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I’ve got a couple questions about the bowman’s role.
I’m basically a flatwater canoeist and most of the time on the Allagash I spent in the lone kayak. At times I switched out and let some of the others use it. I would climb in the rear of a canoe and my bowman would ask me about which side I wanted them to paddle on.
A quick note here: the Allagash I was canoeing was flatwater, quickwater and at most a possible class 1.
I told them to paddle wherever they felt comfortable, I’d let them know if I needed them to help in a correction.
This worked fine with no problems in the 10 or so miles I spent in a canoe.
The other Bigger problem was with the bowman pointing out rocks. In moving water I had no problem picking up the ‘Pillows’ submerged rocks make, and again told my bowman to only call out the rocks IMMEDIATELY to the front of the boat. Again no rocks snuck up on us. Yet the whole trip was full of calls of ‘Rock on Right/Left’ when I was in the kayak.
We’re headed back there next year. What’s the collective wisdom on these two matters at this level of river.
The bowmans role varies by who you talk to. If you have two experienced paddlers then the bow persons role is that they are responsible for the bow of the canoe, and the sternsman is responsible for the stern. The problem is that usually the least experienced paddler is in the bow. They are usually there for a reason… they can’t paddle well, and likely they can’t read the river well either. So the canoe ends up being the blind leading the blind. The bow person can see the river better, but doesn’t know what to look for, the stern paddler might know what to look for, but can’t see the river. This is the scenario that dictates the level of paddling that most paddlers ultimately end up running. Once the bowman can effectively read the river, and is capable of effectively doing bow draws, and bow prys then suddenly the canoe can turn in 1/4 the space it could when the stern paddler was doing all the steering.
On flatwater where steering really is more accurately keeping on course, then the stern paddler can do all the steering. The bow paddler can just paddle forward. This keeps the boat as efficient as possible as super short corrections from the stern are all that is needed. But when you start running rapids, it’s critical that both paddlers can steer their respective ends of the canoe, as it takes much less time for a bow paddler to avoid the rock, and for the stern paddler to react. But that involves the stern paddler trusting the bow paddler’s reading of the river. So the bow paddler really needs to know how to read the river, and pick the right route, and apply the correct stroke to steer the bow.
PK
I was actually taught that, in fast moving water, the more experienced paddler should be in the bow for the reasons PK expressed. I would guess, though, that means a lot of backpaddling and slow going as it gives the bow paddler more control.
Chuck
I’ve been lucky enough to have spent considerable time in the bow with a good friend of mine in the stern. We’ve done our fair share of rivers and races and do quite well.
The thing that I noticed was that over time, as I started to correct the bow of the canoe because of a rock or other obstacle he would read my moves and correct accordingly. Nothing said. No words exchanged.
He let me read the river and trusted my judgment to make the right call. And because of the years we spent doing this, he learned by my body moves what it was I was trying to do.
When you can canoe down a small chute in a rapid and have both paddlers draw together to side step a large rock the stern paddler can’t see, it’s almost like a ballet.
Takes a lot of trust, faith and time before you can get there though.
Just MHO for what it’s worth.
Dave
I’d like to add my two cents, but the above posters nailed it. Even the two that seem to disagree, in that… some paddling partners do better when the “weaker” paddler is in the front, but sometimes it’s just how well the combination works.
My buddy and I, often paddle solo in tandem boats. But for long interior trips we reluctantly share a boat, at a cost of full control of our rides. So we have tried to mix it up by giving each other the “power position”. But the cards seemed to have settled into the best combination that works with moi in the stern, and he in the bow. Not for any ego reasons, just feels more balanced (I am also the heavier of the pair) and he has slightly more WW experience than I, so it just works out better (did I say that already?)
So it’s also “just how it feels” to determine the stern and bow paddlers.
Good luck!
I don’t know that I’ve ever heard that the most experienced paddler should be in the bow, but there is conventional knowledge among racers that the stronger paddler should be in the bow. The reasoning for this is that even in the most balanced canoe the stern paddler sets the basic course, so lets say 35-40 percent of the steering happens from the bow, and 60-65 from the stern. Thus the stronger paddler in the bow will be able to utilize his greater strength to propel the canoe, while the slightly less strong paddler deals slightly more with controling course.
I’ve got to agree with SWIFT as well, sometimes balance just works out one way better than the other. I used to paddle with a very good tandem partner regularly. These days, I paddle solo most of the time. But Laura and I often trip tandem to make ports in less trips, and because we can make mileage better. Laura is fully capable of paddling stern, but she’d rather just paddle and not have to think about maintaining course. So that’s usually how it goes.
PK
I think for technical rivers the stern man should read the bowman’s move. If experienced enough, the bow person drawing should be complimented immediately by the stern. The Stern man should be looking ahead and planning the line through the river while the bow person handles the immediate reactions. It can be confusing though to figure out the line the stern man has in mind but open communication is key. Get the right hand and left hand talking.
Barry
I’d agree with that Barry that the stern paddler can actually see what the bow person is doing, so if the bow is drawing left, the stern can pry left to slip the canoe sideways to keep the ferry of the canoe diagonal to the curreent from broadsiding the rock the bow paddler is trying to avoid. This can all work great if both paddlers see the same rock, and both realize which side of the rock the boat should go around.
This all leads into how to use the river to your advantage. In a tripping circumstance you also need to use the fact that the boat is loaded and has momentum to your advantage jus like using the current to your advantage. Both paddlers need to be thinking on the same page, talking clearly, and using standard terminology, to express what they are doing. Egos are useless… it’s entirely a team effort. I find that people are often amazed at how easy it is to negotiate a loaded tripping canoe when you use the boats momentum along with the current.
PK
communication is the key.On a three day trip one year 15 minutes in on an easy stretch of river my partner and i were rafted up to another couple,we decided to split up and as they drifted along sideways taking in the scenery they both noticed a rock downstream (this husband and wife team paddle class 2 rivers together)she in the bow thought no problem three quick forward strokes and they miss it,he in the stern thinks 3 quick back strokes and they miss it well one wrapped boat later they were both walking opposite directions on shore.So no matter who is were communicate
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