Down River Index  1 Paddles   2 Boat Outfitting   3 Technique   4 How to Handle the River   5 Down River Racing

4   How to Handle The River

turning - corners - eddies, boils & chop - running standing waves  & drops - making crossovers in rapids & in standing waves - shallow water

In downriver paddling you use the water and the lean of your boat to steer. Therefore you need to think about the placement of the boat in the water and its trajectory. As well, you need to adapt your basic flatwater paddling style to the different conditions encountered on the river. Turning To turn, drop the blade wider, dig the heels down and lean the boat. As the paddle should be used for forward propulsion and not for steering, don't use sweep strokes to turn. They slow you down and are more unstable. Corners Set up the turn early to avoid broaching. Run a tangent to the corner as this is the shortest line. Aim for a smooth trajectory. Use eddies to turn round the corner, taking care not to eddy out. Eddies, Boils and Chop Avoid these when possible! If you can't, then hit them with speed, at the same time leaning back to lift the nose of the boat so that you plane over. Keep the boat speed up and as you leave the eddy lean forward, pushing down with the heels to dig the nose into the downstream current again. The boat will then straighten.  Use eddies to help you steer the boat, but you need to judge the trajectory correctly. Usually you should align your boat to cross the eddie where it is weaker.  Don't place strokes in eddies unless you are turning the boat. The still or upstream moving water is no use for acceleration and may cause you to eddy out or even tip in. If you are using the eddy to turn, as for a corner, then make the stroke a short 'snap' stroke.  Running Standing Waves Path A is the way to go if the waves are less than about two feet high. Use a vertical style, driving close to the boat. Choose Path A if the running waves are small, but Path B if they are more than two feet high. This route is on the shoulder of the waves where they're smaller and it's away from the eddies. You avoid getting water on the deck (which slows you down). Also high waves will make you go up and down, which slows your momentum. Never choose Path C as you will probably eddy out. To paddle through waves, place the paddle on the back of the wave where the water is faster. This also lifts the nose and keeps the boat more horizontal. If the waves are really big, place the paddle on the apex. For wind waves, keep the boat square to the waves. Turn on the wave if you have to. If the wind is sideways, then you have a problem!  © 1994-2002, Dave Worthy and Robyn Khorshid Not to be reproduced without written permission of the authors. Running Drops Get the trajectory square, gain speed, kick off with the longest stroke possible on the apex of the drop and lean back. The nose should be up when you hit the stopper. Lean forward, pulling through it, accelerating. Small Drops Pancake them! That is, run them at speed, leaning back to lift the nose of the boat. The secret is to get as much momentum as possible to get through the stopper and the eddy behind. Making Crossovers You constantly need to cross over the river to get the shortest line or to get to the fastest water or to avoid waves, holes and eddies. Make your crossovers in the least volatile areas. In Rapids:  In Running Waves: Make the crossover in the trough between two waves. Go for precision rather then speed, with the nose slightly up.   Shallow Water Paddling Lean forward, push the heels down, drop the elbows and rate high. By leaning forward you cause the tail to lift up and the pressure wave set up helps you to go faster. If you lean back the pressure wave set up slows you down.