"Canadian style"

Advice
#21

Even Serge use sit and switch !
Cheers,

JackL

#22

Yep

– Last Updated: Aug-02-06 9:57 PM EST –

mmc has it right I believe.

But some refer to Canadian "Style" paddling as the Canadian equivalent of American freestyle paddling. But that type of fancy paddling developed from the basic Canadian Style paddling which means paddling from near the center with the boat "heeled over" to one side. Others have described the pros and cons nicely above.



#23

Texanadians

– Last Updated: Aug-02-06 9:58 PM EST –

Canadian style is definitely my favorite way of paddling. I can get into a groove and move along pretty well that way when catching up to others in a group or if I need to hurry for another reason. But I'm usually not in too big a hurry in the canoe. The Northwind royalex heels over very nicely and is a pleasure to paddle that way. My Shearwater paddles almost as well heeled over.

I paddle sit and switch too sometimes, mostly to change up body position and muscles getting used, and to practice the technique. But I much prefer the feel of paddling heeled over when I can. Its not often a gangly galoot like me gets to feel graceful!

#24

Canadian VS US Freestyle

– Last Updated: Aug-02-06 8:06 AM EST –

The main difference, seems to be that Canadian "Freestyle" (not necessarily "Canadian Style") depends more on remaining in one kneeling position in the bilge and using different types of strokes to maneuver while US Freestyle (which diverged from the Canadian technique) uses body location and movement within the boat to a much greater extent to bring about the results. Many "pro" US freestylers actually remove the thwarts from their canoes to be able to move around the full length of the boat. Watch a pro like Karen Knight. She is all over the boat.

Fat Elmo

#25

Yeah

– Last Updated: Aug-02-06 11:16 AM EST –

Thanks mmc, I was merely addressing the possibility of the terminology being mis-used in the original question. Especially since Woodchuck mentioned the stroke.

#26

canadian style…with a load?
is this style for justempty canoes? how effecient is the canadian stle with 60-100lb load?..tougher too lean from side to side and well, things fall out? : > ]

#27

Canadian style with dog
When my large labrador retriever and I paddle Canadian style, we have a different name for it. We call it “swimming”! It does work great without him, though, either with an underwater recovery or without.

#28

Falling Out

– Last Updated: Aug-02-06 9:56 PM EST –

Gear, persons or pets falling out of the canoe are typically an indication of problems beyond the nuances of paddling technique, Boo. :-)

I've never had a problem with well stowed gear falling out. I paddle with fishing rods and tackle spread around sometimes on flat water and its never been an issue. Of course if your load is loosely stacked and reaches several feet above the gunnels it probably time to leave off attempts at heeling over gracefully and just plug along as best you can with a hit and switch or j-stroke with the boat level. You sure want to make it home with the moose antlers.:-)

#29

Keep yer load low
Wha Ho, Pilgrim;



Ah’s never really had a problem if yer keeps yer load low an’ not shiftin’ fro’ side ta side.



Fat Elmo

#30

falling out
Just last night I was paddling along trying to see how far I could lean the boat over. Little gust of wind…One advantage of the Canadian style though is that the boat didn’t capsize. I was in the water, but the boat was basically dry

#31

just for clarity
nothing is hurt here, unless it’s your pride at going swimming.





heal

  1. To restore to health or soundness; cure. See Synonyms at cure.
  2. To set right; repair: healed the rift between us.
  3. To restore (a person) to spiritual wholeness.

    v. intr.

    To become whole and sound; return to health.





    heel

    intr. & tr.v. heeled, heel·ing, heels



    To tilt or cause to tilt to one side.

    n.

    A tilt, as of a boat, to one side.


#32

but why but why?
so it was asked…



why Canadian style? because there was a time when canoes were practical craft designed to carry 2 people, symmetrically designed and beamy. you didn’t have a ‘quiver’ of boats with a tripping solo, a ww solo and freestyle solo. you had a canoe, and the canoe you had did everything you needed, because you adapted the way you paddled it for the occasion. it is easiest to solo a canoe this way, but it could very well be called ‘classic’ style or old American style i think. hit and switch from racing inspired boats where still a mere glint in the eye of a Mr Jensen when he started thinking of a new way…



is it easier or harder with gear? easier. the gear is ballast, stablizing the boat and keeping the bow down. you can relax more with the added stability even when heeled way over. god love the Prospector…

#33

I read
The guides in Algonquin paddled their canoes solo by using weight in the bow. Omer Stringer was raised in the area and wanted to break into the guide business.



He was given the job of going back to the outpost to fetch supplies. Instead of sitting in the stern and using rocks for ballast he kneeled in the center of the canoe as he had seen First Nations people paddle. Since he was small the lean came naturally , trying to reach the water.



He was often ridiculed by his fellow guides for paddling this way, until they saw how effortlessly he made the trip, and how beautiful the new “Omer style” of paddling looked.



http://www.carryingplacecanoeworks.on.ca/html/omer.html

#34

Nice Link
The photo of Omer in mid-leap, and the story of that stunt, are great.

#35

Lean and Learn
I’ve never fallen out or capsized from heeling over to paddle…but I’ve taken a dunking for other mistakes, like leaning way over to pick up litter while I was sitting in the end of a badly trimmed canoe. Whoa that happened fast. Knew better, got careless. Humility is a good thing.

#36

No need for Solos…

– Last Updated: Aug-03-06 7:41 AM EST –

I wonder about all this need for shorter solo boats too. I love to take my big 18 footers out solo and Omering ala Canandian-style! Heel them over from the center and kneel and they become wonderfully responsive and great to paddle. Fast - shallow draft etc. etc.

Get out and TRY IT, You'll like it, and you just may save a chunk of change by not needing that brand spanky new solo boat that you think you need.

#37

great thread
I have been enjoying this thread. I read along anf think about how “that is what I was going to say” about every third response.



I statred learning about Canadian style after a freestyle course. My SOlo Plus is a bit harder to Heel over than I would like, but after it is there…BAM you are going. I have done it a bit in a rented OT Discovery, but that was early on, and I have improved. doing is of course the BEST way to learn and once you try it it is in you. you won’t fear heeling.



Now when i take people out to teach them canoeing basics I start out like this. I push off shore and say never stand up in the boat. then i stand up. then I say how the boat is stable and I ease my feet over into the blidge and set it up on it’s side. Now that I have seen the Omer pictures I have new feets to try. Standing onthe gunwhales just isn’t enough lol.



Thanks for this great topic and all the WONDERFUL responses



Liveoutside

#38

Great Thread
I tried Canadian-style paddling for the first time on my recent Flambeau River trip, because I took the boat which so far I’ve used very little, my Supernova. That boat is a bit of a tub on flatwater compared to my other solo boats, and I tried heeling it over a few times as an experiment. I don’t have the details all figured out yet, but there were times I seemed to get it “right”. I don’t think it’s so good a technique for high speed (because of the shorter waterline length) but it does feel good when going at slow to moderate speeds.