Canoe

Depending on the intended use of a canoe, the various kinds have different advantages. For example, a canvas canoe is more fragile than an aluminum canoe, and thus less suitable for use in rough water; but it is quieter, and so better for observing wildlife. Aluminum canoes are heavier than water and more likely to sink if overturned unless the ends are filled with foam or an air-tight pocket, which cuts down on storage space. However, they are durable and don't require as much maintenance as a canoe made of natural materials. Canoes mainly used on lakes should have a keel to make them easier to handle in crosswinds; however, canoes for rough water generally do not have keels, to keep the draft as shallow as possible.

1. Bow
2. Stern
3. Hull
4. Seat
5. Thwart (a horizontal crossbeam near the top of the hull)
6. Gunwale (pronounced gunnel; the top edge of the hull)
7. Compartment containing a foam block (prevents the canoe from sinking if capsized)

Use

When two people occupy a canoe, they paddle on opposite sides. For example, the person in the bow (the bowman) might hold the paddle on the port side, with the left hand just above the blade and the right hand at the top end of the paddle. The left hand acts mostly as a pivot and the right arm supplies most of the power. Conversely, the sternman would paddle to starboard, with the right hand just above the blade and the left hand at the top. For travel straight ahead, they draw the paddle from bow to stern, in a straight line parallel to the gunwale.

Among experienced white water canoers, the sternman always steers the canoe. This is because there can be only one person in charge for the rapid decisions required to negotiate rapids, and a sternman can always see the entire boat without turning. In addition, the sternman can use the bowman as a sight to keep the canoe moving in a stable direction. Among less experienced canoers, the canoe can also be steered from the bow. The advantage of steering in the bow is that the bowman can change sides more easily than the sternman. Steering in the bow is also more intuitive than steering in the stern, because to steer to starboard, the stern must actually move to port. On the other hand, the paddler who does not steer usually produces the most thrust, and the greater source of thrust should be placed in the bow for greater steering stability.

• Advocates of steering in the stern often use the J-stroke, which is so named because, when done on the port side, it resembles the letter J. It begins like a standard stroke, but towards the end, the paddle is rotated and pushed away from the canoe. This conveniently counteracts the natural tendency of the canoe to steer away from the side of the sternman's paddle.
• Alternatively, the pry stroke may be used. It is not really a stroke, because the paddle does not move relative to the canoe. The paddle is inserted in the water, with the blade facing forward and outward, and the lower hand resting on the outside of the hull. The force of the water against the paddle pushes the paddle into the hull.
• The draw stroke exerts a force opposite to that of the pry. The paddle is inserted in the water some distance from the gunwale, facing towards the canoe, and is then pulled inward. The bottom hand holding the paddle does not cross the body on a draw stroke.
• The cross-draw stroke is a bowman's stroke that exerts the same vector of force as a pry, by moving the blade of the paddle to the other side of the canoe without moving the paddler's hands. The arm of bottom hand crosses in front of the bowman's body to insert the paddle in the water on the opposite side of the canoe some distance from the gunwale, facing towards the canoe, and is then pulled inward while the top hand pushes outward. The cross-draw is much stronger than the draw stroke.
• The sweep is unique in that it steers the canoe away from the paddle regardless of which end of the canoe it is performed in. The paddle is inserted in the water some distance from the gunwale, facing forward, and is drawn directly backward.

Similar boats

• The main difference between a kayak and a canoe is that a kayak is enclosed on top with a deck, making it possible to recover from a capsize without the kayak filling with water. The deck is an extension of the hull, with a special sheet called a spraydeck sealing the gap between deck and the paddler. Kayak paddles are different in having two blades, one on each end, making a kayak easier for one person to paddle.
• A rowboat is not really like a canoe, since it is propelled by oars resting in pivots on the gunwales. A single rower works 2 oars, and sits with his or her back toward the direction of travel. Unlike canoes and kayaks, a rowboat is not suitable for whitewater.

Setting Pole

River canoers also use a setting pole for navigating portions of river where the water is too shallow for a paddle to create thrust, or where the desired direction of travel is opposite a current moving faster than paddlers can paddle. A setting pole is usually made of ash, or a similar resilient wood, and is capped on the ends with metal to withstand the repeated pushing against the bottom and rocks. The setting pole is used exclusively by the sternman. Combined with proper use of eddys, a setting pole can propel a canoe up-stream, even against a class-three river.

Other recreational aspects of canoeing are not strictly defined, and distinctions are rather articifical, and growing increasingly blurred as new hybrid canoes, kayaks and similar craft are developed. Some of these forms may be nominally organised at the National level of canoeing, but are largely unorganised, individual, group or club activities.

- 'Sea Kayaking - specially designed long kayaks enable sea voyages. These increasingly popular craft closely reflect the original eskimo kayak designs.

- White Water Touring - paddling down wild water rivers for fun, recreation, getting away from it all. Can vary from short local trips on easy grade rivers, to extreme expeditions on raging torrents in remote locations for many days carrying all equipment. In the long distance remote form it may be known as Expedition Canoeing'

- Touring, or Cruising - as for White Water touring, only limited to flatwater rivers, lakes and canals.

- Canoe Life Saving - life saving activity in some countries (notably Britain) may use kayaks. (Don't know much about this!)

- Wave Skiing - paddling a small, manoueverable craft (waveski) a little like a bigger surfboard, amongst the breaking waves of the sea or ocean, variously sliding down the face of the wave or performing tricks on the face of a breaking wave. Close affintiy to surfing. The paddler sits on top of the ski. Competition is based on points for tricks and style.

- Surf Skiiing - paddling a long (5M ?), slim racing craft on the sea, out through the waves and back through the waves, but not manouevering on the waves. The paddler sits on top of the ski.

- White Water Rafting - one or a group of people paddle a small or large inflatable raft down a wild water river. (I ma not awre of a competitive form of this activity). Has much in common with White Water Touring.