Single sided correction strokes - Does your paddle touch the hull?

[lowangle al]

It was fellow forum member Jontario of "Lost Lakes". He has a very Dry sense of humor, maybe that's how he gets away with it.

I don't think prying off the gunnel will cause much damage, dragging your paddle along the gunnel sure will. My Granddaughter had that bad habit and it caused damage real quick.

 

[Steve in Idaho]

I believe the cross bow is the most powerful stroke in canoeing, because you use your whole back and torso.

I believe it too. I also find it to be the case when using the double blade in my wife's k*y*k.

 

[tketcham]

Does your paddle touch the hull?​

Not very often; mainly to do a stronger stern correction/rudder in wind and waves on a lake if the canoe gets pushed off course by a gust and I want to get it back on track quickly. But I try to work with the wind/waves and that involves switching sides after adjusting my course to take advantage of the wind so I don't have to do major corrections very often.

Regarding the stress on your lower hand; it shouldn't require a lot of grip force when paddling if that's the culprit. Keep a light touch and let the pressure of the paddle against your hand/fingers help do the work.

In my experience the bow pry can be useful if you suddenly decide that you want to park your boat and continue on your journey without it.

True that. If I'm carrying some speed and use a wedge turn with the blade way up towards the bow the Firebird will practically do a hockey stop. Fun, but there's that element of unexpected results.

 

[yknpdlr]

Unless in a crowded space, a draw on the opposite side is usually preferable to a pry. Rather than a direct paddle to on hull pry, an onside “push away” stroke can be done with a push-away figure-8 stroke when necessary, without touching the hull, similar to a figue-8 draw in reverse. in close quarters, a shaft hand on the gunwale may be a buffer.

When moving forward, I do often make plenty of use of the onside “bow rudder” and the offside cross bow rudder steering maneuver, but other than sometimes placing a hand on the gunwale to buffer and protect it and stabilize the ruddering paddle shaft, there is no need to pry shaft directly resting on the gunwale in any case. Sometimes only a momentary touch in the water with the blade dropped briefly in is enough to cause the desired steering effect. When I teach someone new how easy and effective it is, they are amazed that the bow paddler can steer so easily to assist a stern paddler. Their biggest problem seems to be, similar to when executing a proper J for radical steering, is to sufficiently drop the paddle far enough beneath the surface.

 

[scoutergriz]

after teaching paddling for a quarter century I find there is a time and place for every stroke, the aforementioned alders and narrow twisty streams frequently mean there is no room to switch sides with any regularity, or they can create the situation where there is no or very shallow water on one side, and can in fact, be dense enough to snag your paddle if you try. trying to do a cross draw when you're already almost kissing the thwart to keep your head out of the tunnel alders create just does not work, in a wide open river or lake you can do a cross- draw with impunity...

 

[Jim Dodd]

My lower hand rests on the gunnel when I pry.
One thing I enjoy about paddling a canoe, is sneaking as close, as I can to game, or a favorite fishing spot, without spooking anything.
I learned that as a kid, and it stayed with me.
So no. My paddle doesn't touch the gunnel, unless I'm sloppy.

I would think constantly rubbing the hull, would wear through a Carbon Fiber paddle.

Just my $.02 worth.

 

[Odyssey]

My paddle shaft sometimes touches the gunnel in a forward power correction stroke and it bothers me. There may be situations (excuses) for it such as choppy water, gusting wind, or just a lazy old man who too infrequently trips caught in yet another daydream when he should be focusing on doing things well. In scant seconds tho' I put my self-denigration aside and reason that my real purpose is to just be there, not perform like a dancing dog or barking seal searching for style points. But man that little knock on the gunnel is an unwelcome sound.

 

[Patrick Corry]

But man that little knock on the gunnel is an unwelcome sound.

Okay... so what kind of canoe? Man-made materials? Aluminum gunwales? With tongue firmly in cheek... my first response is the occasional gunwale bump in my wood/canvas canoes isn't very upsetting. The noise- what little there is- doesn't transmit to the hull with a booming sound like it might in a non-wood hull.

When I paddle I often keep my thumb on the blade end of the paddle between the paddle shaft and the gunwale. That keeps me from hitting the gunwale very hard, and saves the varnish on the outwale. It makes me just gently brush it along the gunwale without heavy contact. With regard to wear on the paddle shaft; I think of the paddle as a disposable tool. I can always make another one.

 

[Odyssey]

Wooden paddle. Alum gunnels on a kev canoe. No sonorous booming carrying across the water. Just a tiny tap, but still it feels like a small stumble when I'm meant to be gliding across the water. Just a little harsh to an otherwise pleasant vibe. Ha.
Like most everything I own, they're tools and/or just stuff, sometimes treasured but never ever trophies. My paddles look like they've lost a cat fight and the canoe broke out into a bad rash years ago. I'll touch up the scratched paddles but the canoe will stay as-is.

 

[Robin]

One thing I enjoy about paddling a canoe, is sneaking as close, as I can to game

This bothers me, I prefer to give animals as wide a berth as reasonably possible, why stress them?

 

[lowangle al]

Robin brings up a good point and this is something I am guilty of. I am more considerate of the animals when they are already stressed, usually in the winter and spring. At that time of year the animals may be on the edge of survival and I'll inconvenience myself to give them their space. So although it is selfish on my part, when the animals are fat and happy I do disturb them for my own self interest.

 

[Alan Gage]

I am more considerate of the animals when they are already stressed, usually in the winter and spring. At that time of year the animals may be on the edge of survival and I'll inconvenience myself to give them their space. So although it is selfish on my part, when the animals are fat and happy I do disturb them for my own self interest.

There does seem to be a grey line there, doesn't it? I've often intentionally made noise to alert deer to my presence well in advance knowing how they tend to freak out and run when startled (can only stay so far away on a narrow river).

On the other hand it doesn't bother me to creep up on a beaver or muskrat chewing away on the river bank with their back to the water knowing all they need to do is turn and plop into the water. Same for racoons since they're usually just going to slowly amble into the weeds weather they see me at 50 yards or 10 feet.

If I can't avoid close proximity to an animal I often try to avoid looking at them, which seems to keep them from getting so edgy and often they'll just watch as I go by rather than running off.

Alan