Fastest way to negotiate river bends

Bow paddler
As bow paddler for many years in a voyageur canoe during the 90, Browns Tract is always something to look forward to. Browns is so narrow with turns so frequent that eddies are of little problem on most turns, or nonexistent. Any eddies that exist are smaller than the length of a voyageur anyway. The few relatively short straight runs will have strongest current in the center, flanked by thick lily pads on either side. Unless the water happens to be high, cutting most turns too tight may result in paddling in energy absorbing shallow muck and thick lily pads.



It gives me great joy to pick a line, run it and carve a turn inside most other boats, even in our voyageur canoe (I try not to be too intimidating). But I must say, since the open touring class with many inexperienced paddlers begins the race several waves ahead of us, it is fairly easy to catch up to most of them. In Browns you notice a great deal of really poor paddling technique. But they are learning.



In the bow, being 30 feet ahead of the stern and with good unobstructed visibility, I pick the line I want to follow and begin to paddle on my own cues, going independent of the “huts” that power paddlers #2-#5 need to maintain for stability. The stern padder steers to follow my lead to set up the correct line for the turn, and paddles his draws to bring the stern around in the turn. Paddler #2 will sometimes come to my assistance on the sharpest turns. If we as a crew miss-judge just one at-speed stroke when in the groove we might miss the turn and hit the bank.



Last year my daughter was finally able to paddle tandem with me in the 90 for the first time. She’s not new to paddling, but definitely new to racing. After a few bow paddler training runs during the summer, I put her in the bow for the 90 and was so proud she cranked us around Browns like a pro as we passed other boats stuck on the outer bank. Though the current is important, setting up in just the right place prior to the turn, and making a sharp but smoothly carved turn is key. Even more important than exactly where the current is in a river like Brown’s.



Typical technique for overtaking and passing is to cut a turn short inside and behind the boat ahead, and to roll out inside and barely behind stern-to-bow on the short straight section. Just before entering the next opposite side turn, slip your bow close behind to the other (in)side of his stern, and paddle hard to the turn, turning inside and rolling out ahead of him as he turns wide. If you are good with bow and stern working together, you now have the lead… slick and without grossly cutting him off or causing a near collision.