Ignorance is Bliss

[yellowcanoe]

In this case terminology does matter. You heel the boat.. Don't use the word lean.. You keep your body parallel to tree trunks and the boat can assume any angle under you.
Why is this important? I told a Merchant Marine Captain to lean the canoe once.. A wet Captain is not a happy Captain. It's too easy to misapply the word lean to you.. over you go.

Heeling a canoe can change its very soul.. The Wenonah Minnesota II has no rocker. Put her on the side a little and woila,, rocker.. The side shape matters. This is a handy tidbit of info to use sometimes. Once I had to teach a tandem basic Freestyle class with me using the MNII.. It was interesting and yes it worked.

Kayakers those noble maligned wielders of the double blade know that heeling helps their long skinny craft to turn.. They being special call it edging. You edge the side of the boat away from the turn for quickest results.

This principle can keep you from banging banks on the Oswegatchie River

 

[Oldtyme]

Thanks everyone. I have a vacation coming up in a couple weeks. I will get a real paddle, youtube some videos, & then go and practice.
I do know the boat was made by some tiny company in Quebec. Trudel Boats or something like that. I even called them but I didn't parle vous Frenchie-swaw.
I intend to upgrade the seats over the winter but as far as I seen they are literally just screwed into the little fiberglass divots formed into the boat. The gunwales are on the outside of the frame, so I believe I would have to get some brackets made if I wanted to make them right. This is winter stuff.
Don't get me wrong. Even though it's an oddball canoe I love it. Compared to my first canoe this thing is a Ferrari. (with Yugo engineering)

 

[ppine]

I am grateful and blissful so I hope I am not ignorant.
I have seen where the wolf has slept by the silver stream,
I can tell by the mark he left you were in his dream