G6 
FOREST AND STREAM. 
[July 8, 1911. 
eliminates this possibility. The keel is essential 
also in water with a strong current, or in wind. 
If, however, paddling is to be done on a very 
small stream, where there is practically no wind 
or current, it could then be very easily dispensed 
with. A keel should never be used when shoot¬ 
ing rapids. At no time is it possible to keep 
a canoe straight, due to crossing currents, dodg¬ 
ing rocks and the like. The danger of upsetting 
from striking a rock is greatly increased when 
a keel is used, as this lessens the chances of 
sliding off without capsizing. 
Before entering a canoe decide which way you 
want to face; that done, stand close to the canoe 
and step directly over the center or kee', with 
the near foot. Then stoop and catch the gun¬ 
wales with the hand to steady with, while bring¬ 
ing the other foot in. With both hands on the 
gunwales the paddler can very easily balance and 
control the canoe while sitting down. In this 
position the center of gravity is very low, mak¬ 
ing it almost impossible to upset. 
When the paddler stands up, the conditions 
are directly reversed, however, so that more 
trouble is experienced in keeping upright. Prac¬ 
tice in getting afloat and ashore at the very be¬ 
ginning will help the novice to avoid an un¬ 
pleasant and perhaps dangerous spill. Do not 
attempt to step into the canoe while facing across 
the length. This forces you to stand upright, 
which in itself is dangerous, to say nothing of 
the handicap in keeping a balance. 
The only practical way to stand up is to have 
the horizontal axis of the shoulder at right 
angles to the canoe, facing either end, with the 
feet as wide apart as they will go. 
SIT PAT OR BEWARE. 
After once having entered the canoe do not 
change position. Nevertheless, if you must 
change, use the safest plan. The one that offers 
the least risk for two people is where one lies 
or stoops in the bottom of the canoe while the 
other crawls over him. He also should gain 
the position he expects to occupy and become 
settled before the other attempts to move. Do 
not attempt to move around while in an upright 
position. This can be done, but only by experi¬ 
enced canoeists. 
When helping anyone in the canoe, especially 
a woman, it is well to catch the gunwales and 
assist in steadying until she is seated. Place 
her the way she is to sit, and do not make her 
change positions after once getting seated. 
If two people paddle, have the bow man enter 
first and prepare to stroke, after which the stern 
man gets in. Do not allow two people to enter 
together. 
To disembark, employ the same tactics as on 
entering reversed. Rise to a stooping position, 
placing the nearest foot on the float. Secure a 
perfect balance and then bring the other foot 
over. 
LEARNING TO PADDLE. 
When learning to paddle go with someone and 
watch the bow man. The bow stroke is easiest 
to learn. The stern stroke, however, can be ac¬ 
quired first, but it is far more difficult for a be¬ 
ginner. It takes practice, before one can prop¬ 
erly propel a canoe from the stern. No form 
of exercise develops the arms, wrists, back and 
shoulders so completely as paddling, but if you 
want to become expert be sure your teacher is 
an expert. 
When two people paddle together, each stroke 
should be in unison, and not each man for him¬ 
self. When that occurs, the novice is seen at 
once. After learning on one side, be not satis¬ 
fied until able to paddle equally well on the 
other. Expert canoeists paddle with the same 
ease on either side. 
A little matter to which few canoeists pay 
attention is that of stowing the paddles when 
not using them. Instead of throwing them 
helter skelter into the canoe, have the bow man 
shove his blade under the forward decking, al¬ 
lowing the handle to rest on the seat. The rear 
man can very easily put his under the seat and 
rear decking, with the handle resting on the 
thwart just forward of the stern seat. When 
landing, place them on the side opposite the 
float, and avoid the chance of stumbling when 
getting out. Did you ever notice how often you 
had to remove paddles before entering your 
canoe ? 
Another style of paddle often used is the 
double bladed. Great speed can be attained with 
it and it does not require the energy and muscle 
that is expended with the single blade, but many 
experts refuse to use it. Until one learns thor¬ 
oughly he will splash more or less water on 
himself, and into the canoe with it. This is par¬ 
tially overcome if drip cups are used, but even 
they are not absolutely dry. The only way to 
learn the use of either style of paddle is in a 
bathing suit. 
Different kinds of wood are used in the manu¬ 
facture of paddles, among them being spruce, 
maple, cedar and sometimes oak, though oak 
paddles are heavy. Of the different woods used, 
spruce is the best, combining as it does tough¬ 
ness and lightness, the two principal virtues of 
a good paddle. 
Regarding the lengths of paddles a good rule 
is to select one that does not cause too much 
stretching of the arms when one hand is on top 
and the other on the bottom of the handle. 
The bow paddle need not be longer than about 
five feet eight inches, though usually a woman 
will require one somewhat shorter. The longer 
paddle should be used in the stern. 
In landing on a beach do not run ashore bow 
on if it can be avoided. It causes a terrible 
strain on the canoe, to say nothing of the wear 
on the canvas as it slides upon the beach. 
Considering the natural elements, such as wind 
and tides, the same principles that govern the 
landing of a large boat are applicable to a canoe. 
For instance, in landing where the current is 
strong, never run alongside with the bow down 
stream. For there are chances that the current 
will swing the stern away from the float, caus¬ 
ing you to make a second attempt. Turn around 
first and come in with the bow against the cur¬ 
rent. In this way the current wi'l assist, for 
as soon as the canoe feels the current it will 
gradually slide off somewhat, and just as the 
bow is about to strike, back water on side from 
float and you can easily bring it into position. 
The same is true when the wind is strong. 
Under both circumstances, in fact, always land 
with the paddles on side opposite from float. 
TO RIDE A WAVE. 
One phase of canoeing that no two men agree 
upon is that of the proper way to ride a wave. 
There are many and various opinions, but after 
experiences on the ocean and other large bodies 
of water, the writer beiieves the broad side 
method to be the best. 
Many authorities prefer the three-quarter 
method. In this the bow is swung to catch the 
wave on the forward quarter, or about the for¬ 
ward seat. As the canoe, feeling the wave, be¬ 
gins to rise, there is a listing to the opposite 
side. Then as the wave runs beneath and reaches 
the keel, the canoe comes up to an evenly-bal¬ 
anced position again. When the wave recedes, 
the canoe starts its downward course, and right 
here the trouble begins. The bow may plunge 
into the next wave before the canoe has time 
to properly right itself. With the canoe off an 
even keel,' the coming wave will invariably run 
along the side until about midship, or the lowest 
point, when it will slop over the gunwales in¬ 
board. If the wave does not come over, there 
is usually a great quantity of spray that finds 
its way aboard. 
With the broad side method, the canoe lists 
the moment it feels the wave. When this takes 
place the paddler bends his body to the side 
from which the wave is coming to counteract 
the list, coming back into an upright position 
again as the waves reaches the keel. As the 
wave runs beneath, the canoe begins to slide 
down the other side, when the padd'er sways to 
that same side, and again offsets the effect of 
the listing. It is only by keeping the canoe 
eveifly balanced that the seas are prevented from 
washing over the sides. 
IN CASE OF ACCIDENTS. 
So much by way of suggesting for those who 
are contemplating learning the art of canoeing, 
but there is still other valuable information as 
to what to do in case of accident. 
The mistake so many people make, regarding 
a craft of this kind, is in thinking it will upset 
easily. Nothing is more erroneous. In truth, it 
requires quite an effort to upset a canoe. 
When a canoe capsizes, it usualiy settles, but 
does not turn upside down. This gives the occu¬ 
pants ample time in which to grasp the sides and 
keep afloat until he.p arrives. There are excep¬ 
tions to the above, however, for often you hear 
of where two people upset while changing posi¬ 
tions. But they did so while standing up, for 
as above stated, the secret of successful canoe¬ 
ing depends entirely upon keeping the body low 
in the canoe. Until this is thoroughly under¬ 
stood a man cannot be an expert canoeist. If 
you should upset, try grasping the side that is 
high as you go over. This will enable you to 
prevent the canoe from striking your body or 
head. At the same time it helps to prevent the 
canoe from turning turtle. 
Ordinari.y when one side of the canoe is sub¬ 
merged, the water rushes inboard, causing the 
canoe to gradually settle, and in that position it 
would float even when entirely below the water. 
If the canoe does turn upside down, right it by 
catching hold in the middle of the near side and 
raising until the side is above water, then reach 
underneath and pull up the other side. If righted 
from the end, pull down on one side while rais¬ 
ing the other. 
In case you upset, make sure to keep the pad¬ 
dle. After righting the canoe, toss the paddle 
inside and you crawl aboard. To do this pull 
down on the side, and as the canoe begins set¬ 
tling, slide over the side and submerge the en¬ 
tire body with the exception of the head, in the 
water that may be in the canoe. This can only 
be done by lying down. In this position you can 
float until assistance comes, or if not too far 
from shore, work your way toward that goal. 
To get into a floating canoe—that is, one that 
is not'swamped—from the water, one method is 
to use the end. Grasp the side near the seat, 
pulling yourself up until almost free of the water 
when a strong kick, combined with a pull, will 
land you astride the seat, and the trick is done. 
The idea is the same as jumping into a wagon 
over the tailboard. 
The process employed in the side position is 
practically the same, except that you have to 
pull harder as you crawl over the side. Greater 
care is necessary too, so as not to sink the side 
under water. Of the two methods, the former 
is the best.—Harry W. Long in Philadelphia 
Record. 
A. C. A. Membership. 
NEW MEMBERS PROPOSED. 
Atlantic Division—Francis C. Buchenberger, 
446 Greene avenue, Brooklyn, N. Y., by F. E. 
Ahrens. 
NEW MEMBERS ELECTED. 
Atlantic Division—6262, Ira B. Thomson, 312 
Belleville avenue, Bloomfield, N. J.; 6269, James 
E. Gailey, 2420 No. 6th street, Philadelphia, Pa. 
Central Division—6260, Arthur W. Durr, 410 
Todd street, Wilkinsburg, Pa.; 6261, Carl W. 
Dickinson, 1036 Rebecca street, Wilkinsburg, 
Pa.; 6264, Louis W. Heinmiller, 7524 Bennett 
street. Pittsburg, Pa.; 6265, John W. Sheedy, 
5323 Broad street, Pittsburg, Pa.; 6266, William 
J. Hart, 257 Dunlap street, Pittsburg, Pa.; 6267, 
Charles A. Heckman, 2919 Webster avenue, 
Pittsburg, Pa.; 6268, Harry A. Logan, 202 Gray 
Apts., Wilkinsburg, Pa. 
Eastern Division—6263, Frank A. Smith, 203 
Summer street, Worcester, Mass. 
MEMBER REINSTATED. 
Central Division—944, J- H. Ten Eyck Burr, 
Willow Bank, Cazenovia, N. Y. 
The Forest and Stream may be obtained from 
any newsdealer on order. Ask your dealer to 
supply you regularly. 
