Awesome Charles. I like the stacked hands and getting the blade under the canoe. Another option is to do a couple of very short and slow strokes at the hip. Once momentum starts increase with one stroke and then the J. As you know, when dealing with a total novice make them go super slow to start out.
A very worthwhile point to discuss. I always feel under scrutiny when setting off from my put-in point, and it's a shame that getting moving can be so inelegant. So many thanks for this video. I usually kneel to one side and set off with a series of C-strokes in which the blade starts and ends outside the gunwale but passes under my knees in between. I use a short paddle at this stage, and switch to a longer one once well under way and in deeper water. But I'd like to acquire greater panache at this stage of the outing. A couple of points. You could just do a massive pry after a first short stroke, like in that famous clip of Grey Owl briskly leaving his lodge (somewhere here on TH-cam). The offside stroke is unavailable if you are leaving from alongside a jetty or shore. In that situation, you can of course shove off hard as you get in, which has the advantage of producing momentum and stability (provided you don't fall in as you shove!). Starting mid-stream, and/or in very shallow water, or against a strong current, I find it pretty difficult to be elegant.
One thing to also note, is your sitting position in the canoe, over to one side, and not facing square down the craft, you are turned with torso facing at an angle I play with this frequently, I find I am more comfortable on one side when I switch sides I have to make my body readjust to the other side to gain this positive sitting/facing position. I don't see this aspect spoken of much.
You are right, I didn't comment here on body position. My notes include moving back a bit and minimize heel to help with straight lines and starting (although this means more weather cocking). Turning to 'face your work' a bit provides better water access, control, and power. Kneeling into the chine provides better heel control as well.
![How to get BACK IN when your Canoe tips over [SOLO]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/lFP1cHGVQkM/mqdefault.jpg)
Awesome Charles. I like the stacked hands and getting the blade under the canoe. Another option is to do a couple of very short and slow strokes at the hip. Once momentum starts increase with one stroke and then the J. As you know, when dealing with a total novice make them go super slow to start out.
You are of course correct - short strokes are in the notes. Thanks.
A very worthwhile point to discuss. I always feel under scrutiny when setting off from my put-in point, and it's a shame that getting moving can be so inelegant. So many thanks for this video. I usually kneel to one side and set off with a series of C-strokes in which the blade starts and ends outside the gunwale but passes under my knees in between. I use a short paddle at this stage, and switch to a longer one once well under way and in deeper water. But I'd like to acquire greater panache at this stage of the outing.
A couple of points. You could just do a massive pry after a first short stroke, like in that famous clip of Grey Owl briskly leaving his lodge (somewhere here on TH-cam). The offside stroke is unavailable if you are leaving from alongside a jetty or shore. In that situation, you can of course shove off hard as you get in, which has the advantage of producing momentum and stability (provided you don't fall in as you shove!). Starting mid-stream, and/or in very shallow water, or against a strong current, I find it pretty difficult to be elegant.
Glad it helped - thanks for the additional notes.
One thing to also note, is your sitting position in the canoe, over to one side, and not facing square down the craft, you are turned with torso facing at an angle I play with this frequently, I find I am more comfortable on one side when I switch sides I have to make my body readjust to the other side to gain this positive sitting/facing position. I don't see this aspect spoken of much.
You are right, I didn't comment here on body position. My notes include moving back a bit and minimize heel to help with straight lines and starting (although this means more weather cocking). Turning to 'face your work' a bit provides better water access, control, and power. Kneeling into the chine provides better heel control as well.