Boating and Sailing.pdf - Moja ladja

In general, the lighter a canoe for its size, the
more it costs. This is because lightweight materials
with adequate strength, like carbon fiber or
Kevlar, are very expensive and hard to work with.
Getting a canoe up on your shoulders without
injuring your back takes care. Although these
boats are not all that heavy, they’re awkwardly
shaped, making for difficult lifts.
The best tactic for single carries of a small canoe
is to lift up the bow, walk back to the center as
you hand over hand the gunnels, and then let the
boat settle on your shoulders with the amidships
thwart or yoke across the back of your neck and
shoulders. Rock the forward end upward a bit so
that you can see where you’re going, and don’t
try turning any sharp corners next to trees!
Smaller canoes can simply be boosted up on the
thighs, gripped by the thwart, and hoisted to the
shoulder. With two carriers, it’s usually best to
work with the hull upright; both portagers squat
amidships, grip the yoke or gunnels, and stand up
together, lifting with the legs rather than the back.
Chapter 10: Paddle Power: Canoes, Kayaks, and Rowboats 145
Modern canoes like this one
from Coleman are molded
from flexible plastics that
bounce off rocks with ease,
yet are light enough for easy
handling solo.
(Photo credit: Coleman Marine)
Bet You Didn’t Know
Why the upswept bow and
stern? This shape is far in excess
of what is needed to keep waves
out of the ends. The answer has
more to do with performance on
shore than on the water: The real
purpose of the upswept ends is
to keep the canoe from lying flat
on the ground when overturned,
making the boat an effective
sleeping shelter.
Boat Bytes
To portage a canoe is to
pick it up out of the water
and physically carry it
around an obstruction or
falls, or from one creek to
another.