The Deep C Forward Stroke

[Glenn MacGrady]

In the following article and video, Marc Ornstein describes and illustrates how to control off-side yaw with a Deep C forward stroke, which is completed with just a mild (or even no) J. The Deep C can also be used to turn the canoe to the on-side.


ARTICLE: Improve Your Grade. You can do better than a C.

 

[ppine]

Going solo requires some adjustments. I have never really liked the C stroke, and prefer going with a partner.

 

[Steve in Idaho]

^It's good instruction. I do that deep C stroke starting out or starting an onside turn all the time. Didn't know it had a name other than C stroke. It's definitely not for the limber-challenged. (Which I resembled early on)

 

[Glenn MacGrady]

Didn't know it had a name other than C stroke.

For those who are not familiar, the standard C stroke is a forward stroke that starts out with a draw at the beginning, before the power pull phase, and ends with a J pry. Seen from overhead, the blade would move in a curve, shaped sort of like a shallow C. The initial draw and ending J pry both provide correction for the off-side yaw produced by the power pull phase.

In a Deep C, the blade is drawn all the way to a point under the hull, not just to a point aside the hull. This deeper, curved arc provides more of a correcting, on-side yaw force than the standard C stroke.

 

[Steve in Idaho]

For those who are not familiar, the standard C stroke is a forward stroke that starts out with a draw at the beginning, before the power pull phase, and ends with a J pry. Seen from overhead, the blade would move in a curve, shaped sort of like a shallow C. The initial draw and ending J pry both provide correction for the off-side yaw produced by the power pull phase.

In a Deep C, the blade is drawn all the way to a point under the hull, not just to a point aside the hull. This deeper, curved arc provides more of a correcting, on-side yaw force than the standard C stroke.

Yep, that's the one. I started doing that way back when I was paddling a Prospector 16 solo with an ottertail. You can get that blade way under the boat - and what a difference that makes!