Getting in and Getting out

[Black_Fly]

I always have a pack of some kind in front of my seat. Daypack or fishing gear. I step over the pack, putting downward pressure on the gunwales to keep it level, then put my butt in the seat. My other leg follows. I used to go a moving entry like Steve describes, back when my balance was better. Now I just get my backside down as quickly as possible.

 

[scoutergriz]

I’ve used all the various methods identified in this thread ay one time or another depending on the situation. Any of them would be good to try and start with.

The best advice I ever got was to keep your head inside the boat until you have your balance outside the boat and the converse.

All instruction breaks down when the access or egress is deep water only, when the waves are crashing into the shore, the bottom is deep mud, etc.

After I broke my ankle, I lost the ability to get in and out of the canoe normally. During rehabilitation period, I had to crawl into and out of the boat, getting thoroughly wet in the process.

I'm somewhat similar- I broke my back a few years back and lost almost all feeling in my left leg, after several hours in a canoe I start losing all feeling below the waist, which absolutely destroys my balance, so my ability to get in or out boils down to basically quickly barrel rolling over the gunwale before I submerge it, yeah I get wet but that's secondary to the amount of gifts the local cobra chickens leave on the shore or floating in the water- I now keep a gallon of water and a change of clothes in the car...

 

[Steve in Idaho]

I'm somewhat similar- I broke my back a few years back and lost almost all feeling in my left leg, after several hours in a canoe I start losing all feeling below the waist, which absolutely destroys my balance, so my ability to get in or out boils down to basically quickly barrel rolling over the gunwale before I submerge it, yeah I get wet but that's secondary to the amount of gifts the local cobra chickens leave on the shore or floating in the water- I now keep a gallon of water and a change of clothes in the car...

Cobra chickens....
I need to add that to the list with trash bandits, slimerockets, Holstein pheasants, sagerats, and speedgoats.

 

[themadindian]

I like to do the paddle across the gunwale method. Iif possible, as the blade shaft is gently held across the gunwales with both hands and the blade gently presses with slight force on a low dock or the land itself as I lean that way and easily step in one foot at a time. My other favored miethod is while standing in shallow water to sit sideways on the seat over the gunwale. Keeping my head and CG over my knees to prevent over rotation backwards, I just sit, then rotate my feet in.

I do the same thing if I'm bracing off land or a dock, paddle in front when I kneel and paddle behind when I sit