Canoeing Straight ahead Two canoe strokes to move you forward By Paul Mason
O
VER THE YEARS, my forward stroke has been transformed. I learned a canoe-tripping-style stroke from my late father, Bill Mason. Later on, my stroke became more orientated to whitewater from paddling with, and observing, whitewater freestyle champion Mark Scriver. I’d like to think that by now it is perfect, but I readily admit that it will continue to change. If you have a unique method of steering that is not mentioned below, that’s okay — as long as it is better than my stroke! Canoeing is always an educational experience, and fortunately, learning is what makes it fun.
THE J STROKE There are two correction strokes that make the canoe go in a straight line that we’ll look at in this article. The first is the J stroke. Near the end of the power stroke, turn out the power face of the paddle — the side that pulls against the water — and pry it away from the canoe to bring the canoe back on course with a minimum of zigzagging. The path of the paddle describes the shape of a “J.” Use your upper grip hand to control the angle of the paddle blade, while letting the shaft rotate freely in your lower hand during the steering component of the stroke. Steering is accomplished at the end of the stroke. The clue to whether you are doing the J stroke correctly is to freeze at the end of the stroke and look at your upper grip hand. If the thumb is pointing down, you’re doing it right. If it’s pointing up, you’re doing the “goon stroke.” Another common problem when learning is not rolling the paddle over far enough. The blade should be parallel to the side of the canoe. If necessary, pry the paddle off the gunwale for maximum leverage.
6
O T TAWA O U T D O O R S S U M M E R / FA L L 2 0 0 4
www.OttawaOutdoors.ca
