50th Texas Water Safari

[Trainwreck20]

the problem is that the front person "commands" the back person.

Ah, see, there is the problem! The bowman in a canoe is the 'engine' or the stronger person (typically, the guy in a guy/girl trip) whereas the sternman is the 'driver' and calls the switches and strokes. The usual result is that the driver calls a 'switch' to change paddling sides (the paddles should always be on opposite sides of the boat on every stroke) because they can see the line of the boat much better than the bowman. The bowman thinks they know where the boat is going better and chooses to ignore the sternman's call. A good percent of the time, both paddlers end up on the same side and over-balance the canoe and 'splash', in ya go. Even if you don't go in, the canoe swings wildly off line due to the same-side paddling.

I paddled as the bowman in a co-ed canoe racing team, and I learned to stare at the front point of the canoe (ignoring the river entirely) when we were on relatively open water. The typical call is 'hut!', which means switch sides after the next stroke is complete, so I just listened for 'huts!' and followed orders. If we were steered into a rock wall, so be it, at least I couldn't be yelled at for not following orders . In more technical water, you do have to watch out as bowman for rocks that the sterman may not have seen, and that gets a bit more dicey.

[austin-steve]

Originally Posted by Trainwreck20

Ah, see, there is the problem! The bowman in a canoe is the 'engine' or the stronger person (typically, the guy in a guy/girl trip) whereas the sternman is the 'driver' and calls the switches and strokes. The usual result is that the driver calls a 'switch' to change paddling sides (the paddles should always be on opposite sides of the boat on every stroke) because they can see the line of the boat much better than the bowman. The bowman thinks they know where the boat is going better and chooses to ignore the sternman's call. A good percent of the time, both paddlers end up on the same side and over-balance the canoe and 'splash', in ya go. Even if you don't go in, the canoe swings wildly off line due to the same-side paddling.

Yes, and this was one of those deceptively "calm" 90 degree bends in the river where you have to follow a specific line or you get sucked over against the cliff.

When you have a new wife who decides "you drive" the canoe but then doesn't want to be told what to do, it can get dicey.

FWIW, we resolved by agreeing to add a compliment or "please" to the front or back of everything we said to each other. "Your hair looks remarkably fabulous (after 3 days of camping and canoeing), can you pass the water please?"

Eventually we started cracking up at everything we said, exaggerating the compliments to ridiculous heights. Wasn't planning on it being a "couples therapy" trip, but it sort of worked out like that. Every argument since then has been small potatoes compared to the "canoe trip" ordeal.

Steve

[Trainwreck20]

One of the funniest things I have every seen (heard?) is from a canoe trip my parents took some years ago up in Toronto or down near Seattle (not sure where they were exactly when they went canoeing). They brought a video camera for the trip, but kept it in a water proof bag when they were actually paddling. On one segment of the river, the camera power switch got bumped to 'on', so on camera you just see the side of the bag (usually in focus, occasionally go in/out as it auto-focuses as a rock is bumped), while in the background you hear my parents trying to navigate the river. They actually did really well - they had been married about 35 years at that point - but it is just classic to listen to the tone and pitch of their voices as they communicate. I have burned it to DVD and we used it at their 50th wedding anniversary.

As for it being couples therapy, it really does work - you are generally stuck together (hard to walk away on a random stretch of river) and are forced to work together. Paddling a canoe with two people in it requires that both be involved. You are usually somewhere between Point A and Point B with no choice but to travel the entire distance, regardless of flips, bumps, and/or injuries (physical or otherwise ).

I canoed with my wife on Town Lake some years ago (not long after we were married), and I mentioned something about paddling up to the Tom Miller dam, then immediately though better of it and said maybe not. Well, she immediately though I was saying she couldn't do it, so at that point we were committed. Let me tell ya, if you are paddling up to the TM dam while they are releasing, you had better work really well together for the last stretch up past Red Bud Island. We survived and were sore for a few days, but I don't think we have been in a canoe together since then....

As a side topic, do you or have you every used the work 'Tump'?

[austin-steve]

Originally Posted by Trainwreck20

One of the funniest things I have every seen (heard?) is from a canoe trip my parents took some years ago up in Toronto or down near Seattle (not sure where they were exactly when they went canoeing). They brought a video camera for the trip, but kept it in a water proof bag when they were actually paddling. On one segment of the river, the camera power switch got bumped to 'on', so on camera you just see the side of the bag (usually in focus, occasionally go in/out as it auto-focuses as a rock is bumped), while in the background you hear my parents trying to navigate the river. They actually did really well - they had been married about 35 years at that point - but it is just classic to listen to the tone and pitch of their voices as they communicate. I have burned it to DVD and we used it at their 50th wedding anniversary.

As for it being couples therapy, it really does work - you are generally stuck together (hard to walk away on a random stretch of river) and are forced to work together. Paddling a canoe with two people in it requires that both be involved. You are usually somewhere between Point A and Point B with no choice but to travel the entire distance, regardless of flips, bumps, and/or injuries (physical or otherwise ).

I canoed with my wife on Town Lake some years ago (not long after we were married), and I mentioned something about paddling up to the Tom Miller dam, then immediately though better of it and said maybe not. Well, she immediately though I was saying she couldn't do it, so at that point we were committed. Let me tell ya, if you are paddling up to the TM dam while they are releasing, you had better work really well together for the last stretch up past Red Bud Island. We survived and were sore for a few days, but I don't think we have been in a canoe together since then....

As a side topic, do you or have you every used the work 'Tump'?

The word "tump?, yes! As in "tump over".

That's hilarious about your parents.

All this canoe talk is making me think irrationally, like me and my wife should go on another outfitted day run some time. Maybe we'll start by just a lazy paddle on town lake and see how that goes. I can always swim to shore and ride the bus home if needed.

Steve

[Trainwreck20]

The word "tump?, yes! As in "tump over".

My wife (who is from the mid-west) swears it isn't a word, but it almost imperative that you know it for canoeing .

Maybe we'll start by just a lazy paddle on town lake and see how that goes.

They have a great deal at Zilker Park Boat rentals - two for one (either hours or boats) on weekdays and weekends before noon - Zilker Park Boat Rentals - Coupon

Anyone in their right mind will want to do before noon anyway.....

RATES $12.00/ hour, $40.00 All Day. Cash only. No credit cards, no personal checks.

[Trainwreck20]

Not quite all went as planned for the safari this year:
Endurance race claims boater's life - San Antonio Express-News

[austin-steve]

Originally Posted by Trainwreck20

Not quite all went as planned for the safari this year:
Endurance race claims boater's life - San Antonio Express-News

Wow, pretty sad. It's a tough race, no doubt.