How do you turn a canoe?

Question

How do you turn a two passanger canoe. I have seen people do it both by stoking and by using the paddle as a rudder. Can anyone descibe how both are done. Please descride paddle position and stoking motion...

Answer 1

Well - it depends. If you have plenty of room, there are several ways:
1. - Have both paddlers stroke on the same side. Stroking on the right turns left and vice versa.
2. - Front paddler sits idle while rear paddler paddles on the side opposite the direction of the turn.
3. - Front paddler paddles forward while rear paddler uses the oar as a rudder, oar in water with flat face of oar parallel to the canoe. With the paddle on the right side and near the rear of the canoe, hold the oar against the side of the canoe with the right hand slightly above the middle of the oar. With the left hand, push the top of the oar to the right to turn the canoe to the left and vice versa.

If you are in cramped quarters and need to turn in place, have the one in the rear paddle forward on the side opposite the direction of the turn while the one in the front paddles backwards on the side of the turn. Care should be taken by the rear paddler so as not to overpower the backward stroke of the front paddler.

You can paddle in pretty much a straight line without always changing sides using the technique described in the first answer; Rear paddler strokes ahead and at the end of the stroke turns the blade slightly and pushes away from the side of the canoe. The stroke ahead will turn you in the opposite direction from the side you are paddling on while the push away from the side of the canoe will tend to straighten you out again. Front paddler can paddle on either side but best if paddling on the side opposite the rear paddler. This takes a bit of practice.

It really isn't too complicated - I just made it sound like it is.

Answer 2

It generally takes a course or some canoe,boating savy, if U want to go right bow person reaches out grabs water with paddle and pulls toward him and rear paddler does what we call a J stroke or failing that he can reach left and do the opposite stroke ,that's similar to a box single box stroke.Reverse that for going left.A stern paddler can manoeuvre the canoe alone best most times with the J stroke and other strokes while the bow paddler continues reg. paddling. Its best to take a course so as not to pick up bad habits ie. the GOON STROKE etc.There is loads more like the sweep that the front and rear paddlers can do .

Answer 3

if you are paddling on the left and want to go to the left hold the paddle in the water after you stroke and push the paddle away from the canoe and vice versa for the right...paddle on the right and push the paddle away from the canoe when you are at the end of your stroke.