How to Make a Canoe Float

Whether you are trying your hand at flatwater or whitewater canoeing, many of the basic techniques and strokes that help to keep the canoe floating and upright are transferable. The core concepts of canoeing, combined with maneuvering, also have to do with keeping the boat upright. If you have never been in a canoe, try your hand at boat maneuvers and techniques in still water before advancing to moving water.

Things You'll Need

  • Paddle
  • Helmet (advised for moving water)
  • Personal Flotation Device (PFD)
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Instructions

  1. Keeping a Canoe Upright

    • 1

      Step in the canoe with both hands on the gunwales, helping to stabilize the boat while you enter into position with your knees on the hull of the boat. In a tandem canoe, have your partner enter the boat while you are providing the stability from land. As you enter the boat, have your partner use his paddle as a prop against a rock or the ground to provide stability as you enter. Often the transition from land to a water-based environment, where balance provides stability, is one of the trickiest parts of keeping the canoe from flipping over.

    • 2

      Practice leaning from your hips, rocking the boat back and forth as you transfer your weight onto only one of your knees. As the canoeing axiom goes, "loose hips save ships." If you feel yourself losing stability at any point, practice rocking your hips back and forth to go with the flow and natural movements of the current rather than trying to fight it. You will find that the canoe's ability to rock back and forth will help to keep you upright and floating.

    • 3

      Sink the entirety of the paddle blade into the water when performing a stroke. Keeping your paddle in the water when running rapids will act as a natural brace against tipping over. Maintaining an active paddle also helps to prevent grabbing the gunwales -- one of the easiest ways to flip a boat in moving water.

    • 4

      Avoid obstacles, such as trees, dead branches and rocks, whether they are above the water or just slightly submerged. If you cannot avoid any of these obstacles, position your boat so that you are parallel with the obstacle and lean into the tree or rock, placing your arm out to brace yourself against it. Leaning towards the obstacle positions the hull of your boat so that the current will help to sweep you away from the object.