teaching currents, w/o current!

Backwards paddling…
Heard on a mixed group paddle when a new paddler who was having trouble going straight in the forward group was advised to paddle backwards to get into a better position with the slower group behind…



WHAT!!!



I don’t know what followed it, but I heard that from 25 feet ahead of them.

Fun surprises
Last summer I was in a group at Sheepscot Falls. As I took my turn fighting to get onto a standing wave, a guy new to paddling (but strong) suddenly crowded in and banged the side of his kayak against mine. JC told him in no uncertain terms to get out, since it was not his turn yet. The guy stayed there and asked HOW to get out. JC said, “Back paddle!” Then when the guy still didn’t leave, he asked with an incredulous expression, “You mean you don’t know how to back paddle?!?” At that point, I yelled, “I will get out myself!” and backed out. (Got my turn later.)



That’s about the level of amazement I felt recently when hearing a CarTalk caller ask why her stick shift car was losing power on hills. She didn’t know to downshift!!! Only how to upshift to cruising speed or stop.

Fight the Tide? No Way!
I wonder if it wise to fight the current while paddling across a tidal river if the opposite shore is shallow. (charts are handy)



I would paddle across the river letting the current sweep me downstream. When I got next to the far shore I would paddle upstream to my location. I will certainly be in the shipping channel for a shorter amount of time than if I fight the current by aiming upstream.



The current on the shallow far shore must be less than in the middle of the river because we know that it has not carved a deep channel. The rocks in the shallows diffuse and slow the current, upsetting its flow.



Thats the argument anyway. An instructor I met on the water in Rhinecliff told me to stick to the shallows on the Hudson if I was paddling against the tide.

It depends

– Last Updated: Aug-17-11 12:42 PM EST –

A solid ferry angle doesn't leave you fighting the tide directly, just maintaining a useful direction while doing it. Depending on the locale and the level of current, I am not sure that just being swept out is any faster way to get across than setting the right ferry angle. If anything you are going to have a longer distance in the channel than if you took a bit off that distance with a good ferry angle (and aptly strong paddling).

Getting swept out and coming back may be a simpler solution, and in strong enough current I think I have done that at some point when it was the best way to keep a mixed group together. But it encourages less boat control too, not the best thing if someone regularly has to get in and around currents and heavy boat traffic.

partly agree
I agree that, if the goal is to spend minimum time in the middle of the river, ferrying in the middle is not right. You should just paddle straight across the channel, letting the current move you sideways as it will. Once you’re out of the danger zone, you can resume ferrying.



But minimizing time in the channel is not the only goal. On a clear day, we can often tell that there are no big vessels for miles. In that case, we can afford to optimize our crossing for sights or effort.



Mark

back paddle
"Novice whitewater paddlers who notice an ominous obstacle coming up in their path often do one of several things."



To be fair, you left out the most obvious: back paddle. Most really new paddlers instinctively back paddle. But after a couple of session of turning and sweeping stroke session, many actually “lost” that instinct!