Paddle Tips Blog

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Less is More Part 4

So you have recognized patterns, identified the weaknesses in current to use to your advantage, done your homework and placed your boat into the right water.  And you are still getting blown away by the current.  What gives!?

Here’s a secret weapon: raise the bow on entry to current.  Affectionately known as boofing the eddy line, it does several things as you cross the eddy line.  First, it will prevent the bow of the canoe from engaging oncoming...

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Place Your Boat

Less is More Part 3

So how’s that homework going?  I know, I said we were going to work less.  The good news is that now that our homework is done we are getting to the easy bit.

In Recognizing Patterns we discussed how various river features create weak spots in current- ie, slack water behind a hydraulic, that we can use to advantage.  Another one is a wave trough that provides forward momentum to the canoe even when we are facing upstream- oh, that wonderful...

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Do Your Homework!

 

Less is More Part 2

It’s probably been a while since you heard this phrase but, yes, you have some homework to do.  Making it look easy- and therefore working less, is all about doing your homework.

I used to teach for the Canadian Outward Bound Wilderness School, working primarily with 15-18 year olds, mostly boys.  I don’t have to tell you about the work ethic of this population.  Much of their motivation is to do nothing, have chill time, but there are...

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Recognizing Patterns

 

Less is More Part 1

The first step in making your life easier on the river is to have a plan.  And by a plan I don’t mean plunge in and hope it all goes well- hope is never really a great plan.  We want to act upon the river rather than be acted upon by the river.  This is to say be in control of your destiny rather than at the mercy of the current.

Okay, that all sounds very fine, but how do we do it?  By finding the patterns in moving water we will define...

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