How to Paddle a Two Person Canoe

The great outdoors provides many activities to take part in while also giving a natural scenic "movie" to watch as you take it all in. Canoeing with a friend can be a great way to experience nature and get outside while spending time together. A two-person canoe may present a challenge if you aren't sure how to paddle it, but learning how will open new doors to having fun outside.

Instructions

    • 1

      Choose a comfortable position inside the canoe. You and your partner need to be in comfortable positions in order to perform the strokes properly. Kneeling in the canoe while sitting on the seats is the best position for beginners. This may also help steady the canoe if it seems likely to tip over when you are boarding. You will end in a position where it almost seems as if you are sitting on your heels.

    • 2

      Grip the canoe paddles properly. The hand that is closer to the blade of the paddle, which goes in the water, is going to bear a heavier load than the hand near the top of the handle grip. Use the arm of the side of the canoe you are stroking on to grip the neck of the paddle. Switch them as necessary or when you become more acclimated to the paddle and stroking.

    • 3

      Learn to stroke properly. The most basic stroke is the bow stroke, which propels your two-person canoe forward. Reach out slightly to place the blade of the paddle in the water so that it is perpendicular to the canoe, and pull straight back to the stern to propel the canoe forward. Each person should paddle on the opposite side of the canoe and stroke in unison, although the canoe may still turn slightly due to the momentum of both paddlers.

    • 4

      Practice turning the canoe. The J-stroke is done by the person in the stern (rear) position reaching forward and placing the blade in the water and pulling backwards; towards the end of the stroke you push outwards from the canoe in a "J" shape or reverse "J" shape, depending on what side it is performed. This will turn the canoe towards whatever side the stern person is paddling. The draw stroke turns the canoe quicker and is done by reaching the paddle straight out to your side and pulling in towards yourself. The push stoke is done in much the same way but you place the paddle in the water as close to the canoe as possible and push outward. The C-stroke is done by placing the paddle in the water and moving it in a wide semicircle shape from front to back or reversed in order to turn. This can be done by the bow (front) person by sticking the paddle as far out in front as possible and moving in a semicircle motion across the front of the canoe to as far back as he can reach.

    • 5

      Propel the canoe sideways and learn how to stop or slowdown. If both paddlers in the two-person canoe perform the draw or push strokes on the same side of the canoe, the canoe will move sideways. You may also have one person perform a draw stroke to one side of the canoe while the other person performs a push stroke to the other side. To stop or slowdown a two-person canoe, simply perform what is called the check stroke by placing the paddle in the water and holding it in place, which will bring the canoe to a halt.