Article: The Physics of Freestyle (and all) Canoeing

[Glenn MacGrady]

In this linked article, Marc Ornstein focuses on the physics of: (1) the forward stroke, and (2) heeling and pitching the hull.

The Physics of FreeStyle (without the numbers) – FreeStyle Canoeing

"Freestyle canoeing has been described as 'The Art and Science of Quiet Water Paddling'. In this article, I’ll discuss the science components. Although these concepts apply to all canoeing disciplines, freestyle is the only canoeing discipline where the entire curriculum is structured around these concepts. Several of our instructional events begin with an evening 'chalk talk' where these principles are explained and demonstrated before students ever put their boats in the water."

 

[tketcham]

"The Art and Science of Quiet Water Paddling" seems to have emerged with the official collaboration of the Freestyle Canoeing Group and the American Canoeing Association. (Marc, et al., please correct errors in my assumptions.)

From the ACA website:
Freestyle / Canoe Touring
Canoe touring and freestyle canoeing emphasize smooth, efficient flatwater paddling and precision boat control. Freestyle Canoeing is considered the “art and science” of quietwater paddling, and is often called “obedience training for your canoe.”


Interestingly, I came across the following webpage of an interview with Elaine Mravetz (RIP), where she was asked how she got started in Freestyle paddling and her involvement with interpretive Freestyle and competition. Elaine's responses to the questions include many references to the science and physics of paddling...

"I actually started out just as a regular canoeing instructor, but I had some friends who had developed the discipline. Their background was in the physics of canoeing. They studied it and had quite a bit of expertise in science, and engineering, and physics, and kind of understood how efficient canoeing should go. They applied that to quietwater canoeing and helped to teach people how to paddle their canoes more efficiently so that they could have a more enjoyable time. That’s how this got started."

And this: "What I tell people is, I learned canoeing and how to teach canoeing early on, but I didn’t really understand canoeing and the physics behind it until freestyle in 1999. That’s when everything sort of came together. If you told me to do a stroke, I could do a stroke, but I didn’t really understand all the nuances of what happens to the boat when you put a paddle in the water until freestyle canoeing."

Interpretive Freestyle Canoeing: The Only Sport That's Fun to Watch

If you like watching people gracefully maneuver boats while dressed as the Phantom of the Opera, you will love freestyle canoeing.

www.vice.com

And for some insight into Sport/Freestyle canoeing history, here's a Facebook thread on the topic...

FreeStyle Canoeing Group | Can some/anyone in this group offer to post their understanding of why, when and how American Free Style canoeing principles and practices were first ... | Facebook

Can some/anyone in this group offer to post their understanding of why, when and how American Free Style canoeing principles and practices were first established and then how they evolved and...

www.facebook.com

Added: This 1978 article by Mike Galt, one of the originators of modern Sport/Freestyle canoeing, is a good reminder of what it's all about...

The Solo Mystique – FreeStyle Canoeing