Gear for technique improvement

Novice canoeist here. I was out on a local pond today and was using a paddle with a wider flatter face than the inexpensive wood thing from Cabela's I normally use. So much power! But also, I found my strokes getting stuck more frequently where I'd have to just pull the paddle out any way I could because when I tried to stroke normally the paddle would catch a bunch of water and just stop. Eventually, I was able to J stroke again by making the thumb-down move more crisply and then knifing the paddle blade straight up from the rudder position. Normally I exit as the paddle is beginning to recover which is what I think I've seen people in videos do.

It felt kinda like I was improving based on feedback from more sensitive gear. On the other hand, I might be maladapting. Any idea which? How much does technique change with different paddles? Have you found "feedback" from different gear instructive?

I have lots of paddles that lean against the foundation in my basement and collect dust, but I have three that I use all the time. I paddle dedicated solo boats, and my "go-to" paddle is a Werner Bandit. With a “T” grip and spooned blade it’s great for “cab forward” paddling – forward and cross-forward strokes with a minimum of correction. It is still fine for more relaxed J-stroking.

When I got my Wildfire I wanted to try some freestyle moves, and quickly realized that the Bandit wasn’t good for that. I got a FOX worx. With a pear grip and large blade, I can do an Indian Stroke with a palm roll and in-water recovery and a bow pry/jam that I can't do with the Werner, but the large blade makes cross forward strokes a little more difficult.

The only boat that I can’t kneel in is my Spirit II, which is set up for "sit and switch" paddling with tractor seats and foot braces. For that boat I have the original Race Mate bent shaft paddles that my father bought with the boat in 1988. They are a little beat up, but I still use them.

So yes - technique definitely changes with different paddles (and boats). It's tough to know what is going on in your particular case without knowing the boat you are paddling and the paddle you are using. I usually think about planting the blade, and moving the boat through the water. Agree that the recovery on the J-stroke is more of a flick of the wrist as the paddle exits the water rather than lifting it straight up. With a bigger blade you definitely need to slow down the cadence of your strokes – maybe that would help.

Yes you may have to adapt your technique depending on the paddle, for example a ZRE power surge or other spoon-type blades are more fussy (less forgiving). When J-stroking, the bigger/longer the blade the more likely I am to do in-water recoveries since sticking the paddle in the water properly isn't as easy as a shorter, handier blade. In your case I wonder if the paddle with the bigger blade might be too long for you (shaft length)....that's really the only time a paddle feels awkward to me. If you're near SW Michigan let's go for a paddle

Thanks for the replies. It sounds like some adaptation is warranted with different paddles, but in my case there's something not quite right. Sounds like a good excuse to go back to the pond today to figure it out.

I know that I enjoy seeing others' canoe pictures, so here's mine for reference. I was paddling solo with from the font seat with the canoe backwards. Just power strokes and correction strokes. The new paddle (the silver & black one) is longer. Per gumpus, that may be something to do with it feeling awkward. It was a gift and it's collapsible to go with the collapsible canoe so its purposes may ultimately have more to with the convenience of air travel than quality of boat control.

It's always a good idea to go to the pond.

Here's what my local river looked like today. I am also working on technique since I have just started taking out new rescue dog Gracie with me so I have to make sure she has nothing but positive experiences.

Yixak, welcome to site membership! Feel free to ask any questions and to post messages, photos and videos, and to start threads, in our many forums. Please read Welcome to CanoeTripping and Site Rules! Many of the site's technical features are explained in Features: Help and How-To Running Thread. We look forward to your participation in our canoe community.

If you're a novice, your paddling technique of course will need lots of experimentation, practice and experience. There are many forward stroke correction techniques, which can be combined in eventually instinctive ways. You can correct at the plant and initial pull (C stroke), during the pull (pitch stroke), at the end of the pull (J stroke), and/or during the recovery (Canadian stroke). No one really knows what you are doing unless they can observe you. Seek instruction from a canoe club, ACA instructor or any experienced canoe paddler you can find.

yixak said:

I found my strokes getting stuck more frequently where I'd have to just pull the paddle out any way I could because when I tried to stroke normally the paddle would catch a bunch of water and just stop.

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I'm not sure what you mean by the paddle getting stuck, catching water and just stopping. At the end of the pull and J correction, you should be smoothly slicing your paddle blade out of the water.

yixak said:

Eventually, I was able to J stroke again by making the thumb-down move more crisply and then knifing the paddle blade straight up from the rudder position.

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That sounds like an improvement, but you really shouldn't be slicing the paddle edge straight up. To clarify, let's make up some terminology about the two paddle edges. When you are pulling the forward stroke, the edge facing toward the hull I'll call the "inside edge", and the edge facing away from the hull I'll call the "outside edge". It sounds as if you are J twisting your grip hand thumb down so far that the inside edge is facing 90° upward, dragging that rudder way behind you, and then slicing the inside edge straight up out of the water.

Try it a different way. Don't bring the paddle too far behind your hip. When it's somewhat behind your hip begin the J twist of your grip hand, but don't twist the blade 90° fully vertical. Then pry away from the hull and slice the outside edge simultaneously forward and upward at a sharp angle so the outside edge exits the water. That that quick pry and forward/upward angled slice will provide the J correction. If you reduce the pry force and instead make slicing angle shallower, so the forward/upward slice stays in the water longer and hence exits the water further forward, that's the Canadian stroke. To repeat: for both the J and Canadian strokes, it is the outside edge that should slice out of the water.

I know all those words are hard to visualize. Here's a decent video that briefly shows the thumb-up goon stroke, thumb-down J and Canadian strokes, and thumb-down/palm-rolled Indian stroke:

yixak said:

The new paddle (the silver & black one) is longer. . . . and it's collapsible

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By collapsible, do you mean the length can be changed? Whatever, a paddle that is the wrong size may make it difficult to execute the various forward correction strokes efficiently. There are lots of discussions on this site and the internet generally re how to correctly size a paddle. My preference for a straight shaft paddle in flat water is to have the grip be about at my chin level when the blade is fully immersed. Longer for whitewater. Shorter for a bent shaft paddle.

Lake paddles tend to be long and narrow.
River paddles tend to be wider and shorter.
It is very useful to try different paddles including two bladed kayak paddles in a canoe.
Using a very broad paddle up in the 7-8 inch range can be very tiring over a day. They can be noisy. They can easily get stuck in the current. I find that using only part of the paddle blade and not putting it too far into the water helps. This naturally occurs in shallow water like riffles.
I would add that making paddles with hand tools is one of the great experiences of canoeing.
I have sold my last canoe probably, but every time I look at the old laminated paddle used for the last 35 years I can't help but smile.

Glenn MacGrady said:

By collapsible, do you mean the length can be changed?

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The paddle has two sections which slide together and are held in place with a button. Unfortunately, the length isn't adjustable. It's a "Mohawk Paddle" sold by Pakboats.

Glenn MacGrady said:

My preference for a straight shaft paddle in flat water is to have the grip be about at my chin level when the blade is fully immersed

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Thanks for this tip. I think part of my problem is the paddle is too long. I appreciate explanation on the details of the J stroke and the video. You're right that the end of my stroke isn't right.

yixak said:

The paddle has two sections which slide together and are held in place with a button. Unfortunately, the length isn't adjustable. It's a "Mohawk Paddle" sold by Pakboats.


Thanks for this tip. I think part of my problem is the paddle is too long. I appreciate explanation on the details of the J stroke and the video. You're right that the end of my stroke isn't right.

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Based on your picture there's a pretty big difference in shaft length between your paddles (I'm six feet tall and like a shaft length of 34-35 inches).

If you'd like to shorten your new paddle it might be pretty easy. I'd leave the part with the button alone and drill a new hole for the button in the other half, then cut off the excess length with a hacksaw. You'd have to sand/file where you drill and cut to eliminate sharp edges. Just a thought.

If I were going to try to shorten your new paddle I'd attempt to remove the top grip, maybe with cautious application of heat, and cut the shaft at the top then reattach the grip rather than doing anything at the shaft joint. The grip came loose accidentally on one of my old Mohawk paddles so your paddle grip may not be too hard to remove.

What PakCanoe model do you have? How wide is it at your paddle station? If the canoe is relatively wide that could lead to a bit of an unintentional sweep and the effects would be amplified with a wider paddle.

Yes PaddlingPiika is right. It would be easiest to shorten your paddle at the grip end if you can remove the grip. You might ask Mohawk how to remove the grip since not all manufacturers use epoxy that softens with heat.