Paddling Speed?
- Thread starter cgaphiker
- Start date
Pathfinder1
Well-Known Member
Hi...
For flat water...take a 100' cord with a floating object on one end, and the other end tied to the canoe. Toss the cord 100' ahead of you...and see how many seconds it takes to reach the float.
Of course, you can use different lengths of cord, different weights of the "float", etc.
You might have to twirl the weight/float in the air like a lasso to make it reach it's full 100'.
Pathfinder1
Well-Known Member
Hi...
You could also paddle between two landmarks, if the distance between them is known.
You could also paddle between two landmarks, if the distance between them is known.
wvbreamfisherman
Active Member
Easiest way is to use landmarks, but honestly I don't worry too much about speed, unless I have to make a distance to a takeout or campsite by a certain time. I try to set a pace that's most comfortable to me without straining. I can paddle a heck of a lot longer at that steady pace that I do if I try to speed up.
I run quite a bit and know what my normal walking speed is. I can usually judge it by that. I've also had some companions that have brought GPS with them to check. Once you get a feel for it, you can judge wind and waves for how much that will add or take away, look at your map and figure pretty close as to how much longer a certain point is.
With experience, you would be amazed at how close you can estimate it.
With experience, you would be amazed at how close you can estimate it.
bsmit212
Member
You are paddling, dont worry about speed just enjoy being out
Pathfinder1
Well-Known Member
ppine
Forester
I like Lorax's approach. Watch a stationary object like a leaf in the water as you go by. With practice it is easy to get your approximate speed. Speed is important on longer trips when you are faced with adversity.
Speed is a function of waterline length in human powered boats. Few boats can be paddled for long at more than about 3.8 mph. That is close to the theoretical top speed for even long narrow canoes and kayaks (ie 4.5-5 max).
Realize that in adverse conditions, your potential boat speed may be less that what is required to make headway. On Basswood Lake, MN in the Boundary Waters we were young and paddled really hard to make progress at all in the lee of some islands strictly because of the wind.
In the San Juan Islands, WA tidal rips in salt water can easily reach 4-5 knots or more, so you have to watch the tide tables to plan a route.
On river trips the current can approach 8-10 mph. It makes for smooth sailing downstream, but even a 2 mph current is hard to paddle upstream and requires some skilled eddy hopping to really go anywhere.
The most fun I have ever had in canoe was going down the upper Missouri River, MT on the trail of Lewis and Clark. We had good current and a down canyon wind in the morning. I pulled out a flannel sheet and we sailed downstream fast enough to throw a roostertail and all we had to do was steer with a paddle. Watching the shore go by the speed over ground was probably 8-10 mph.
Speed is a function of waterline length in human powered boats. Few boats can be paddled for long at more than about 3.8 mph. That is close to the theoretical top speed for even long narrow canoes and kayaks (ie 4.5-5 max).
Realize that in adverse conditions, your potential boat speed may be less that what is required to make headway. On Basswood Lake, MN in the Boundary Waters we were young and paddled really hard to make progress at all in the lee of some islands strictly because of the wind.
In the San Juan Islands, WA tidal rips in salt water can easily reach 4-5 knots or more, so you have to watch the tide tables to plan a route.
On river trips the current can approach 8-10 mph. It makes for smooth sailing downstream, but even a 2 mph current is hard to paddle upstream and requires some skilled eddy hopping to really go anywhere.
The most fun I have ever had in canoe was going down the upper Missouri River, MT on the trail of Lewis and Clark. We had good current and a down canyon wind in the morning. I pulled out a flannel sheet and we sailed downstream fast enough to throw a roostertail and all we had to do was steer with a paddle. Watching the shore go by the speed over ground was probably 8-10 mph.
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ChadTower
Active Member
It really doesn't matter, IMO. Years of paddling have made me realize that what I'm doing is managing all of the external variables. I'm not so much propelling myself as I am keeping my broadside relative to the wind, the current, and my destination. If you're moving steadily in the direction you want then that's good. Current and wind are going to determine your required paddling speed more than anything else.
Maybe my best advice is to bring an anchor. That 4-5lb of extra weight is invaluable when you run into a current/wind and need a rest. Or if you want to fish. I've had trips where the wind kicked up suddenly against me and that little anchor saved me untold amounts of work.
Maybe my best advice is to bring an anchor. That 4-5lb of extra weight is invaluable when you run into a current/wind and need a rest. Or if you want to fish. I've had trips where the wind kicked up suddenly against me and that little anchor saved me untold amounts of work.
ppine
Forester
Chadtower,
The posts relates to speed calculations to make destinations on longer trips. Estimating speed is very useful to determine decisions, like is there is enough daylight to make a crossing? How many days until the takeout at this flow?
An anchor is a great idea. I usually carry an empty mesh bag in a canoe. It can be filled with some rocks to use as an anchor when necessary.
The posts relates to speed calculations to make destinations on longer trips. Estimating speed is very useful to determine decisions, like is there is enough daylight to make a crossing? How many days until the takeout at this flow?
An anchor is a great idea. I usually carry an empty mesh bag in a canoe. It can be filled with some rocks to use as an anchor when necessary.
briansnat
Platnium Member
I just use my GPS. It tells me actual speed, average moving speed, time moving, time stopped and overall average speed including stopped time.
ChadTower
Active Member
The thing about those plans based on expected travel time is that they can change in an instant. If it starts to rain unexpectedly, you can be boned. If the wind picks up against you, you can be boned. If someone does something stupid, you can be boned. If the fish start biting like crazy or if you run into something amazing and worth the delay, you can be boned. If you run into a flash flood debris pileup with no obvious portage path, you can be boned.
If I learned one thing from my grandfather it's that you always account for an extra 25% or more on expected travel time. Just make it part of the plan. If you make good time and arrive early, great, you have some extra hours for fishing. Trying to plan things too tightly rarely works when nature has control of all of the variables.
The travel itself is often the best part of a paddling trip.
If I learned one thing from my grandfather it's that you always account for an extra 25% or more on expected travel time. Just make it part of the plan. If you make good time and arrive early, great, you have some extra hours for fishing. Trying to plan things too tightly rarely works when nature has control of all of the variables.
The travel itself is often the best part of a paddling trip.
wvbreamfisherman
Active Member
I agree, ChadTower. The journey is the main part of the experience I look for. I always try to have a backup plan in mind, which I continually adjust as I go along.
If the wind rises in my face (as it always seems to, particularly when I need to make time), or the stream is clogged up, or the fish are biting , or if a nap attack sneaks up on me after lunch, I try to allow slack or have an alternative (be prepared to spend a night someplace other than where I intended, for example).
If the wind rises in my face (as it always seems to, particularly when I need to make time), or the stream is clogged up, or the fish are biting , or if a nap attack sneaks up on me after lunch, I try to allow slack or have an alternative (be prepared to spend a night someplace other than where I intended, for example).
briansnat
Platnium Member
A backup plan is key. I set my goal, then come up with a likely worst case fallback and consider several options in between as well. I do this for paddling and backpacking.
I usually plan my trips, whether paddling or backpacking, so that the last day is a short one. No more than 2-3 hours of hiking or paddling. I also break camp and hit the water or trail earlier than usual. That way it is very unlikely that I will have to spend an unplanned night if things don't go as expected.
Another nice feature of my GPS is that it estimates how long it will take me to reach my destination at my current speed. Of course that is a straight line estimate, so it is only a guide, but a helpful one.
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