Getting in and Getting out

[nrivers2]

Hi everyone,

I live in the UP of Michigan, just bought my first solo: a Swift Canoe from Ontario. Beautiful 14 foot Prospector. Stable in the water. Perfect for a 70 year old guy like me. I canoe the BWCA, but also local waters here.

While the canoe is stable, it presents a challenge for me, getting in safely, especially along rocky shores. The seat is in the middle, of course and the thwarts present an obstacle if entering/leaving from the back of the boat. So I've been trying to get in in the middle, one foot at a time. Is this the right way to go about it? Any tips to share? I have waterproof boots and water shoes, so I don't mind getting my feet wet. But I'm not as nimble as I once was! Doubtful that will get better at my age!

It's a joy to discover this site. Thank you all for posting!

 

[snapper]

As a 72 year old, I typically enter my solo canoes by stepping in just in front of the seat. Unless I'm taking off from a dock, I always wet foot my entry into the canoe. If I feel like I need some extra stability I'll lay my paddle shaft across the gunwales, pushing down as I step into the center of the canoe. With a little practice, you'll find the sweet spot where the boat will softly bottom out on the underwater shoreline. This will firm up the canoe as you enter into it. Once seated, I find I float just enough to be able to paddle off without scrapping the bottom of my canoe.

One other thing I did as I got older was to be sure to spend time each week on stretching, strength training and my balance. I do a short routine (35-40 minutes) 3x's per week in my basement. I'm fortunate that my doctor is also an outdoor oriented individual so I asked her to guide me in what exercises I might do. She was very helpful and now, even with numerous joint ailments, I'm able to move about pretty freely. It also helps that I still get to swim 2 days a week and continue to hike & bike when I have the chance to do so.

Hope that helps. I'm sure others will chime in as they see your post.

That's all for now. Take care and until next time...be well.

snapper

 

[eckilson]

You are going to get in right in front of the seat. Lean over the boat with one hand on each gunnel. Trying to keep you weight centered, bring you first foot into the boat. Once you feel stable on those three points of contact bring your other foot in. Stay low and keep your body centered in the boat. You can also use your paddle as a brace, but that won't work everywhere. Once you are in the trick is to get yourself into a kneeling or sitting position - stay centered in the boat and you should be fine.

 

[stevet]

Full disclosure…. I’m 74 but still a kneeler.
As stated above, lay paddle across the rails and hold on to it and the rails. Step into the middle of the boat with one foot and, if you’re spry enough, as you bring your second foot in take it straight into a kneeling position. Then kneel with first foot.
(Think I may have demoed this in the FS video by Tom MacKenzie MANY moons ago but haven’t seen it in decades so maybe not)

 

[Steve in Idaho]

I have a little different take on this. All of our canoes are more stable when moving. So I begin with the canoe floating parallel to shore in at least ankle deep water, but as soon as I get my lead foot planted in the middle ahead of the seat, I push off with the other foot. I push angled out into deeper water, pull in my trailing foot and sit or kneel, all in one motion. If I'm getting into moving water, I do this move facing upstream.

This has two benefits. The canoe is more stable, and it gets me quickly into water deep enough to paddle.

I did start doing this at a younger age, but I think it's not hard to learn at any age if you have reasonably good balance. Maybe you get dunked the first few times, but it's just water - right? Seriously, unless you are not even a little bit fit, I think you'll catch on right away.

 

[yknpdlr]

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.

 

[Steve in Idaho]

Getting out...
The main thing is to have the canoe parallel to shore, again in ankle deep water. Trailing foot or knee in the center of the canoe. Paddle across the gunwales. Leading foot goes out toward shore but right next to the canoe and all weight transferred to that foot. Lift the trailing foot without pushing off, and step out while rotating so the trailing foot plants aft and you end up facing the canoe. It helps to have a boat with good secondary stability and let it lean a little to the shore side as you begin stepping out.

 

[eckilson]

Getting out...

I find it much easier to get up and out from a kneeling position. Lean forward with a hand on each gunnel. Bring one knee up so you have a foot on the boat. With those three points of contact centered in the boat you can get your body up and your other foot out over the gunnel on to shore. I guess it is the same process from a sitting position, it just doesn't seem as stable.

 

[stevet]

You will develop a system that works for you the more times you do it. As with most canoe related things, just go paddling and you’ll figure it out . Welcome to the wonderful world of solo!

 

[billconner]

I use some of techniques above but find I like knee deep water. That's with Tranquility.

You said Swift Prospector 14. I have same in pack version - was not sure if yours was pack. The Hornbeck video on entering and exiting their pack canoes might be helpful.

Getting In and Out | HornbeckBoats

Every paddle location will look slightly different and every boat will react to movement in a slightly different way. However, there are universal rules that apply to any boat, anywhere. Use these rules as a foundation to figure out how to get in and out no matter where your adventures may take you

www.hornbeckboats.com

 

[Steve in Idaho]

I use some of techniques above but find I like knee deep water. That's with Tranquility.

You said Swift Prospector 14. I have same in pack version - was not sure if yours was pack. The Hornbeck video on entering and exiting their pack canoes might be helpful.

Getting In and Out | HornbeckBoats

Every paddle location will look slightly different and every boat will react to movement in a slightly different way. However, there are universal rules that apply to any boat, anywhere. Use these rules as a foundation to figure out how to get in and out no matter where your adventures may take you

www.hornbeckboats.com

I'd like to see him do that video on a shore with waves coming in, or a river bank that drops off quickly. From what I've seen watching the floor sitting boaters I've been with, it won't be that graceful. Still works, but not graceful.

But I'm not helpful when it comes to sitting on the floor. I'd have to transition to kneeling first.

 

[Gamma1214]

Welcome. I tend to use a hybrid of some of the above and, as mentioned, you should experiment to see what works best for you.

I certainly agree that motion helps stabilize the hull when launching but I wouldn't use a paddle across the gunwales because it can slide pretty easily.

I enter behind the seat (usually well behind it) with the leading foot in the center and one hand on each gunwale. I push off with the trailing foot and then step over the seat while walking my hands forward. By entering at a narrower spot, I can keep my weight more centered and maintaining 3 points of contact with a low body position seems very stable. It helps that I don't carry many packs and the one in the rear is kept all the way in the stern.

Getting out varies a little. I'll either reverse the "in" procedure with both hands on the gunwales but moving toward the bow this time or I'll run the boat onto the shore and use a paddle (planted in the shoreline) for balance. I've also been known to use paddles as levers to scoot the boat sideways onto a sand or gravel shore until it sits solidly and I can dry foot my exit. (yes, I am a bit more abusive of equipment than many on here.)

 

[lowangle al]

I've been using that Hornbeck technique, mostly for getting out. I recommend it to my bow paddlers for getting in and out, while I hold the boat steady keeping weight on both gunnels. It's very easy with the high mounted seats on my boats. With a centralized seat you will need to get your butt close to the keel line of the boat.

 

[Chip]

I think one foot in the middle is best, but I sometimes use a method that can be summarized as "aim your arse at the seat." I most often do this when boarding from a muddy bottom when I know my shoes are bringing a couple pounds of mud along with them. With the boat parallel to the bank I stand facing the bank and fire my arse towards the seat. I usually am holding the near gunwale with one hand and immediately reach for the far gunwale as I fire. My feet stay outside the gunwale, so I can kick them in the water and work at getting the mud off.

I thought nobody had suggested this but just looked at billconner's link and see that "the Hornbeck method" is very similar. They must have renamed it to avoid paying royalties to my tush!

 

[Erica]

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.