Lake Canoe Resource Charles Burchill May 1, 2021 This document covers resource material for Paddle Canada Lake Canoe Skills courses and was developed on the Paddle Canada Lake Canoe Program Manual (6th edition 2013). Some items have been updated in this manual from the Paddle Canada website 2019. This document should not be used alone but in conjunction with the PC resource material, program manual, stroke resource manual and other supporting documentation. It is not a complete resource manual for all conditions, paddling styles, equipment, or knowledge – there is a brief list of additional resources available at the end of the document for more information. This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial- NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License. To view a copy of this license, visit http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/3.0/ or send a letter to Creative Commons, 444 Castro Street, Suite 900, Mountain View, California, 94041, USA. Charles Burchill [email protected], the primary author, must be notified of corrections, updates, changes, and distribution of this document. Use of any organization, methods, information, or equipment in this document should not be taken as an endorsement or acceptance by the author or an editor. Individuals using this document for reference must take responsibility for any use of the material; it is the responsibility of the individual to determine if they are qualified to take on any outing and can accurately assess the conditions and their abilities in relation to their own safety.. The author/publisher/editors of this document will accept no responsibility for injury or loss associated with using information in this publication. No endorsement or support from Paddle Canada, Manitoba Pioneer Camp or any other organization identified should be inferred and is not implied. Notices/Permission - Topographic Images: The Atlas of Canada. or GeoBase®, January 2011 © Department of Natural Resources Canada. All rights reserved (http://atlas.nrcan.gc.ca/site/english/maps/topo/index.html) - Paddle Canada Canoeing Program © 2010, 2011, 2013 - Dave Wooldridge, Ridgewilderness, Parallel Rescue Solo © 2011 with permission to Paddle Canada. - Golden Empire Council, Boy Scouts of America, Rope image Laid/twisted and Braided. © 2011. - Canadian Canoe Routes (myccr.com), 2011. Heading out into open water from a lee shore - Images of Bill Mason used with permission of the Mason family. - Some sailing images with permission from Solway Dory (http://www.solwaydory.co.uk) - Canoeing.com – canoe hull shapes and designs. Permission for use in this document only - Paul Mason – Bubble Street comic – for use in this publication and MPC course only. - Connall Brown, Paddling Banter © 2017. - Other images and quoted information are from public sources or are noted in the text August 3, 2021 ii A personal statement and acknowledgment The canoe was gifted and used across Turtle Island through time immemorial; it is part of First Nations’ culture and identity. This gift was appropriated by others for their own uses. It is now used to take us across the homelands and waters of First Nations and Metis people, the origins and spiritual importance being lost, forgotten, or ignored. The canoe is a metaphor for colonialism and its impact. We need to refloat or right the canoe and work toward reconciliation. This is both hope and challenge for us; what we strive towards as a real possibility for a shared future; to remind us that we’re all in the same canoe and that to make this partnership work we must all paddle together. I respect the Treaties that were made and acknowledge the harms and mistakes of the past, and dedicate myself to move forward in partnership with Indigenous People in a spirit of reconciliation and collaboration. August 3, 2021 iii Table of Contents Introduction ....................................................................................................................................................................................... 1 The Canoe ......................................................................................................................................................................................... 1 Types and Shapes ........................................................................................................................................................................ 1 Basic Characteristics .................................................................................................................................................................... 3 Sailing .......................................................................................................................................................................................... 8 Lifts, Carries and Portages ......................................................................................................................................................... 10 In the Boat ....................................................................................................................................................................................... 14 Launching and Entering ............................................................................................................................................................. 14 Sitting or kneeling, weight distribution ...................................................................................................................................... 15 Paddling Positions – Strengths/Limitations ............................................................................................................................... 19 Weighting and Pivot Points ....................................................................................................................................................... 20 MITH (Momentum, Initiate, Tilt, Hold) .................................................................................................................................... 22 The Loaded Boat ....................................................................................................................................................................... 23 Spray Deck ................................................................................................................................................................................ 23 Into the Wind ............................................................................................................................................................................. 24 PFDs ................................................................................................................................................................................................ 26 The Paddle ....................................................................................................................................................................................... 29 Strokes ............................................................................................................................................................................................. 33 Manoeuvres (Actually Canoeing) .................................................................................................................................................... 39 Slalom Course ................................................................................................................................................................................. 47 Musculoskeletal Injuries .................................................................................................................................................................. 49 Pre-Paddle Warm-up ................................................................................................................................................................. 49 Injuries ....................................................................................................................................................................................... 50 Accident Prevention & Rescues ....................................................................................................................................................... 54 Risk Management ...................................................................................................................................................................... 54 Risk Assessment ........................................................................................................................................................................ 56 First Aid ..................................................................................................................................................................................... 57 Exposure .................................................................................................................................................................................... 59 Rescues ...................................................................................................................................................................................... 63 Incident Response ...................................................................................................................................................................... 72 Other Equipment ............................................................................................................................................................................