Myth: “The guy in the stern drives the canoe”
By Rob Dale
This may apply for canoes on lake travel or when paddling with a beginner. Heck, it can apply for well scouted and planned runs on pool-and-drop rapids. However, on fast moving rivers with technical rapids, it’s best to yield control to the person in the bow.
Challenge the myth. Put your most experienced river-reader in the bow and in charge. As stern-man your new job is the helmsman. Follow your partner’s lead and turn the stern as required.
It was 2016. Veteran paddler, Iva Kinclova, was recruiting for what would become my first Arctic canoe trip on the Hood River. Our group’s pre-trip warmup was a whitewater run on the middle Madawaska River, just south of Barry’s Bay, Ontario. By chance we were paired up; Iva in the bow and me in the stern.
Part way through the day I noticed a strange silence. There was none of the classic shouting and yelling typical of river running. If Iva planted a relaxed draw stroke or cross-draw, it meant a slight course correction was needed. A more committed stroke meant it was time for an evasive turn… I was learning to read my partner, not just the river.
The Facts:
1. Better Vision.
The person in the bow will always have the best view of the river. The first to see the hidden pillow rock. The first to see the braid with the deepest channel. The first to see the dryline.
2. Gesture Instructions.
Voice commands can be misinterpreted or not even be heard over the noise of whitewater. Whereas the bow person can provide gestures: Pointing their paddle to a safe channel or by planting a draw stroke or cross-draw to indicate it’s time to start turning the canoe right or left.
Personally, when I’m in the stern I follow up the gesture by shouting out acknowledgement. ‘Ok, I see it. Turning the stern’. In some cases, I say ‘Angling the stern’, meaning we’re going to angle the canoe and use power strokes for a lateral move across the river.
3. Indecision is Dangerous.
In the middle of a rapid there is no time for discussion. If the stern-man is aiming Left and the bow-man says, ‘No, let’s go Right’. What do you do? Just yield… and go Right. It’s that simple.
Indecision risks getting pinned on a rock. Just yield the control. Trust their judgment. Your bow partner has the best line of sight.
It’s a debate. When is someone ready to go from beginner-in-the-bow to an intermediate-in-the-stern? They must be confident with their ferry angles, eddy turns, and be clear & concise with communication.
If your bowman isn’t ready, still give them authority to dodge pillow rocks. Left or Right, I honestly don’t care. Just don’t hit the rock.
It’s now 2024. Iva and I are on the back on the Hood River. This time we are paired up and it’s our turn to be the lead boat. It’s literally been 8 years since we have shared a canoe. However, this dance works because of total trust. I trust Iva will find our line from the bow. In turn she puts her trust in me, even though she will never be able to see or critique my maneuvers.
The Hood River is a surreal place. A lone caribou stops to watch us in puzzlement as we paddle by. The river is starting to pick up speed and it is fun. The confidence builds as we complete another rapid with minimal words spoken. Nearing the end of the river, we decided to go for it and run to the canyon!
Rob Dale is a multi-discipline paddler in Toronto. Urban or wilderness, kayak or canoe, he’s just happy to be on the water.