I am 100% sure she made it clear
That you were responsible for the flip ! FWIW, when I can ( time of year, put in conditions varying etc.) I put the boat in broadside to the shore, I hold it while “she who must be obeyed” gets into the boat, then I get in and we push off together. My wife knows not to hold the gunwale though, if anything she will prop the boat with a paddle. I hate deep put ins myself actually, much prefer shallow water. But the OT Camper has to be the most docile canoe on entry that I’ve ever been in and still paddles decent and that helps a lot.
We took on almost 4 " of water in a Colman Ram X at launch once. My stepson ( adult and his boat) had push off duty caught his foot on the gunwale getting into the canoe. So he had his body centered but leg now caught over the side for a bit. We were going over but I braced with my paddle and saved the total tip over but we took on a big gulp of water and now were off shore maybe 20-30 ft. in about 6 ft of water. We wallowed the boat back in and dumped it out on shore. Rough start to an otherwise uneventful day that was.
So to everybody, I have had three incidents of either full out ending up in the water or taking water on in several decades of paddling. And I’m still paddling so there may be more to come ! Nobody should ever think this will never happen to them because it’s right when you get comfy about all this stuff that it occurs. And the blame can go where ever, that doesn’t matter, you get wet is the result none the less. Something that eats at me locally is more and more people show up and don’t wear pfds, some don’t even bring one with them, left home without it. Never a thought to take one along obviously. Stupid !!!
Whoops - I take that back
I took a number of swims in the freestyle class in my canoe - had forgotten about that.
thanks for sharing
that grubfish. I have different rules for my wife in the canoe than everybody else. She has a good powerful stroke but I've made no attempt to teach her anything other than a forward stroke. My rule is to instruct only when she specifically asks and occasionally she will. As far as getting in the boat, I always have her get in first, I'm holding the boat and standing in the water. I help her step in. Her goal seems to be to keep her feet dry but who am I to judge? She does get a little nervous when I "step" in after her.
Her favorite thing is a family raft or ducky trip on class II on the New River. The social interaction and family time is a big part of the appeal for her. She has been good to help me with local paddle club functions, shuttles, and the like.
For my part I'm learning that day trips, campgrounds or cabins with showers, and shorter distances with milder rapids isn't just about me getting "soft". Its also about maintaining marital harmony.
Hard sells are- bugs, cold rainy days, waves on lakes, rough gravel roads, smelly pit toilets, more than two days without a shower, class IV or V rapids. Come to think of it, I'm not sure I miss that stuff all that much either. Yeah, I'm gettin' soft for sure. I prefer hanging out with the "grown ups" on pnet rather than the youngsters on the ww website.
kayakmedic
Does that camera that lay on the bottom of the river for 15 minutes after your capsize still work?
You deserved to get wet after t-boning me!
I think you did it on purpose; trying to play getbacks at some imagined slight.
Remember who found your camera?
I did.
That probably paid the bill for you lending us a couple of much needed sleeping bags.
BOB
No Tip
A wise person once said, “Canoes don’t tip. People fall out of them”.
pros
Yeah, when watching video clips of the ‘pros’, seeing them glide through the water on its side, spin around in circles, its obvious its all in ‘control’.
Rather than watch video clips of people tipping a canoe over, and trying to figure out why, its better to watch those freestylist and learn how they control the canoe.
Worst canoe swims in order
1) Falls River in Idaho-came very close to drowning with near death imagery of life flashing through my brain.
2) White River east of Mt Hood in Oregon- partial pin and badly bruised thigh
3) Tieton River in Washington State- Dam release flush river of 60+ fpm drop with virtually no eddies. Long swim and lengthy recovery. Sticker bush hell.
Its better to learn to do
yourself… Watching is only the first step
If you don’t swim
you ain’t having any fun.
Causes? Current differentials, hydraulics, rocks, trees, wind, waves, surfing, Freestyle maneuvers, and booze.
But the most common cause of tipping for me is hubris.