Canoes or Kayaks

June 8th, 2009

Solo Canoe Zen

 

The question was asked from a kayaker on another group – “What’s up with canoes? They seem hard to deal with so why bother? Why do solo canoers seem so obsessed?”

 

As a “bi-lingual” paddler (canoe and kayak) who has been paddling both for years and owns plenty of both, I would say that the solo canoe is the ultimate craft for those who have a penchant for challenging themselves and seeking mastery.  I know that sounds mildly Zen, but the canoe hull was designed for a different set of circumstances than the kayak was. Kayaks originated as big water, ocean and tidal survival craft. Canoes were more prevalent in the inland waters where there was much more variety – lakes, ponds, rivers, streams, quiet water, whitewater – and their purpose was to connect the indigenous people to their sources of life and trade/commerce with others within this variety of waterways (the first interstate road system). The single blade originated with this group as the best tool to move these craft.

 

But enough lofty history. What really makes the difference for me is that when in a canoe, the person becomes a much more integral part of the craft and how it performs. As the linkage between the boat and the blade, every move we make, every shift of the body, where our weight is placed, how far we reach, where the angle of the blade catches the water – all of this and more affects how the canoe responds.

 

In theory, the only moving part in any paddle craft is the person – everything else is solid – the boat and the blade. So the thing that affects the relationship of the boat and blade to the water – is you – the paddler. By looking at the difference between a canoe and kayak though this lens it is easier to see that in a kayak there are significant limitations to both where you can place your body and the amount of extension, twist and rotation you can do because you are forced to stay seated in one spot. It is only through the length of the paddle that you can extend out to affect the turning circle and then add some lean to cut a better turn. By contrast in a solo canoe (also true for tandem), you can kneel, you can move forward, back, you can gradually shift weight to one side or any combinations of these. In addition, you have a “flat blade” as compared to a “curved blade” for the kayak. The curved blade is designed for forward speed and acceleration first and foremost which also lends itself to the most common turning strokes for a kayak, the sweep strokes.  The flat blade of the canoe can provide the speed of the curved blade (maximum hull speed is a subject for another day), but its real specialty is its ability to be placed in a nearly endless array of angles, depths and positions around the canoe with a nearly endless array of boat positions (affected by where you are in the boat) to create a unique, but consistent and repeatable result. Many canoe hulls are designed to take advantage of this and as a result it takes time to learn and experience all that you can accomplish with them. And it is the continuous practice, learning and muscle/balance memory of those results that so many of us seek – to get in harmony with the boat, blade and water.

 

The well designed solo canoe offers a higher challenge and a higher personal reward. The boat is the same every time I get into it. The blade is the same. The only thing different is me – and the water. So there is an opportunity every time I go out to learn something new, to move the boat differently, to find a better option, to find my balance. For most dedicated solo paddlers there is point you hit where you “just think it” and the boat responds underneath you and it is as if you were not even conscious of moving the paddle – THOSE are the moments we seek. Can those moments be reached in a kayak?  Sure they can. But the canoe has such a wider range of maneuverability that the challenges and learning opportunities are also much broader.  We obviously train ourselves (not our boats) as we become better paddlers and in all of my years, and I know that my solo canoe paddling has made me a better kayaker just as I also know that all of my solo flatwater training has made me a better moving water paddler.  So a way to look at it is that time spent in a solo canoe, working on the challenges, pushing those limits, will provide benefit to your other paddling pursuits.

 

The sport of Freestyle Canoeing that sits atop the flatwater canoeing pyramid is a path to this “knowing”. Whether your preference is solo or tandem, Freestyle provides both the challenges and a pathway to the solutions.

 

For me – solo canoe is a place where I can be reminded of who I am, how far I’ve come, and how far I have yet to go — and have a great time on the journey.

 

Jeff

 

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Clinic Notes – Kayak Strokes and Rescues June 7, 2009

June 8th, 2009

Kayak Strokes and Rescue Clinic at Turtle Pond

 

Well we had another great clinic at Turtle Pond. This week it was an Essentials of Kayak Touring class with a group of enthusiastic participants. Many in the group “just jumped right in” – into the pond that is for the rescue practice – but more on that later. There was a good array of kayaks on the shore to talk about from sea kayaks, touring kayaks and recreation (rec) kayaks. Longer and thinner go faster and straighter but are “twitchy” and the shorter, wider kayaks are more stable but take more effort to move and to get them to go straight. As for the paddling portion of the class we focused the dry land training on the forward stroke. We spend 90% of our time trying to go straight so we should have a good reliable forward stroke that uses more of our large muscles rather than just our arms or shoulders.  Remember the mantra – Rotation; Chicken Wing; Spear; Boom; Pop.  Wind up the torso, use the upper arm to set the angle of the paddle for the catch, move the paddle forward to get a long catch that enters the water near our feet, unwind the torso and then allow the paddle to pop out between our knee and hip. If we bring the paddle back any further, we are well past the turning point and we turn the boat – causing the serpentine so commonly found with most kayak paddlers.  Remember that the further the paddle is out in front the more it pulls the boat through the water (like front wheel drive or pulling a wagon – it follows). If we pull the paddle too far behind us, it is pushing the boat and since the stroke is in an arc we travel to the side (like rear wheel drive or pushing a wagon – it has a tendency to want to turn since the power is coming from behind). A forward kayak stroke gets the catch well out in front and leaves the water before it gets to your hip.

 

So on water we practiced forward strokes, sweeps, both forward and reverse. Some real aha’s came from the rudder (remember to get the blade well to the back and watch which way you have the curve of the blade), for the easy turn and the sculling draw to move the boat sideways. With these two strokes many started to feel more paddle sensitivity as both require the patience to feel the boat begin to respond to the paddle. Next step – practice, practice, practice.

 

Speaking of practice, what was that splash? Well that was Laura rolling her kayak over and into the water she goes. We demonstrated the two assisted rescues – the Assisted T Rescue where the paddler to be rescued comes up between the kayaks and the version using the paddle as a toggle with a strap. Laura then demonstrated the sole reentry with a paddle float. Wet exits with a skirt were demonstrated and practiced by those who paddle with skirts while others were coached through both assisted rescues and paddle float reentries. So it was a full day of learning and practice and we want to encourage everyone to practice, practice, practice – and remember to contact us with questions on what was covered and if you are curious as to what is next. Good paddling and we look forward to seeing you out on the water.

 

Smooth strokes and placid waters.

 

Jeff and Laura

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Clinic Notes – Solo Canoe May 30, 2009

June 1st, 2009

Solo Canoe Clinic Turtle Pond May 30th

What a great clinic we had on Saturday May 30th at Turtle Pond. There is nothing better than a willing group of canoe paddlers who are really curious about how to handle their craft with more confidence, grace and ability. And of course a great venue and clear skies.  One of the great aspects of solo canoe is that there is always more that can be learned and experienced and this day was no exception. Even for us, in helping others to explore a point here or a nuance there, we finished the day with some AHA’s of our own. The other way to know is if you have aches and pains in places that don’t seem logical for a canoe clinic. Any sore thighs out there? It is also amazing to take a fairly basic stroke, which was the draw, and work through all of the permutations around the boat from forward onside to the offside stern draw. I think everyone learned a lot about how to affect the turning ability of their canoe and getting a sense of what the boat will do “if I place my stroke in this slot”. Laura’s comment about helping people to “get their head in the water” was taken to extremes at least in one case but overall it was tremendous to watch people progress throughout the day. It may not have been noticed by the participants, but when heel was introduced, posture improved, the strokes became more slow and deliberate and people allowed their boats to do more of the work.

Side slips were introduced and have a well earned reputation as an elegant maneuver that is fun to watch, fun to do and really frustrating to learn. But it is an excellent drill to help learn the “sweet spot” for turning your boat. It also forces some torso rotation and is really quick to tell you when your paddle is not vertical or parallel to the keel. Seems so simple but mastery just takes practice and when your side slip, or shift as it is also known, works, the feeling is almost magical. With just a slight, almost unseen adjustment, your canoe maintains its forward momentum and moves to the side without any turning motion. It is also an impressive move in a tandem and is a staple of moving water and river running. Another “learning” for many was the need to think about “where do I want to end up and what stoke should I initiate with to help me get there?” Strong initiation is key to an effective maneuver. If we are looking to turn on-side, and want to use a bow draw to bring us around a great initiation is a strong J. The force of that J will get the bow moving to our on side so when we plant the bow draw, we can almost spin around that placement and then we can draw the bow in – completing our 180 degree turn. And, the best part is, if we add some heel and pitch to these stokes, we have the Freestyle Axel.

Mother nature was right on cue for the assisted rescue demonstration. In the matter of less than a minute, the swimmer, the rescue canoe, the canoe in distress and the paddle were all separated. Fortunately the dry suit was working and we were able to talk through and demo the right process (and I was pulled to safety using the sling rescue). A great learning experience for all who participated and those observing.

We encourage everyone who was there to take at least one aspect of the clinic and Practice- Practice-Practice. Your paddling will go to levels beyond  what you ever thought possible. We were honored to have each of you in our clinic and we also want to thank our gracious hosts. We hope to be able to spend another day like this one with all of you in the future. Spread the word.

Here’s to “getting your head in the water” – Jeff and Laura

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Spring Paddling is Here – Oak Orchard in the Swamps

April 21st, 2009

Well it is still early spring but the weather has been calling. On Friday April 17th we ventured out on to Oak Orchard Creek through the Alabama Swamps (Iroquois National Wildlife Refuge) which is north of the Pembroke exit (Rt. 77) off I-90. About a 40 minute drive from Buffalo, this outing is one that is really only available in the spring when the water levels are sufficient. We put in at the bridge on Knowlesville Road and spotted cars at the Rt. 63 bridge. Sour Springs Road bisects this 5+ mile treck and is a good stopping point for a break and is also a good spot to take out as you will have traveled about 4 miles of the overall trip and the few obstacles in this stretch are easily passed over or around.  If you do decide to use Sour Springs as your take out, note that the bridge has been removed so enter from the south segment of the road as the take out on that side (river left) is much better than the north shore.  If you choose to go from Sour Springs the rest of the way through to Rt. 63 – like we did because our cars were there – be prepared for some carry arounds and many schooch overs.  Overall, the entire trip is worth it. Abundant birds, water fowl and we even saw one of the eagles soaring above. A quick tip to know if the water is high enough – go to the Rt. 63 bridge, and when facing east, if the area to your immediate left looks like a large pond going back to the ridge and at the surface there is no discernable channel for the creek out in front of you – seems like a very large pond – then there will be almost no carryovers or schooch spots. If on the other hand there is still a pond to the left but it is showing terra firma and the channel of the creek is defined out in front of you, then you will have the conditions we encountered.  If all you see from the bridge is a defined creek channel, you will also no doubt have many obstacles and it may be best to wait for higher water. As always, check with the rangers at the Refuge (office on Casey Road) for any nesting season restrictions that my be in force. Good paddling!

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Hello Paddlers!

March 21st, 2009

Welcome to the WeKaNu blog.

Jeff and Laura will be sharing the latest information about our paddling trips, classes and certification workshops. Who knows, you might even find some tips on paddling technique or gear.

Ask us a question. Drop us a line.

Let the blogging begin!

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