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This article includes information on strokes, techniques and tips for paddling a canoe.

Paddling a canoe requires some basic knowledge about position, stroke types and other techniques. The objective is to go as straight and as fast as possible with minimal effort. For the beginner, the main objective may just be to avoid falling in the water. There are some tips on balance as well as methods to control the boat and keep it going straight.

Step 1:

BALANCE

Some canoes can be very difficult to balance. Particularly in the beginning stages, keeping the boat and your body stable may be difficult. First, you want to be in an athletic position. If you are in a racing canoe, you would be on one knee, with your front knee at 90 degrees, your core and hips tight and your back upright. In other canoes, you get the luxury of sitting, however it is still important to keep your back upright. This will help your balance as well as get the most efficiency out of each stroke.

If you are wavering toward the water, you can smack the face of the paddle against the water to propel yourself back to equilibrium. If you are leaning toward the inside of the boat, you can extend your paddle outward to bring yourself back into balance. Often the best strategy is to keep your paddle in or near the water. Putting it up in the air usually makes things worse.

Step 2:

J-STROKE - Push the paddle away from the boat.

If you were to paddle on one side of the canoe, you would end up going in circles. Since the objective is to move ahead, you want to use a J-stroke. It is called a J-stroke because you move the paddle in the shape of a J.

  • Reach forward, enter the paddle in the water and pull back with the paddle perpendicular to the boat's edge. At the start of the stroke, when the paddle hits the water, your top hand should be about vertical to your bottom hand. Pull straight back through the water.
  • About half way through the stroke, turn your bottom wrist toward your body, thus beginning the curve in the J. At first your shoulder may burn, but that is normal.
  • Use your bottom arm to finish the curve in the J. 
  • Push the paddle back with your top hand. This will help straighten the boat and prepare you to retrieve the paddle for your next stroke. Your top hand should finish with your thumb down, and the paddle should be vertical like a rudder.
  • Retrieve the paddle without touching the water and repeat the sequence.
Step 3:

DRAW STROKE - Pull the boat to the paddle.

  • Sitting upright, reach sideways with your paddle so that the blade is parallel to the boat.
  • Use your bottom hand to pull the boat toward the paddle.
  • Turn your top hand so that your thumb is going down and toward the boat's edge.
  • Coil your bottom wrist in, so that the paddle is turning perpendicular to the boat.
  • Using your bottom hand, push the paddle back, to propel the boat forward.
  • Retrieve the paddle without touching the water and repeat the sequence.
Practising these two strokes will allow you to canoe straight without switching hands. Although paddling on both sides does work and is completely fine, using a J-stroke and draw-stroke is more efficient. Then again, you could always do both strokes on both sides of the boat!

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