I hope so), but I don't dare risk the social disgrace and try to dress myself from the "wrong side of the world". What would the neighbours say if I'd walk down the drive with my big work boots on the wrong feet?!
On portages I always lay my canoe in such a way as to leave "the correct side" open and available to me to do the right (left) thing. After a carry I like to slide the canoe down my thighs straight into the water without it touching the shore. No scrape no scratch. I like it. Thank you Bill Mason.
On tiring portages on the first of our two carries with the packs I look out for canoe rests or crooks in trees, or there are often convenient trees spaced close together next to the path to serve as a natural canoe rest for when I follow with the canoe. I'll sometimes leave a sign, either scratching the earth with my boot or leaving a broken twig on the ground. I'm often looking forward and down with the canoe on my shoulders on the second pass so these signs might be evident to me. Looking out for these has become a habit. Old habits die hard.
 
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My square stern is about 120 pounds. When I was still fully functional last year, I could pop it up using the normal method. This year it seems my upper body strength has been compromised. I can still carry it, but getting it on my shoulders is very difficult. I devised two systems. The easiest one involves dragging the canoe close to a tree with a solid branch. With the canoe upside down, I throw the bow rope over a branch and then pull the bow up about six feet. Because it is a square stern, the boat remains stable resting on the stern. Still holding the rope, I get under it and get it on my shoulders, then walk forward until the rope is off the branch.

The second method involves picking the canoe up by the bow and walking toward the stern while moving my hands, straight armed. When I get close to the carrying yoke, I turn around and away I go. Neither of these are ideal. The best way is to have a buddy pick up the bow so I can get under it.
 
Nice job on the video Eric. I used to be able to do that but never with a pack on my back. I just sold Lowangle_Al an 18' royalex canoe and he had no problem lifting that canoe up on his shoulders just like you explained, pretty impressive.
 
I never did this. How do you hold the line, and can you really control both ends?

You hold the line by letting your arms dangle naturally by your side and grasping it.. Adjust trim by sliding your hand back and forth along the line and pushing down.. Bow needs to go down? Slide hand forward on line and push down.
This allows your trapezius muscle to relax and the portage yoke does not cause as much discomfort.. Any force on a tensed muscle hurts more. And when you have your hands or hand on a gunwale the trapezius is tense.
 
Now you can finesse the portage even more. I notice how you can balance the boat and take a few no handed steps. Lets make all steps no handed on the gunwales ( which all of us can attest to gets to be painful).. A paracord line from bow to stern about three feet longer than the distance from bow to stern.. Cut the cord in the middle. Install a grommeted strap with buckle to each end where you cut it. Like this https://www.bodypoint.com/ECommerce/product/sh025-2/grommet-strap-front-pull

Very interesting yellowcanoe, I’ll have to give that a shot, still trying to wrap my head around how this method works, but I think I get it, in theory at least.




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“Or do the ungainly but effective seal wallow.” I'm absolutely going to try this next weekend, you can't have to many exit maneuvers in your quiver. :)
 
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Uhhhh yeah it looks easy. I am a tough old broad but with my back issues that is a recipe for disaster somewhere out where I have no help. One quick twist and I am out for a looooooong time.
Sorry man, I have to give you a thumbs down on this one.
 
So when sitting in a pack canoe I either swing both legs out over one side and stand up ( and the older you get the deeper water you need). Or do the ungainly but effective seal wallow.. While seated swing yourself around on your side and then bring your knees under you.. Then you can push on the seat while putting one leg over the side then bring the other while still pushing down on the seat( It is embarrassing to get leg 2 stuck inside so the downward pressure is necessary. I try not to push on the RapidFire thwart ( its been broken twice when I fell on it)

This slow technique does not work in surf.. I give up in surf and just fall out anyway.Away from the shoreline so as not go get boat thwacked.

Having a hard time visualizing the seal wallow and surf-fall-out techniques. Videos, please! :)
 
Having a hard time visualizing the seal wallow and surf-fall-out techniques. Videos, please! :)

Absolutely not! I am not into videos or selfies.. I just lay down in the boat essentially and turn over on my stomach and bring knees up a la crawling baby. They say that there isn't much difference between being very young and very old
 
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