canoeing - Sport, Recreational, Other Forms

A water sport practised in canoes, developed by British barrister John Macgregor (1825–92) in 1865. The Canoe Club was formed the following year. Two types of canoe are used in competition: the kayak, which has a keel, with the canoeist sitting in the boat, and the Canadian canoe, which has no keel, with the canoeist kneeling. The number of persons per craft varies between one and four.

Canoeing is the activity of paddling a canoe or kayak for the purpose of recreation, sport, or transportation. It usually refers exclusively to using a paddle to propel a canoe or kayak with only human muscle power. A kayak is propelled using a paddle with two blades where the paddler sits with their legs infront of them, whereas canoes are propelled using single- or double-bladed paddles where the paddler is kneeling or sitting on a raised seat. Kayaks are usually closed-decked boats with a spraydeck, while canoes are usually open boats. There are also open kayaks and closed canoes. In the United States and Canada, however, 'canoeing' usually refers only to canoes, as opposed to both canoes and kayaks. Paddling a kayak is also referred to as kayaking.

Open canoes may be 'poled' (punted), sailed, 'lined and tracked' (using ropes)or even 'gunnel-bobbed'.

In modern canoe sport, both canoes and kayaks may be closed-decked. Other than by the minimum competition specifications (typically length and width (beam)) and seating arrangement it is difficult to differentiate most competition canoes from the equivalent competition kayaks. The most common difference is that competition kayaks are always seated, and competition canoes are generally kneeling. Exceptions include Canoe Marathon (in both European and American competitive forms) and sprint (high kneeling position). The most traditional and early canoes did not have seats, the paddlers merely kneeled on the bottom of the boat. Recreational or 'canadian' canoes employ seats and whitewater rodeo and surf variants increasingly employ the use of 'saddles' to give greater boat control under extreme conditions.

Sport

The International Canoe Federation is the world wide canoeing organisation and creates the standard rules for the different disciplines of canoe competition. The United States Canoe Association is widely considered the American authority in sport and recreational canoeing, and recognizes many ICF classes. It involves kayak (K1, K2, K4) and canoe (C1, C2, C4) classes. Slalom - Competitors are timed in completing a descent down the rapids of a whitewater course, in the process steering their canoes or kayaks through "gates" (a pair of suspended poles about 1m apart), including going up against the flow, across the flow, and surfing the standing waves of the rapids. Again, there are both kayak and canoe classes. Course lengths typically vary from about 2 miles to the epic 125 mile Devizes to Westminster International Canoe Marathon on the Thames, and the 260 mile "World's Toughest Boat Race", the Texas Water Safari. Whitewater Racing (also known as Wild Water Racing) - Competitors race specialised canoes or kayaks down a whitewater river (typically class II to IV whitewater is used). Canoe Sailing - Racing a canoe using sail power. Playboating (or Rodeo) - a form of canoeing or kayaking where the competitor performs tricks and stunts in standing waves such as front and back surfing, flatspins, cartwheels, and blunts, and receives points for the variety of moves performed within a fixed time. Extreme Racing - a form of canoeing competition involving racing down dangerous whitewater rivers (often with many grade V rapids and typically requiring excellent river running skills). Outrigger Canoe Racing - racing of traditional Pacific Ocean outrigger canoes. Outrigger canoes are traditionally referred to as wa'a, va'a, or waka ama. Standard racing canoes carry six paddlers; one and two person canoes are also widely raced. Canoe Surfing - The canoeing equivalent of surfing, but in a specialised surf kayak.

Recreational

Other recreational aspects of canoeing are not strictly defined, and distinctions are rather articifical and growing increasingly blurred as new hybrid canoes, kayaks, and similar craft are developed.

Other Forms

In some countries, these forms of paddling may come under the national canoeing organisations, but they are not universally accepted as canoeing, even though they involve propelling a small craft with a paddle.

Wave Skiing - paddling a small, manoueverable craft (surf ski) a little like a bigger surfboard, amongst the breaking waves of the sea or ocean, variously sliding down the face of the wave or performing tricks on the face of a breaking wave. Surf Skiing - paddling a long (about 22'), slim racing craft on the sea. The paddler sits in a bucket style seat and uses a kayak like paddle. White Water Rafting - one or a group of people paddle a small or large inflatable raft down a wild water river. As a method of transportation, canoes have generally been replaced by motorized boats, airplanes, railroads and roads with increasing industrialisation, although they remain popular as recreational or sporting watercraft.