How to Canoe: 5 Basic Steps for Paddling a Canoe for Beginners

One of the best ways to spend summer or fall days is to paddle a canoe in the middle of a lake or along a quite stream. The soothing breeze will mildly blow your hair and the freshwater smell will calm you down.

All together it’ll be a great experience. One that you can take home and share with your friends and family. It’ll be an adventure that you can brag about.

But maybe you’re a newbie and you don’t know how to canoe. 

Don’t worry; we have a detailed explanation that’ll help guide you to operate the canoe. The best part is that it’s super easy. All you must do is follow this guide and head over to the lake with your canoe.

Sound promising enough? Well then without any further delay let’s look at the process.

Related: Best Fishing Backpack for Canoeing 

Are you one of those people who has never paddled a canoe? But you want to.

And why won’t you?

Canoeing is an amazing opportunity to bond with nature while creating an adrenaline-pumping memory (get some great inspirations on where to go kayaking or canoeing ). So, without wasting any more breath, let’s look at the process of paddling a canoe.

Don’t worry; we made sure to keep the guide beginner friendly. Just for you.

NOTE: You should always wear a life vest, ESPECIALLY if you are a beginner canoer (in many states it's the law).  If you don't want something bulky, you could go for an inflatable life vest.

Step 1- Hold the Paddle at the Right Position

The first thing you need to do is grab the paddle at the right place. Now, by seeing the paddle you’ll be able to identify where you have to place your hand.

Yes, it should be at the top, obviously. However, most of the time people tend to hold it right at the tip. You see, that won’t give you enough grip to hold the paddle firmly.

Thus, you need to hold it at least 2 to 3 feet below the top. That’ll be the ideal place to have full control over your paddle.

Step 2- Place the Paddle into the Water

Next up you need to place the paddle in the water. Well, that’s not rocket science. Of course, the paddle will go into the water.

But you need to place the paddle at the right side to determine which way you’ll head to. Simply saying if you want to go to the left side you need to place the paddle to the left side.

However, make sure that you place it a bit further than your position. That way you’ll be able to sway the canoe.

Step 3- Paddle Back and Forth

Once the paddles are in the water it’s time to sweep them like a broom. By that, we mean you have to sway the paddle back and forth.

Now, we have already mentioned that you need to place the paddle a bit ahead of your own position. So, your paddle will be a few inches in front of you in the water. So, simply drag it behind to paddle.

And keep on doing this and you’ll see that the paddle is going in a back and forth direction. That’s when you know you got it right.

Step 4- Sync the Paddling Rhythm with Your Partner

After you get the hang of paddling the canoe you need to sync it with your partner. This might be a bit tough as it’s your first time.

But try to put the paddle in the water at the same time. Then signal each other to start paddling. After that simply go back and forth simultaneously.

You’ll see that with a bit of practice you two got the hang of it. Just don’t give up.

Step 5- Extend the Paddle Away from the Boat

By now you should be able to control the canoe while going in a straight path. However, there might be times when you’ll have to take a sharp turn.

And for those moments you need to be prepared. So, when you decide to take a turn, put your paddle as far away as possible and then pull it to the edge of the boat.

Now, while doing so make sure that you keep the paddle upright. Otherwise, your canoe won’t turn its head.

Well there you have it, the basics for paddling a canoe. And since now you know how to canoe, don’t feel shy to take your canoe out for a ride in the lake or river. 

And once you return do tell us about all the wonderful memories that you made out in the wild. We’ll love to hear your anecdotes.

Frequently Asked Questions about How to Canoe

Who uses the longer paddle while paddling a canoe?

Generally, while paddling there are 2 types of paddlers. They are called bow and stern. So, if there is a mismatch in length between the two paddles the sterns should get the longer one. That’s because they’re in charge of swaying the canoe to the right direction.

Should I kneel or sit in a canoe?

Well, you can paddle while sitting or kneeling down. Kneeling is safer because of how it distributes your weight. If you have the option of sitting in calmer waters, we suggest you do it to give your legs a rest. The overall journey will be comfortable that way. However, kneeling in the stern does gives you more power to control the canoe. You can utilize this while paddling solo.

Is it easy to flip a canoe?

Yes, you can flip a canoe quite easily if you are not paddling properly, especially if you are carrying a heavy backpack which can offset your center of gravity. Standing in a canoe is also a sure way to flip a canoe. Although the canoe might appear huge, with the right technique you can overpower this in no time.

Are canoes dangerous?

Canoes are typically very safe, but you should still wear a life vest. The best scenario for a canoe is in still water. However, if there is a tide or a huge disrupt in the lake your canoe might flip over. Those situations can be quite dangerous. And definitely do your best not to flip the canoe when you’re dealing with class 3 or higher white water.

Do keep in mind, this article is just the basics. 

If you are serious about taking up canoeing as a hobby, you should pick up a book about canoeing to learn more. 

So, with that, we’ll take our leave. Stay safe. Toodles!