Getting in and Getting out

Black_Fly · Aug 31, 2025

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 · Sep 1, 2025

Erica said:
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 · Sep 1, 2025

scoutergriz said:
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 · Sep 1, 2025

yknpdlr said:
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

stripperguy · Sep 3, 2025

My late, life long buddy used this technique to get into his Wee Lassie II.

jdeerfoot · Sep 3, 2025

stripperguy said:
My late, life long buddy used this technique to get into his Wee Lassie II.

View attachment 148831

I can relate to this situation but at least I don't think anyone has a photo of me doing this yet.

lowangle al · Sep 3, 2025

The problem with getting older as a canoeist is that big canoe are easier getting in and out of because of their stability and potentially higher seats, but big canoes can be too heavy. So far my composite Seliga at 40 lbs is light enough and is stable. I still mostly paddle my w/c boats but can see the day when they will be too heavy.

Rickhart · Sep 6, 2025

Getting in from a shallow bottom is the easy part. Getting in from a dock or similar hard, raised situation is the challenge. On the Hornbeck Boats website they have a video demonstrating the weird process they recommend for that. The first part of the video is the shallow-water situation -- I'm talking about the second video, about docks. I still find it confusing and will go to great lengths to avoid using a dock.

I'll attach a link to the video.

Pack canoe entry

Black_Fly · Sep 7, 2025

Rickhart said:
Getting in from a shallow bottom is the easy part. Getting in from a dock or similar hard, raised situation is the challenge. On the Hornbeck Boats website they have a video demonstrating the weird process they recommend for that. The first part of the video is the shallow-water situation -- I'm talking about the second video, about docks. I still find it confusing and will go to great lengths to avoid using a dock. I'll attach a link to the video.Pack canoe entry

I’ll take a rocky beach to a dock or boat launch every time.

TrailBlaser · Sep 7, 2025

lowangle al said:
The problem with getting older as a canoeist is that big canoe are easier getting in and out of because of their stability and potentially higher seats, but big canoes can be too heavy. So far my composite Seliga at 40 lbs is light enough and is stable. I still mostly paddle my w/c boats but can see the day when they will be too heavy.

At 71, I'm still paddling my 32# Sawyer Autumn Mist most of the time, especially earlier and later in the season when there's more in my gear kit. I agree, it is only a matter of time until my Hornbeck Classic will be the main boat. I also fear that the time will come when I will be doing a lot less (if any) camping in the backcountry and will limited to campgrounds or motels and doing day paddles. So I'm trying to get as many of those backcountry canoe camping trips that I want to do again done while I still can.

Getting in and Getting out

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