Self-learning to pole upstream - bow control and other tips?

[Tsuga8]

OK, so I've got a couple poles (homemade spruce and a Hayden aluminum) and a couple canoes (Millbrook Souhegan, Wenonah Heron) I'm working with. I read Harry Rock's and Garret Conover's books, watched the videos on YouTube, etc. I feel very comfortable poling flatwater swamps and can build some speed, but still with a fair of ruddering to stay on track. Now I have started trying to work upstream. I've managed to climb some drops that I never thought possible before I started poling - in some ways it's shockingly easy. BUT....

I feel like the two areas I am struggling with are bow control and keeping straight against a current, which are obviously related. I'm basically managing to climb swift sections by alternating sides and zigzagging up the channel, ferrying back and forth, using the current to counter-act the turn I am un-deliberately imparting with each push. This is OK in some sections but obviously at some drops you really want to come in straight to the current and stay that way. I know planting the pole more to the center-line of the keel should help, but I struggle to do it in practice.

I also find leaning to be of limited use in many cases. Often I feel like I try to lean both ways in rapid succession, and the boat doesn't really respond to either lean. Maybe I need to refine my trim? The extreme rocker and round nose on the Souhegan may also be lessening the effect of the lean?

Maybe all this will improve with practice - I've only been out a half-dozen times. But, if anyone can supply some additional pointers they'd be appreciated!

 

[Chip]

You probably already figured out that trim is critical. The upstream end of the boat needs to ride higher, and you want the downstream end of the boat deeper. This is similar to tandem canoe. The current will push the deeper end of the boat downstream.

A fun exercise is to circumnavigate a rock in the current. Start in the eddy behind the rock, as you exit the eddy, step a bit toward the stern so the bow can glide over the current. Push up to the upstream side of the rock and start circling back. As you come around, step toward the bow. Now it is the stern that slides over the current. The eddy current behind the rock will grab your low-trimmed bow, so be ready.

With feet in the chines, I can lean the boat more than when I am sitting Or kneeling, with a strong lean I find I can really get my Appalachian to carve. i Think if you get in a benign current, point the bow upstream, and just hold yourself stationary, you can play around with leaning the boat and see what happens. The boat is probably going to start moving towards the side you leaned down. Try it and see what happens. Besides carving. leaning also shortens the waterline and makes it easier for the boat to turn, same as when we are paddling.

I’m also self taught. I read the Rock book and watched his video. It sounds like you are a more educated in poling than I am—you read two books! So, beware my advice. Hope we get some other polers to chime in. My biggest problem going up drops is getting the pole to grab in the middle of chute. Often it seems there is a slab under the chute and the pole just bounces around down there and doesn’t really get much purchase as I am getting pushed back down the drop. Kind of a helpless feeling.

Good luck, have fun with it and please share any poling revelations you discover.

 

[Tsuga8]

Great suggestions Chip, especially the exercises to try. Thanks!

 

[RickR]

Advise that's been helpful for me on up and downstream travel is to focus on where you want to go, not on what you want to avoid. Not exactly sure how that works, but it seems to.