How to Turn & Stop a Canoe in Rapids

Series Summary

The canoe has been used for thousands of years to explore and trade upon waterways and seas. Though motorboats have, for the most part, replaced the canoe for commercial trade canoes and kayaks are very popular as recreational water craft. Additionally there remains many places that cannot be explored and whitewater that cannot be conquered in a motorized watercraft; not to mention that traveling by canoe or by kayak can be quieter and more tranquil than a boat with a loud gas or diesel engine. A canoe or kayak can be used by two or more persons depending on the size of the vessel. It is easy, fun, and sometimes comical to learn canoeing and kayaking, but it is important to learn necessary safety equipment and techniques before getting into the water.

In these free online videos you'll learn basic white water canoeing maneuvers. Expert Bruce Lessels demonstrates first and foremost how to get into a canoe, and then shows you how to turn and stop a canoe, basic lean and pivot strokes, and how to ferry across the water. He also offers tips on river running strategies and combining maneuvers together for smooth padding.

Video Transcript

"One of fundamental water maneuvers is called a eddy turn. An eddy turn is a way to get your bearings to stop in the middle of the rapids, to bring your group together or to scout ahead to see what is coming up. When you doing an eddy turn, you rely on that current differential between the water moving downstream and the eddy water moving upstream to get your boat to spin into the eddy nice and smoothly. When you watch someone do an eddy turn well, it looks effortless and the reason it does is because they are using the current differentials rather than using a lot of paddling strokes and a lot of strength to get into the eddy. So in the next few series we are going to talk about the basic elements of an eddy turn, how to do a good one and how to make sure it is really snappy and you catch every eddy you are going for. "