Correct Way Of Paddling

[CFlyer]

I was eating at a restaurant that is located besides the river. It was really a good meal.

I saw a person crossing a river on a boat with one paddle. I was amazed on how he directs his boat just by paddling on one side of the boat. Normally, I change the side where I paddle if I want to go to the opposite direction. I wonder how that person did it with paddling on just one side of the boat. Any tips on how to do it?

[failghe]

I think I have two links for you.
Freestyling YouTube - Mid-West Freestyle Canoe 2007 - Elaine Mravetz
The J stroke which I believe you were observing that day and how to do it The Canoe Camper - Paddling Skills

[CFlyer]

The video is really nice, thanks for sharing. That is really a skilled paddler.

The J stroke could be the answer of what I have seen. I will try this the next time we will go boating.

[paddle daddy]

If it was on a flowing river the boater might have been "ferrying" (dont know if I spelled that right). This involves setting the boat at the proper angle to the current and with easy strokes on one side the current will help propel you across. It really works!

[john.boufford@yahoo.com]

Many people, including me recommend the book/video Path of the Paddle. which covers this. Basically you start the stroke with a draw, then pull into a forward stroke and finish with a pry.

/
.. /
.... /
......=
......=
..../
./

More difficult is to move the paddle back to the beginning of the stroke without lifting it out of the water. So that your paddle is traveling in a circle.

[JLockard]

Yes, along with the J-stroke and your normal paddling stroke, you should also learn the C-stroke. When you become a little more experienced you can also hold the paddle at a slight angle one way or the other to keep you from having to do something Like S-S-S-J-S-S-S-J(etc.) [where S=regular stroke and J=J-stroke] It will be much better for you in the long run to paddle on one side till you just need to rest from that motion. It's a whole lot less work than switching sides every 3-5 strokes.

[ChadTower]

That's all good info. Really, it's a combination of a dozen factors. You're working with the wind, current, angle of your boat, height of your boat, length of your paddle, how tired you are, how tall you are, etc etc. Learning the basic stroke types helps and then experience will tell you what to do when and how. The key is getting yourself to the point where you are working with these factors as much as possible rather than against them.