I think…
That as a general rule, back ferrying and eddy setting is the smarter way to go most of the time. I understand the difficulty in having the bow paddler more in control of the angle when that paddler can’t see behind him. But an experienced stern paddler can do a lot to control the angle in moderate whitewater, and an experienced bow paddler can just watch and “feel” the angle, with occasional instruction from the stern paddler. We all know sharp eddy lines are dangerous in really fast water, and crossing a sharp line into an eddy bow first and paddling hard forward is far riskier than back ferrying into it. Plus, I’ve always found entering an eddy that way, and then trying to turn the canoe back around to face downstream while in a tight eddy, to be far more tiring and difficult. A loaded tandem canoe is enough of a barge that it just isn’t as responsive to your reportoire of strokes and your own weight shifting, but it’s more responsive to current differential. All in all, I try to avoid eddy turns and peel outs as much as possible.
On mild streams like those in the Ozarks, back ferrying is the difference between paddlers who look like they know what they are doing (and generally staying dry), and the rental canoe crowd. In the old “Missouri Ozark Waterways” book, long the bible of Missouri Ozark paddling, the worst advice given was to paddle faster than the current to maintain control. Since the biggest dangers on such streams are sweeper and strainer trees on the outside of bends in fast water, following that advice always puts the paddler in deeper trouble a lot faster.
I know I am in the minority here
And I am certainly not advocating playboating your way down wilderness rapids in a loaded tandem, but I don’t understand the reluctance to do an eddy turn or peal out. In faster moving water, I think there may be situations where an eddy turn would be easier to execute than a back set since the turn basically performs itself. Once the bow crosses the eddy line all it takes is a lean. Obviously if you don’t lean the boat will flip, but the solution to that is simple – lean. If you flip doing an eddy turn, you are still probably still going to end up in the eddy. That could be better than floating upright into a dangerous hazard after missing a tough back set.
Like anything, it depends on the boat, the load, the paddlers and the river. Would I try an eddy turn in this boat? Sure, why not - especially with TommyC1 in the bow, although I would adjust the load so it sits lower in the boat.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/eckilson/15389818715/in/album-72157648127073722/
These folks probably shouldn’t try it.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/eckilson/15195741957/in/album-72157648127073722/
In their defense, there was nothing but flatwater on this trip.
Of course good judgment has to prevail, so like everyone else I would portage, wade or line anything that was too tough anyway, so maybe it is a moot point.
Floatation and Peal-outs
No reason not to have flotation that I can think of, other than you need the room for gear. You are also going to portage the real tough stuff anyway, so maybe there is less of a need.
Getting out of an eddy is called a peal out, and it is basically the inverse of an eddy turn. To understand eddy turns and peal outs, you need to understand eddies.
An eddy forms when water flows around an obstruction in the river like a rock or a turn in the riverbank. As water accelerates around the obstruction it leaves a void directly behind. This void gets filled in with water from downstream creating a differential current that flows upstream to form the eddy. You can see an eddy by the eddy line that forms between the faster-moving downstream current and the slower-moving upstream current. Depending on the velocity of the water flowing downstream, the differential upstream current in the eddy can be mild, or quite strong.
To execute and eddy turn (entering an eddy), you try accelerate into the eddy at about a 45 degree angle to the eddy line. As the bow crosses the eddy line, the stern will begin swinging downstream. At this point you lean into the turn to elevate the outside edge to prevent getting flipped as the boat turns into the differential current in the eddy. You should end up in the eddy with the bow pointed upstream.
A peal out (leaving an eddy) is the opposite. You accelerate across the eddy line at about a 45 degree angle. This time, the bow will be in the faster moving downstream current and will swing downstream. Once again, you lean into the turn to elevate the outside edge – this time you will lean downstream. You should end up in the downstream current heading downstream to continue your run.
Three things to remember about eddy turns and peal outs – speed, angle and lean. You have to have momentum (speed) to carry you across the eddy line. Angle is important as you enter or leave an eddy – too much and you will spin out, too little and you will miss all together. Most importantly, always lean into the turn or you are guaranteed to swim.
You have a point…
Which simply means that a paddler should know his abilities and limitations, and that all situations are not the same. If the back set looks to be very difficult to do and the eddy turn looks safer and easier, do it. Really, if you can’t do either one safely (because you forget to lean or are too timid with your lean or overcompensate with your lean–and you can’t keep the canoe on the necessary angle and back paddle hard enough to back ferry into the eddy), then you probably shouldn’t be in that situation in the first place.
So the assumption is that you CAN handle either technique. In that case, it’s more likely that the back ferry into the eddy is safer and easier than the eddy turn, in my opinion…unless there is something about the situation that makes the eddy turn necessary. It seems to me that a lot of the “ease” depends upon the size of the eddy. It’s more difficult to get INTO an eddy by back setting. But if it’s a tight eddy, staying in it and getting back out of it when you’re ready can be more difficult in a tandem canoe.
here’s a link
that may be of interest
http://www.rapidmedia.com/rapid/categories/skills/6377-modern-mith-ology-carving-eddylines.html
regarding that “rule” to lean downstream
Truth be told, you don't always lean downstream. If you are pulling out into fast water from any eddy or a zone of reverse flow, yes, you should lean downstream. But if you are going downstream in the fast water and want to pull out into an eddy, you'll need to lean the other way. Just remember, that during the transition across differential currents (usually an eddy line), think about what direction the water will be coming from as it hits your boat during that brief moment? Tilt your boat so that the water moving across the hull at that moment smacks the bottom of the boat, not the side.
Bottom line: if the water you are entering will tend to push your boat downriver at increased speed, lean downstream. If the water you are entering is going to cause you to suddenly go slower or even stop, lean upstream (but for me, it's easiest to just picture what the water is doing relative to the boat's "point of view", rather than remembering rules).
better to say “go with the flow”,
than “lean down stream” because in an eddy the downstream orientation changes in relation to the rest of the river. So even though it a may appear your leaning upstream as you cross the eddy line while doing an eddy turn, you’re actually leaning downstream into the eddy. 99% of the time you want to get the boat orientated toward the direction of flow. That can mean changing the tilt of the hull, weighting the downstream side of the boat like when you’re hitting an obstruction, or simply keeping the bow facing downstream as you float through a rapid- the key is knowing and reacting to the current- in other words, understanding that downstream and upstream is changing and not a static force in relation to the river banks.
Are there exceptions? attaining, an upstream ferry, a pivot turn, and initiating some squirt moves, probably some others as well that aren’t popping in my head at this moment.
Rules are meant to be broken, but don’t underestimate the wisdom of “go with flow” or “lean down stream” Simple words that cover a lot of complexities. It’s our understanding of what is “down stream” and “up stream” that is usually lacking. It’s not enough to know it cognitively but rather needs to be committed to muscle memory and seem almost instinctual-or as one jedi might say to another, “may the force be with you…” how’s that for some cornball crap of universality.
Water motion relative to boat
Even those rules fall short at many times, which is why I just visualize the lateral motion of water relative to the boat itself when moving from one zone of current to another. For example, not all eddy turns are performed into current that's moving the opposite direction of the main flow. Often times, the current within the target zone of your eddy turn moves in the same direction as the main flow, but slower. So the "downstream" direction doesn't change, but you'd still better be leaning upriver if you enter the zone of slower current with enough downriver speed, because the faster you are going when you hit it, the more the braking effect and thus the tendency of the boat to "trip over itself" will be as the water flows across the hull.
Relative motion is something that a lot of people do not, and never will "get", so whatever method gets you by is the one to use.
Understanding carving
changed the way I paddled my solo WW boat. Tom Foster’s Solo Open Whitewater Canoeing is the best video I know of. It’s a lot easier to understand if you have a WW boat that is easy to carve. My Encore carves a nice circle, my Yellowstone Solo not so much. But once you understand the concept, it applies to any boat. Lean into the turn, raise the side of opposition. Again, I am not advocating play boating down a wilderness river, but the concept even applies to a loaded tandem.
http://whitewatervideo.com/TomFoster.htm
I continue to believe
that if you are paddling loaded canoes on a truly remote river trip, and especially if you don’t yet “get” water movement and its impact on your canoe and instead need word formulas to sort out which way to lean when you enter and leave an eddy, you are well advised to find another method to pick you way through a tough spot in the river. At least until you have practiced enough so that it is an intuitive thing for you. My basic premise is that a truly remote river trip is not the place to be learning these skills. But even if you do have the skill to execute a solid eddy turn and peel out I think that the risks in certain situations are high and so you are best served avoided the risks if possible in certain tight situations. The idea is to use your brainpower to find your way down river without mishap.
often, depending on situation, backferry
into the eddy. Get as close as you can to any seam line and backferry back into the eddy.
Yes
Backferry a good option. Less risk.
Here’s a situation
You turn a corner and see a strainer blocking the river. There is also a mid-stream rock with a nice eddy upstream What do you do?
I guess the consensus is that you back-set into the eddy behind the rock, and then either back ferry, or spin around in the eddy and do a forward ferry to shore. In fast moving water that could be a challenge.
I’d prefer to eddy out behind the rock. That puts you facing upstream so you can forward ferry to shore. Especially in strong current, I’d rather be doing a forward ferry than a back ferry.
There are risks either way - I don’t think one is inherently more risky than the other. It all depends on the situation.
Take away the mid-stream rock and the back ferry is probably the only option. Even I wouldn’t recommend trying to spin a loaded tandem mid-stream.
Certainly there are situations
where an eddy turn is the best and safest thing to do. No argument with that. In the split second that you often have to make these decisions the dangers of the various options click through your head and you weigh them given all the circumstances that exist and make the call. Presenting your canoe broadside to current and potential unseen underwater hazards is one danger in the mix. But, in some situations, that danger is less worrisome than some other danger that is presenting itself to you. I agree. My goal is to get into wild places and then get home, safe and sound. Experience gained through having made my share of mistakes along the way is my guide.
Another consideration
when maneuvering a loaded tripping canoe in strong currents as opposed to an empty one or a more purpose-built whitewater boat is the increased possibility of snapping a paddle.
A few years ago I tried to do a "jet-ferry" from an eddy across a pretty strong current with a loaded solo tripping canoe. Snapped my paddle sure enough. (I didn't think I was still strong enough to do that, but I was wrong.) As it happened, there wasn't any great hazard immediately downstream and I had a spare paddle, but if I didn't and was a long way from nowhere that could have been a serious problem. Even having to do a few days paddling with a "second choice" spare paddle could be annoying.
Accelerating rapidly, as one is sometimes compelled to do when maneuvering in swift current, in a heavily loaded boat puts considerably more stress on a paddle that doing so in an empty one. Even going from a cruising speed to a back ferry could put more force on a paddle than one might expect if you're used to doing the same in a more lightly loaded boat.
Whew…you guys sure know how to pre-
pare one for nice nighmares!.;-)
Strainers..if in medium+ flow, given predicaments..I might line the canoe downstream to get past it, if possible to easily retrieve downstream. There's always one side of the stream/river that makes it easier(I think), but if not then portaging is easy to choose.
Slow to medium flow has most always been easy to backferry or all paddlers can simply turn around and face the other way(all levels of current)..if you have sufficient load to negate weight differences.
It's often pretty easy to trim by me(often the heavier) moving toward midships(with the kneepads) a bit if the current would be strong, although backferrying allows you to line everything up with time to spare. Much easier if you climb up on a rock(or shore) and scout the scene. Some of the rivers in NH and Mass(Deerfield) are truly heavy current with rocky shorelines. A good deal of my paddling is in slow current(if any), with streamside/bog perimeters of bushes/grasses or knee-deep muck.
Think if I spent more time paddling stronger current I would modify the moves. Quite a few streams I visit are pretty narrow as well...so there's often no room to use a standard river eddy turn.
When in doubt
go back to Bill Mason. Can’t help but smile watching this video…
http://www.nfb.ca/film/path_of_the_paddle_doubles_whitewater/
Got to love it -
great video. He had a light load and warm water. That makes a difference in the calculus as well.
There are times
when being able to hit an eddy in a loaded canoe makes a huge difference.
Like when there is an eddy immediately above a drop you don’t want to run. On a boulder-strewn river being able to hit that eddy can sometimes cut down a miserable (and potentially dangerous) multi-hour portage to a much easier one that can be accomplished in less than 30 minutes.
maybe
Depends on where you are. In the Arctic, portaging is almost always preferable.
The caution factor goes up with increasing remoteness. Portages are there for a reason. They have been made with hundreds of years of canoeists going by.