Canoeing in the wind

[Doug SC]

I posted this to a paddle forum I frequent and thought It might be of interest here.

Spent some time 3 weeks ago visiting my Dad in Central FL. We rented a house on one of the many suburban sinkhole lakes in the area. I brought our tandem MRC Explorer with me and paddle each morning. One of the days was windy with shifts and some stronger gusts. The canoe was empty, and I was paddling solo. So, I turned it around and paddled it stern forward. I kneeled behind the yoke/thwart or sat in the bow (now stern) seat.

As has be discussed here before paddling into the wind you want weight in the bow and downwind weight in the stern. What you are doing is changing the center of lateral resistance (CLR) of the wind against the canoe. This concept is also used to sail. If the CLR of the canoe is such that the wind's center of lateral effort (CLE) is the same the canoe will stay at a 90' to the wind.

If the CLR is moved forward of the CLE then the stern moves downwind, and if the CLR is moved behind the CLE then the bow moves downwind. The amount you make that change alters how the canoe will handle.

You can change this dynamic by moving the CLR forward to help paddle into the wind or back to paddle downwind. I had fun doing this with my body by knelling as close to the center thwart for paddling up wind and moving slightly back to paddle at an angle to cross wind and sitting in the seat going downwind. You can also use the wind to correct for yaw when paddling on the downwind side of the canoe. Get it right and you can eliminate the yaw correction component from the stroke. Anyway, I entertained myself that morning dancing a canoe with the wind as my partner.

A few photos of the water lilies and sunset.

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[Captain Kidd]

Don't know much about paddling a canoe, but I sure prefer to not row against the wind in Disciple Ship!!!

I rowed a short ways into the wind while on Lanier and my back still hasn't recovered.

[Brian N.]

My wife and I like to kayak, occasionally I'll go solo. Our kayaks are singles so no switching bow for stern. We have had some easy paddles with the wind at our backs and the current running with us. And there are times we had adverse wind and current, and had a long, hard slog. Not surprisingly we have had wind in the "right" direction and adverse current and visa versa, which makes for an interesting outing. Either way, we enjoy the wildlife, the sunshine and some good exercise.

[Spot]

Love the sky in the first picture!

[Grith]

As an old ex canoe and kayak instructor I will just warn, we used to call Canadian canoes D boats when occupied by couples. D for divorce!😂
Add some moving water and the divorce comes even quicker!
I found it was much safer and quieter to separate couples during canoe training.🙂

[Doug SC]

we used to call Canadian canoes D boats when occupied by couples. D for divorce!

Yes, when inexperienced paddlers get into a canoe together it is rare for them not to think that what went "Wrong" was the other person's fault. Juniper Springs Run in Ocala NF in the summer was a riot of inexperienced paddlers often blaming each other for tipping over or running into stuff. Very amusing to watch as you paddle by them. 

My wife and I enjoy paddling together. I learned early on even before our marriage not to criticize. We have been paddling successfully for well over 50 years now. 

[Wolverine]

My wife and I enjoyed canoeing for years. We frequently ran into trouble, but we never argued. One time we had just helped 3 young couples launch and gave them a short lesson on paddling. As they went down the river, our daughter and my wife were in our canoe. As I boarded, I  immediately flipped it. My wife laughed as my daughter and I hurried to gathered our coolers and such, hoping not to be seen by the couples we just gave our "expert" advice to.