Category: Information

Warning: Giant Hogweed is Sprouting! #3

Last year, we printed a warning about “Giant Hogweed” at the start of our canoeing season. See here.

This year, for those of you who are hiking in rural areas, possibly near rivers and lakes, there is a good reason to watch out for these plants as they start their growing season. This may also be helpful for those of you who have cottages or like to camp near rivers or lakes.

The following warning is being sent out via email to other groups. Since we make many stops along the shoreline on both rivers and lakes during our canoe trips and we may encounter giant hogweed, it seems like a good time to share:

The giant hogweed plants have sprouted. They are presently a good contrast against the background of winter-dead and they a are larger than the other plants around.

Please check your riverside properties from the water edge to a place just above the high water lines from the last seven years.

If you find any, they can be dug with a shovel and turned over so the sun can scorch them. It is only necessary to cut the root off at 4” to 6” below the soil.

Please report any new findings with GPS coordinates and a photo to gianthogweed@rogers.com so that we can map the spread.

More info is available at the Facebook group Giant Hogweed Mitigation Project.

Pass this reminder on to all of your riverside neighbours.

Together we can keep the shorelines welcoming.

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CANOE TRIP PROTOCOLS {Please read!!}

**Updated for 2019**

Hello All,

As we start our river training and canoe trips next week, this post is a gentle reminder about canoe trip protocols that need to be reiterated due to several incidents that happened last  year…..

1.  Unless otherwise stated, meeting times for our canoe trips are outlined on our web page under OSSCC Rules and in the OSSCC Handbook and Club Rules:

Tuesdays:

8:30 am for shorter trips

8:00 am  for longer trips

Thursdays:

9:00 am

  Details about trips will be provided by the Trip Organizers prior to each trip.  They will be posted on the Blog.   Check the schedule to see who they are and contact them directly if you have any questions. Email addresses can be found on the membership list.

MARK YOUR CALENDARS posts outline trips and club events that are coming up and will be posted on a monthly basis so you can check your schedules and prepare accordingly. General trip info is on  the schedule.

2.  Meet at the shed for canoe trips. This is important because:
3.  Check the schedule/blog regularly in case there is a rescheduled or trip change!

4.  Membership List.  Everyone should have one by now. (refer to April 19th email which also included attachment and a special password to access updated versions on the Blog- it is NOT your login password!) Please check it out to make sure the info is correct, particularly your cell phone number. If you see a mistake, let us know at info@oldsaltsclub.com!

5.  Please be on time!  This is especially important for longer trips like the Beaver River, Saugeen River and Nottawasaga River trips.  The sooner we can get organized at the shed ( sign in/pay, organize canoes, partners, transportation), the sooner we get to these locations and be on the river!

Should you anticipate being late for any trip due to unforeseen circumstances, please contact the Trip Organizers to let them know.  (This happened last year when there was a big traffic jam on the expressway in which several of our members were stuck…..it happens!) Make sure you have the Trip Organizer’s phone number(s) on you just in case:)

5.  When on the river, stay between the “Lead” and “Sweep” canoes! For safety’s sake, don’t rush down the river, keep some space between your canoe and the one in front of you, and don’t get so far ahead of the last (sweep) canoe that you can’t see them.  (They have the first aid kit should it be required)  Why not take the opportunity to practice some maneuvers learned during training?

Finally, have fun!  There are some wonderful trips planned this season:)  Pictures are also welcome!! Hope to see you there!!!

KNOW YOUR STROKES!

Every year, OSSCC offers canoe lessons to teach you safe canoeing practices, and canoe strokes and skills to navigate safely on the water. Whether you are a newbie to the club or a member who has been with us for a while, it never hurts to review and practice the basic canoe strokes we learn in our courses and use on our many trips. Each stroke has a purpose. Do you know what they do? Below are links to resource materials to assist with providing a better understanding of basic canoe strokes we should know and have learned in our lessons.

Forward and Back Stroke

J-Stroke & Canadian C-Stroke (Stern) – includes video

Draw and Cross-Bow Draw Stroke

Pry Stroke

Videos

Path of the Paddle: Double Basics (Bill & Paul Mason)

How to Steer and Paddle a Canoe – Forward Stroke – Bruce Lessels

How to Canoe – 3 Key Strokes all Paddlers Should Know -PaddleTV

Tadem Canoe Basics (Paul & Willa Mason)

Tandem Canoe Essentials (Paul & Willa Mason)

Essential Strokes for Tandem Maneuvers – Westwood Outdoors

Parts of a Canoe/Paddle and Strokes – Northern Tier High Adventure

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

SEASON 2019-2020 {Announcements}

The new season is now upon us as we begin our training and the weather slowly starts warming up to welcome us on the water. Our Membership Drive was a great success and we are very happy to welcome 21 new members to our club. We look forward to meeting you all and seeing you on our trips and at our upcoming social events.

Announcements!

  • Some members didn’t sign their waivers on page 2 of the membership registrations/applications.  You will be getting an email to let you know and to make arrangements for you to get it signed and back to us BEFORE you get on the water. You can get the waiver here.
  • Here is the link for you to see a copy of the OSSCC Handbook/Club Rules that was mentioned in the waiver.  Please read and be familiar with it before getting on the water so you are aware of protocols and expectations.
  • The newly revised Emergency Contact cards were handed out at the Membership Drive meeting.  For potential emergencies, it is essential that everyone either has one on them or in their dry bag whenever out on one of our canoe trips. Trip Co-Ordinators will be checking before we leave on any trips. If you don’t have one, they will be available at the shed and at training sessions.

 

 

 

 

 

 

  • Volunteers – the success of the OSSCC depends on its volunteers! Many thanks to everyone who signed up to help.  You will be contacted by the committee co-ordinators. For those who didn’t sign up, please consider volunteering in some capacity. Send a quick email to: info@oldsaltsclub.com. We will send out an SOS when we need you:)
  • The trip schedule will be posted shortly with the names of trip co-ordinators and towers. Take a look and consider signing up to co-ordinate a trip.  There is a detailed “Trip Organizer” job description posted in the “Printables” section of the Blog shortly.
  • MARK YOUR CALENDAR posts will continue this season beginning with May. These monthly posts will tell you about our planned trips as well as any upcoming club events and will be updated as new info emerges. If you are wondering about a trip further down the road, you can find that info on the season’s schedule located on the web page as well as a more complete schedule (with Trip Coordinators and towers) that will be posted shortly in the printable section of the blog.
  • Membership Forms – if you weren’t at the Membership Drive and still plan to renew your membership, please let us know by April 15th so we can keep you on our mailing list. You can find the form on the web page or in the “printables” section of this blog. Don’t forget to sign the waiver on page 2 before submitting!
  • The Blog is still going to be the main communication tool to let you know about trips, cancellations, postponements etc., announcements about club social events, Bondi etc., as well as a resource hub with canoeing videos, the club handbook/rules, forms and other printable material. If you have something to contribute that would benefit club members, let us know at info@oldsaltsclub.com.  You can also provide feedback, suggestions and concerns at the bottom of each post.

We look forward to a wonderful canoe season!  See you soon:)

“EMERGENCY CONTACT” Cards – Do you have one?

****2019 UPDATE***
Although accidents and emergencies are rare, they do happen and we need to be prepared to have the best possible outcome.  Therefore, we are strongly encouraging all members to make sure they have a completed Emergency Contact Card on them whenever you are canoeing or on other club activities.  (See OLD SALTS SENIORS CANOE CLUB MEMBERSHIP WAIVER)

 

We are keeping Emergency Contact Cards available at the Wing 404, by our sign-in sheet for our trips.  We encourage everyone to have their pertinent information filled out on one of these cards.   If any of your information changes, please pick up another card.

 

These cards should be kept in a waterproof pouch and attached to your pfd, or kept inside your dry bag. It could save your life!
The Emergency Contact Cards will be available throughout the canoe season.
Thank you.

 

Always carry with you!

Canoe Terminology!

Every year, our canoeing instructor uses canoeing terminology that some of us have never heard of. Wonder what “river left” or “back ferry” means? Check  out “Announcements & News! (Membership Content) menu tab: CANOE TERMINOLOGY

Here you will find a collection of canoeing terms that have been collected over the last couple of years and that we may have all heard at one point or another during our canoe training and outings.

This will be a living list, so if you see something that is missing, incorrect or can add a term,  please use the comments section below to provide your input.

QUIZ (answers below)

What are “painters”? a) people who paint your house b) mesh that is woven for canoe seats c) rope attached to the bow and stern of canoes

What is a “lilydipper”?  a) a slow moving paddler b) the bottom portion of a paddle c) throw bag

What is a “lead boat”?  a) a boat filled with lead b) the first boat down the river c) the boat that tips first

ENJOY THE REST OF THE CANOE SEASON…THERE ARE SOME GREAT OUTINGS PLANNED. YOU CAN CHECK out THE SCHEDULE HERE!

Quiz answers:

c) Painters – Line attached to the bow and stern of canoes, used for tying the boat ashore or lining the boat down through rapids. These should not be stored loose and should have no knots that can catch and hang up the canoe. Painters are also useful to grab hold of after a capsize, aiding in boat rescue and recovery, so that you can go paddling again next week.

a) Lilydipper – A dawdling, slow moving paddler. Also the moniker of a dawdling, slow moving Adirondack paddler of some repute.

b) Lead Boat – The first boat down the river in a trip. Hopefully this is someone who knows the river.

 

 

 

Pry Stroke

The pry stroke is excellent for turning your canoe quickly or, if you’re solo, for moving sideways in the water. The opposite of a draw stroke, the pry stroke starts next to the canoe and pushes the water away.

  1. Sit or kneel in a stable position in your canoe.
  2. Hold the paddle correctly! To start the stroke, the shoulders should be rotated parallel with the gunnel so you are facing the stroke.
  3. Your shaft hand is on the gunnel about 6 to 8 inches behind the hip. The arm is bent.
  4. The grip arm is nearly straight and at a right angle to the keel line with your grip hand pushed out over the water.
  5. Insert the blade of the paddle vertically into the water directly next to the canoe on the side opposite the direction you wish to move.
  6. Rest your shaft hand on the gunwale. Pull with grip hand and push with your shaft hand.
  7. Use the gunnel of the canoe as a fulcrum (lever) for the paddle to push against the water.
  8. Turn the blade of the paddle sideways, perpendicular to the canoe, and slide it back through the water to the starting position to begin another stroke.

If you missed the other canoe stroke reviews, you can find them here:

Draw & Cross Bow Draw
J-Stroke & Canadian J-Stroke
Forward & Back Stroke

If you haven’t had a chance yet, check out the video Path of the Paddle for a good overview on all the canoe strokes.

 

Credits:
Photo: By MooseHead88 – Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0,
How to Paddle a Canoe: Strokes and Techniques -Erich Volkstorf
Five Essential Canoe Paddle Strokes – Karen Ingraham
The Stern Pry – Bob Foote

Draw and Cross-Bow Draw Stroke

Besides the J-stroke and the forward strokes, there are other strokes we use to maneuver on the water, including the “draw” and “cross bow draw” strokes…..

Draw Stroke

This is a steering/turning stroke used by both bow person and stern person to pull the canoe to the paddling side. It can be used to move the canoe sideways, avoid obstacles and to turn the canoe around in a circle.

The draw is executed the same for both the bow and stern, but the effect is quite different. A right draw in the bow turns the boat to the right, while a right draw in the stern turns the boat to the left, and vice versa.

  1. Begin by maintaining proper form: hold paddle properly and sit up straight.
  2. Start the stroke by raising the paddle up, bringing the grip handle to about head level, and the shaft hand out to the side and not angled across the body
  3. As you are bringing the paddle up and out, rotate your torso to the side and place the blade vertically into the water at a comfortable distance from the canoe. Both arms are fully extended.
  4. Draw the paddle toward you through the water perpendicular to the canoe. You are actually pulling the canoe toward the paddle.
  5. When you stop pulling, your paddle should be vertical and practically touching the side of the canoe. Imagine pushing water under the canoe!
  6. To finish your draw, slice your paddle out of the water behind you, then feather around to the starting position for your next stroke.

Tip: Use the torso and upper body rotation to aid in the stroke to give maximum power. You shouldn’t be using your arms as much as you use the rotation of your torso.

Cross-Bow Draw Stroke (Bow )

Designed for the bow paddler, the cross-bow draw is like the draw stroke but done on the opposite, or “off,” side than you are paddling on. This stroke is used to quickly turn the canoe (pivot) and to avoid obstacles.

  1. To execute this stroke, it is essential to hold the paddle correctly.
  2. Keep that hold and lift the paddle over the bow by rotating your torso to place the blade in the water on the opposite side without changing your grip.
  3. Reach out and insert the blade of the paddle into the water away from the canoe and toward the front.
  4. Pull towards the canoe with your shaft hand and push with your grip hand to draw the paddle through the water so your paddle faces the bow of the canoe (your thumb on the grip hand will be facing away from you).
  5. By holding firm and not letting your paddle get pulled away from you, you’ll cause the canoe to turn towards your paddle.

To see out how these and how other strokes work, check out Path of the Paddle: Double Basics

Credits:
CanoeingBasics.com
Canoe Cross Bow Draw Stroke – Andrew Westwood
Illustration: By MooseHead88 (Own work) [CC BY-SA 3.0

J-Stroke & Canadian J-Stroke (Stern)

J-Stroke Basics (Stern)

The canoe J-Stroke is probably the most important canoe stroke to learn yet most recreational canoeists don’t even know it exists. Every person who has ever sat in a canoe knows how difficult it is to keep it going straight. The reason for this is that with every stroke of the paddle, the canoe wants to turn to the opposite side. The canoe J-stroke is the remedy to this problem and actually allows the canoeist to correct the direction of the canoe while paddling forward. This is a steering stroke used extensively by the stern paddler in tandem canoeing.

To perform this stroke, be sure that you are holding the canoe paddle properly and that you are sitting up straight.

  1. The J-stroke begins with the forward stroke and then the correction phase.
    • When your shaft hand reaches the point between your knees and hip, twist the power face of the blade away from the canoe and out.
    • Rotate the grip hand so that the thumb moves forward and down.
    • Keep a fairly loose grip with the shaft hand on your paddle to allow the shaft to rotate.
    • This movement will allow you to “pry” (push out) the blade out off the canoe’s gunwale, like a “J” and correct the direction of the canoe. (The Pry Stroke will be discussed in another post)
  2. Slice the blade out of the water and carry it flat (parallel) over the water and forward to begin the stroke again.

Tips:

  • J-stroke can be used as often as necessary, depending on the winds and currents, to keep the canoe moving in a straight line.
  • The more accustomed you become to this stroke, the more you’ll know how much to push out at the end.
  • The bow person (front of the canoe) should paddle on the opposite side from the stern person and should use the forward stroke. Both bow and stern persons should paddle in unison and use the same power of strokes to be most efficient.

Canadian J- Stroke

This stroke is similar to the J-stroke only the paddle stays in the water.

  1. Starts off the same as the J-stroke, but rather than pulling the blade out of the water at the end, the blade is “knifed” forward under the water. Then you are ready for the next power stroke without taking the blade out of the water.
  2. If done carefully, there is no sound from the paddle, making it possible to paddle in calm water without sound. This version of the J-stroke is more relaxing &  doesn’t make you as tired on longer trips.

Both strokes are demonstrated in the following video by Kevin Callan:

Credits:

George Sayour- Author (article) January 3, 2018
Canoe Paddle Strokes – Wikipedia
The Canadian Stroke – Kevin Callan
Photo: By MooseHead88 – Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0
Paddle Canada – Canoe Strokes Resource Document
How to Paddle a Canoe: Strokes and Techniques – Erich Volkstorf

Forward and Back Stroke

Forward Stroke (Power Stroke)

The “forward stroke” is, quite simply, the stroke that moves your canoe forward and is used mainly by the bow person in tandem or doubles canoeing.

 

Though the forward stroke may appear to be simple, there are lots of ways to do it wrong. The goal is not to simply to move your canoe forward, but to move it forward with the greatest power and efficiency possible so you don’t waste energy and possibly hurt yourself.

To start this stroke (the wind-up), the grip hand, (the hand at the top of your paddle shaft), should be at about chin level and away from your face. Lean slightly forward with both the shaft and grip hands and rotate your torso forward as you place the paddle in the water.

Keeping your arms slightly bent, draw the paddle straight back through the water with the face of the blade perpendicular to the water, twisting your torso through the stroke (catch and power phase). This is done by applying forward pressure (like a punch) with your grip hand and using your shaft hand as the pivot point (fulcrum), so the paddle is used like a lever. The shaft hand should be loose for easier rotation of the shaft. The power of the stroke comes from your torso and hips, not from your arms.

To complete the stroke (recovery phase), slice your paddle out of the water up by dropping the grip hand and rotating the wrist so the grip hand thumb is pointing forward and then “feathering” around to your starting position just skimming the water. (“Feathering” simply means swinging the blade forward, flat above the water’s surface so it cuts through the wind instead of catching it.)

Back Stroke (Reverse Stroke)

This stroke is the reverse of the forward stroke where you rotate your torso toward the stern and place the paddle in the water to the rear of your body. You then push forward with the shaft hand and pull with the grip hand. Unwind the torso until the shoulders are square with the gunwales with the shaft hand fully extended. Complete the stroke by lifting the blade out of the water and arcing the shaft hand backward over the water and dropping the grip hand to chest level.

This stroke can be used to stop the canoe or to back up for hazard avoidance, to ferry across the current, or hold position in a current.

Hopefully this post will help you understand these basic strokes much better. Once you see these strokes in action and actually get to practice them, you will get a better understanding of how they work!

In case you missed them, here are other posts that might be of interest to you:

Path of the Paddle: Doubles Basics

Parts of a Canoe & Paddle

Just a reminder that you have a chance to practice these and other strokes at the “Victoria Pond” practice session and other canoe outings.

Credits:
Forward Stroke – CanoeingBasics.com
Paddle Canada, Canoe Strokes Resource Document, 2012
Different Strokes for Canoeing Folks – Karen Berger
Five Essential Canoe Paddle Strokes – Karen Ingraham
Photo: By MooseHead88 – Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0,