Parts of the Canoe and Paddle

Many people think of canoeing as a quiet sport done on tranquil lakes, but serious paddlers put canoes to the test with long trips through the wilderness, portaging from place to place or battling the extreme rapids of whitewater canoeing. Whether you're a recreational paddler or a serious adventurer, it is always a good idea to know the components of the canoe and paddle and familiarize yourself with the purpose of each part.

  1. Paddle

    • The paddle consists of three parts: the grip, a handle at the upper end of the paddle; the blade, the part of the paddle that goes in the water; and the shaft, which runs between the two. Paddles can be made as one solid piece of wood, or made with separate components jointed together and made of wood, Kevlar, fiberglass or other materials. Many canoe paddles are straight, but competitive racers often use a paddle with a bent shaft to increase stroke efficiency.

    Sides

    • The frame of the canoe is called the hull and the four sides of a canoe use the same terminology as other boats. The front of the canoe is called the bow, the rear is called the stern, the left side is referred to as port, the right side is starboard and amidships refers to the center of the canoe. The canoe's sides may curve in, which is known as a tumblehome hull, or curve out, which is referred to as a flared hull.

    Paddler's Parts

    • Canoes come in two varieties, tandem and solo and contain one or two seats. Tandem canoe seats are placed at the bow and stern, with the bow seat placed farther back from the bow deck to give the paddler room and the stern seat placed directly in front of the stern deck. Many canoes contain foot braces, which is a bar made of wood or metal that the paddler can use to brace his feet. The yoke is a beam that runs through the center of the canoe and is used by paddlers to carry it on their shoulders.

    Structure

    • The keel runs along the underside of the boat through the center. The keel can be flat or made with a rocker, which causes the sides to taper upward and makes turning the boat easier. Rockered canoes are more commonly used on whitewater, while flat keels work best on calm waters. The inside bottom of the boat is the belly and contains ribs and gunwales. Ribs are the supports that run from the bottom of the canoe to the top edge and support the structure. Gunwales are rails that run along the top edge of the canoe and provide a support of the frame. The canoe width is called the beam, and canoes often have three different widths, one for the gunwale, another for the waterline and a maximum width for the entire boat.

    Other Parts

    • Painters rings are rings inside the boat where paddlers can insert ropes, called painters, when the canoe must be hauled or moved when off the water. Some canoes have skid plates, which prevent the bottom of the canoe from getting scraped by rocks or other sharp objects. A splash skirt is a cover that attaches to the top of the canoe and is used by whitewater paddlers to keep water out of the canoe.