Turning in Small Rivers

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canoeblderinmt
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Turning in Small Rivers

Post by canoeblderinmt »

This post deleted so I can change the graphic,

Greg
Last edited by canoeblderinmt on Sat Aug 06, 2005 10:54 am, edited 2 times in total.
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Bryan Hansel
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Post by Bryan Hansel »

Are you trying this with your 20' canoe?

I'd probably back ferry and lose some speed, then maybe have the bow draw and plant a static bow draw and then either pry on the same side or draw on the other side.

My picture isn't as nice as yours.

Image
canoeblderinmt
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Post by canoeblderinmt »

Hi all,
Well, I wanted to get this forum started and here it is weeks later and I'm doing my first post. Been travelling and trying to inlay an eagle in the bow of the 20' White. So here's my dilema:

I live in the Rockies, where rivers are small and fast flowing. I often have to get the canoe turned within it's length (or so it seems from insde the boat!) without smashing up against the carved out bank on the (not very) far side. Here's how I've been doing it, with mixed success:

Image

I'd appreciate anybody's thoughts about how to do this better. My pucker factor is always high going into these turns, and it seems like there ought to be a way to do this with better control. I know about ferrying and have done it on wider rivers, but how about when you are boxed in?

Thanks in advance for your thoughts and or jibes,

Greg
canoeblderinmt
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Post by canoeblderinmt »

Bryan,
This example is from my last canoe, an 18.5 White guide, but I'm anticipating much the same issue with the 20 footer. I realized that I had done my force arrows wrong in steps 1 and 2 so I re-submitted the drawing after I corrected it.

The issue here is that it is tough to keep from slamming the far bank, which is where the water wants to go, often with LOTS of force. As soon as you start the Bow draw, the water wants to take the stern right into the bank. And it has the whole side of the boat to work with. It's the angle thing that you use when ferrying, but turned against you. I found out the hard way that you CAN NOT lean into the turn or you will be swimming. The water grabs the bottom of the boat and over you go. So it's very unnatural, leaning INTO the approaching bank, prying like crazy hoping not to slam into the bank, yelling encouragement to the bow to paddle for all they are worth to pull you around the corner. Is this just how it is? It certainly gets the adrenaline going and helps bond the team when you come out the other end.

Greg

PS: I cheated and used Visio, which is a CAD program to do my drawings. If I'd tried drawing it would have been unintelligable scribblings.
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Bryan Hansel
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Post by Bryan Hansel »

It sounds like the bow is catching an eddy and the bow draw towards the inside bank is setting the canoe up for an eddy turn. Have you noticed strong eddies on the down river side of the inside of the turn?

In fast moving water, it is never a good idea to lean upriver. It's easy to catch a gunwale and flip the canoe. You almost always want to lean downriver and into the obstacle you just hit.

I wonder if you could try this. Point the bow towards the bank and back ferry around the bend until the stern hits the eddy and then the bow should be pushed around. This will seem very spooky as it will look like you're heading into the bank, but if you are back ferrying with enough force it should slow you down. It will also keep your broadside out of the current. Essentially, you boat will become like a protractor drawing a circle. The bow will hold the pencil and the stern will be the stationary point.

Make sense?
canoeblderinmt
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Post by canoeblderinmt »

Bryan,
It's not so much an eddie force as once the bow draw begins, the current, which is still pushing straight at the far bank, now has the boat at an angle aproaching broadside and it wants to just slam the boat into the far bank. We're talking about a river less than 15' or 20' wide, so the back ferry technique technique you describe, which I have used on wider turns, and works works really great if you have the space, isn't an option. I guess it's just head down, weight down river and paddle like hell!

Maybe I should just stick to wider rivers? :big grin


Thanks for your thoughts and helping to get this forum going.

Greg
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Bryan Hansel
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Post by Bryan Hansel »

Just for fun if there is a wider section of the run, you could spin the boat and front ferry.

How fast of current are we talking about? What kind of drop on these rivers?
avalon
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Post by avalon »

Good information here guys, I've been searching around on the net recently for quality boating forums and I think I found the place.
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tunasboy
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Post by tunasboy »

greg,

My experience has been mostly in theOzarks where the turns are nearly always fast and narrow. The technique we use requires a little finess in timing but, fortunately, a little practice is all it takes.

Set up for the turn on what will be the inside edge of the current. Just before the front of the boat is captured by the turning current, the bow paddle pulls the front of the boat out of the current to the inside, Into what is relatively still water. this is where the timing comes in. too early and you will miss positioning for re-entry after the turn. too late and the front of the boat will be swept into the far bank. The stern paddle must wait until the current just starts to swing the stern around then give a strong forward thrust. this will cause the boat to skip across the still water on the inside of the turn and, if done correctly, will have the bow precisely positioned to re-enter the current on the downstream side of the turn. Again timing is paramount. Too early and the bow will be too far inside to recover in time to set up for the next turn and too late will sweep the stern into the far bank.

A weekend of practice and you will be gliding effortlessly through shoestring turns. I wish I could be more specific about the timing but many things affect the move. The length and steerability of your boat, the speed and strength of the current and the reaction time of the paddlers all conspire to make each situation different. Hence the practice. Give it a try though. If a klutz like me can learn it anyone can.
Tunasboy
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