Paddling Speed?

cgaphiker · 12-22-2011, 12:19 PM

How do you judge how fast you are paddling? Flat water, lazy river, etc... I'm still quite the novice obviously.

Pathfinder1 · 12-22-2011, 06:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cgaphiker

How do you judge how fast you are paddling? Flat water, lazy river, etc... I'm still quite the novice obviously.

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 · 12-22-2011, 06:18 PM

Hi...

You could also paddle between two landmarks, if the distance between them is known.

wvbreamfisherman · 12-22-2011, 08:11 PM

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.

jason · 12-22-2011, 09:05 PM

Never really thought about speed, only once in a while I may saying wow I'm going fast, or gee, I'm not getting very far. Most of the time I like to sit back and enjoy what is around me.

Lorax · 12-23-2011, 06:21 AM

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.

bsmit212 · 12-23-2011, 08:20 AM

You are paddling, dont worry about speed just enjoy being out

Pathfinder1 · 12-23-2011, 09:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jason

Never really thought about speed, only once in a while I may saying wow I'm going fast, or gee, I'm not getting very far. Most of the time I like to sit back and enjoy what is around me.

Hi...

That's the way I do it in my "old fashoned" rowboats...!! I also enjoy rowing.

ppine · 12-23-2011, 12:13 PM

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.

ChadTower · 12-23-2011, 12:39 PM

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.