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Paddling Your Canoe in a Straight Line (By Jeff Stover) More articles to come!

Paddling Your Canoe In a Straight Line
By Jeff Stover

Photo by Kevin Callan

Sounds easy doesn't it?  Well, for most this can sometimes be a challenge, and often a major deterrent to canoeing.  "Why won't that darn boat go in a straight line?  !" Common is the sight of a group of canoeists paddling that wonderful zig-zig pattern up a river, bouncing bank to bank.  If this has been your experience, don't be ashamed.  I can help you do better.

First of all, let's take two paddlers and plunk one in the bow and one in the stern with paddles on opposite sides of the canoe.  If the two canoeists paddle forward, pulling water with approximately the same power, the average canoe will eventually turn away from the side of the stern paddler (e.g., stern paddle on left - canoe will turn right).  Why?  Is it because we have a powerlifter in the stern and he/she is overpowering the weakling in the bow?  No.  In fact, even if we put the "strong-man" in the bow, chances are good that the stern paddler would still end up turning the canoe.  The reason is simple:  the stern paddler is sitting further away from the center of the canoe than the bow paddler.  The stroke that is performed farthest from the boat's center has the most influence on boat direction.

Well then, how does one prevent zig-zig madness?  Enter the J-stroke!  I'm sure many have heard of this one before (also referred to as a correction stroke).  The J-stroke is a normal forward stroke that finishes off with a "pushing" or "prying" motion from the gunwale - out. 

Click image for larger version

Here is a "play-by-play."  As your forward stroke pulls alongside your hip, begin bending your wrists in a downward motion as if performing a forearm flex.  Continue with the stroke until the paddle blade is behind your hip and use the gunwale to pry off of.  Keep the blade in the water until it feels like you've "moved some water." At this point, your paddle blade should be parallel to the sidewall of your canoe.  This stroke will prevent you from doing those beautiful "doughnuts" in the middle of the lake.

Who does the J-stroke and how often is it performed?  Only the stern paddler does the J-stroke and it can be performed every stroke, every other stroke, or as often as you please with varying degrees.

So, can the bow paddler help in any way?  Of course! But that ...  is another story. 

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