A CANOE, like an
unbroken colt, is of little value to its owner until it has
been mastered. As a preliminary, one should learn to swim
before he or she attempts to occupy and guide his frail and
uncertain little craft. Then, when he is thoroughly at home in
the water, and not before, he may venture forth with his
canoe.
Again, like the
unbroken colt, the canoe has a deplorable habit of ridding
itself of its burden. The canoeist must forestall this by
giving much attention to balance. The load should be evenly
distributed, so that the canoe will ride the water on an even
keel. When properly loaded, it is remarkable what a weight
such a small craft will carry. The heaviest part of the load
should be stowed in about the middle of the canoe, and a few
of the lighter things placed halfway between that point and
the bow. Then, when the paddler is seated in the stern, the
canoe should float on a level keel. If it lists to either
side, go ashore at once and rearrange the load. Do this as
often as necessary, it will be time well spent and may save a
disastrous upset before the journey is done.
The weight to be
carried with safety will vary under different conditions of
wind and water, and will depend, too, on the size and style of
the individual canoe. Never load so heavy that you have not
sufficient freeboard to weather a stretch of rough water or a
sudden blow. An eighteen-foot cruising canoe of about
thirty-three inches beam will carry from five to seven hundred
pounds with safety; any addition to the latter weight will, of
course, depend entirely on the skill displayed in loading and
the expertness of the paddler. Remember that a light canoe is
dangerous and an overloaded one is fatal.
There are two general
types of canvas canoes. We will eliminate those
"tenderfoot" crafts of highly polished wood which
are fit only for mill ponds, satin cushions, double-end
paddles, and "fair-weather" canoe men. The canoe of
the real woodsman is the canvas-covered craft in general use
on wilderness lakes and rivers. In the far north they still
use a few primitive birch-barks, but they are inferior, for
hard usage, to the more modern canvas-covered canoes. The two
types referred to are similar in shape, but of different
widths. The narrower one is more speedy and a bit more
unsteady; while the wider type is somewhat slower in its
progress, but a safer load carrier and therefore better for
cruising. An eighteen-foot canoe of thirty-three inches beam
is a good model for all-around work. Many experienced canoe men
prefer a longer and wider canoe, and are willing to put up
with the disadvantage of added weight on the portages. Canoes
are measured "over-all," that is, on the side, along
the top strip, from end to end.
Once the canoe is in
the water, it naturally follows that the first thing to do is
to enter it. But this, to the novice, is no easy task, and,
unless he is careful and goes at it in the proper manner, he
will probably have his first spill right then and there. There
are many wrong ways and only one right way to enter a canoe.
Place one foot squarely in the center at whatever place you
desire to sit or kneel. Then stoop, while the other foot is
still on shore, and grasp the sides of the canoe firmly. Put
your weight equally on your arms, so that the canoe is held on
an even keel, and carefully lift the other foot in. Kneel or
sit down.
Never try to jump
into a canoe from a height. Never step in without grasping the
sides. Never change position in deep or swift water, but if
you must, crawl along on your knees and keep tight hold of the
sides. Expert canoe men stand upright and do all sorts of
fancy "stunts," but for the novice caution will
prove to be the better part of valor.
Having entered it,
see that the canoe is properly balanced before you start from
shore. If the canoe man is the sole occupant, he should kneel
on a coat or a cushion, with his hips against the second
brace. Do not sit on these braces. If he has a passenger, the
paddler should sit in the stern and place his passenger on a
small canoe chair, halfway between the first brace and the
point of the bow. Most canoes are provided with a bow seat,
which should be removed to avoid accident. Have the weight in
a canoe as low as possible and the latter will ride steadily.
A load high up above the sides will make the craft top-heavy
and easy to capsize.
When the canoe is
properly "trimmed," it may be propelled on its
course. Two paddles should always be carried, a five-foot bow
paddle, to be used by a second paddler, or in an emergency,
and a stern paddle seven or eight inches longer. Grasp the
paddle with the left hand at the top and the right hand within
a half inch of the blade. Put the paddle into the water with
its edge at right angles to the paddler. Pull backward with
the right hand, push forward with the left, and bring the
blade from the water when the right hand is about on a line
with the right shoulder. In removing the paddle from the
water, twist the right wrist to the right and at the same time
push outward with the paddle by lowering the left hand and
"rolling" the paddle to the front. This will hold
the canoe on its course without changing the paddle from side
to side. It is quite a simple trick and one that may soon be
acquired by practice.
It is quite another
trick to lift and carry a canoe. The average canvas canoe
weighs from sixty-five to eighty pounds, and unless the canoe man
learns to handle it properly, he may find it something of an
effort to swing it to his shoulders and walk away with it. A
canoe yoke will make the task easier. Such a yoke can be
bought at any sporting goods store. But most woodsmen do not
use a yoke; they make use of the paddles for the same purpose.
These are lashed from brace to brace, lengthwise of the canoe,
and far enough apart to allow plenty of head room between
them. A coat or a pad can be used to protect the carrier's
shoulders. Having lashed the paddles, lean over and grasp the
forward brace with the hands, the left one near the far
gunwale, the right one close to the side nearest the body.
Then lift the canoe, on a slant, to the height of the waist
and raise the left knee to assist in swinging it above the
head, where it should be turned bottom up. Next get beneath
the paddles so that one rests on each shoulder, and, when the
burden is nicely balanced, proceed to carry it over the
portage.
Two persons can
easily lift and carry a canoe in the following manner: One at
each end, they should stoop over and grasp the gunwales, the
near one with the right hand, the far one with the left hand.
Next they should lift the canoe, bottom up, over their heads.
The boy in front should have a yoke, or he can use the paddles
as already explained; his companion in the rear can brace his
shoulders against the stern seat.