Adventure Canoe Forum » Tag: paddle strokes

Adventure Canoe Forum » Tag: paddle strokes - Recent Posts http://www.adventurecanoe.com/forum/tags/paddle-strokes Canoe Camping & River Tripping Discussion en-US Fri, 10 Sep 2010 01:18:15 +0000 http://bbpress.org/?v=1.0.2 <![CDATA[Search]]> q http://www.adventurecanoe.com/forum/search.php The Cross-bow Draw Stroke http://www.adventurecanoe.com/forum/topic/the-cross-bow-draw-stroke#post-435 Tue, 18 Aug 2009 07:35:09 +0000 James 435@http://www.adventurecanoe.com/forum/ The cross-bow draw is done from the bow. The canoe is to wide for the stern paddler to make effective cross strokes. The cross bow stroke is used to quickly move the bow of the canoe to the paddlers off side. <ul> <li>Without changing the position of the hands on the shaft, swing the blade of the paddle all the way across the bow to the opposite side of the canoe by rotating the torso at the hips as far as possible.</li> <li>Do not cross arms.</li> <li>The upper hand is kept close to the hip with the elbow at the side.</li> <li>With the lower arm fully extended, insert the blade in the water narrow edge up and at about a 45 degree angle from the bow.</li> <li>By pushing out with the upper hand and using the lower hand as a pivot, you will pull the bow toward the paddle.</li> <li>To recover, push down with the upper hand and lift the paddle up when it reaches the bow.</li> </ul> The Pry Stroke http://www.adventurecanoe.com/forum/topic/the-pry-stroke#post-437 Sat, 18 Jul 2009 07:41:00 +0000 James 437@http://www.adventurecanoe.com/forum/ The Pry is a short, quick, and powerful turning stroke. It is much preferred to the forward sweep or cross-bow draw for turning to the nonpaddle side in turbulent water. The forward sweep is less powerful and with the cross-bow draw there is a period of instability when the paddle side is changed. The pry loses its effectiveness, however, in shallow water. It is essentially the reverse of the draw stroke. <ul> <li>Insert the paddle with the blade near and slightly under the canoe with the shaft in an almost vertical position.</li> <li>Use the lower hand to pivot the throat of the paddle against the gunwale while pulling in with the upper hand.</li> <li>The paddle is thus used as a lever to pry the boat away from the paddle.</li> <li>To recover, rotate the paddle shaft 90 degrees and slice back to the starting position; repeat if necessary.</li> </ul> The Draw Stroke http://www.adventurecanoe.com/forum/topic/the-draw-stroke#post-436 Sat, 18 Jul 2009 07:36:50 +0000 James 436@http://www.adventurecanoe.com/forum/ The Draw stroke is used to move the end of the boat to the paddle side. The upper hand is held above the head and the torso is turned sideways from the waist. This stroke is made by reaching out as far as possible from the canoe with the lower hand. The powerface of the paddle on the surface of the water will keep you from tipping over. As you push out with the upper hand and then pull in with the lower hand, use the lower hand as a fixed pivot point: the canoe will be pulled toward the paddle blade. To recover: just before the canoe hits the paddle, use the lower hand as a pivot point at the gunwale and push the upper hand down and forward toward the bow while swinging the blade up out of the water. If the paddle should get caught against the canoe, immediately release the paddle with the upper hand and pull the paddle free with the lower hand. Resist the temptation to remove the paddle from the water by raising the shaft vertically. This attempted maneuver has caused many tipovers. Another method of recovery, useful when a number of draw strokes are done in rapid succession, is to rotate the paddle shaft 90 degree with the upper hand and slice the blade through the water out to the initial position. The Forward Sweep Stroke http://www.adventurecanoe.com/forum/topic/the-forward-sweep-stroke#post-434 Sat, 18 Jul 2009 07:29:32 +0000 James 434@http://www.adventurecanoe.com/forum/ The Forward Sweep provides forward power with moderate turning force. When done from the stern, the stern is pulled to the paddle side, turning the canoe to the nonpaddle side. <ul> <li>The paddle is inserted in the water just out from the hip with the shaft at a 45 degree angle.</li> <li>The paddle is swept back in a wide arc until the blade reaches the stern.</li> <li>Recovery is the same as for the J-stroke.</li> </ul> The Forward Sweep from the bow will force the bow of the canoe to the nonpaddle side. Reach as far forward as possible and insert the paddle blade near the bow. Sweep out and back until the paddle is even with the hip. Sweeping past this point contributes very little toward turning the canoe.