Connecticut Water Trails Association
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Connecticut Water Trails Association |
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Connecticut Water Trails Program Canoe Basics How To Choose A Canoe - Basic Design Elements
An understanding of some basic design elements will help you decide what to look for when choosing a canoe which best meets your requirements. Design elements can be subtle and quite specific, but here's a look at the basics:
Length:
As a general rule, longer canoes move faster through the
water. Longer hulls track better (hold their straight line course), and
have greater carrying capacity. Shorter hulls tend to be more
maneuverable and lighter in weight. Beam: The width of the boat at its widest point. Wider canoes offer more stability and more room for cargo, but as the beam increases, the boat will be slower moving through the water. Narrow beam canoes are faster, but less stable. Depth: Other things being equal, the deeper the canoe, the drier it will run in rough water. Greater depth also increases cargo space. Deeper canoes are heavier, though, and can be pushed around more easily by the wind. Bottom Shape: The shape of the bottom has a lot to do with the stability of your canoe. There are three basic bottom shapes: Flat, Round and Vee.
Flat: This design has good stability when you first step in and paddle in calm waters (initial stability). It is not as stable in rougher water or when leaned over to one side (final stability). Good for beginners, and calm waters.
Round:
May feel a
little shaky when you first step in, but with experience feels most
stable in most waters. High final stability, and also easier to propel
through the water. Vee: Offers a compromise between Flat and Round bottom designs. With a little practice, this design offers good all-around performance.
Sides: The angle of the canoe sides affects stability, dryness and ease of paddling. The three basic side profiles are: Flared, Straight and Tumblehome.
Flared: This design is more stable and drier because it pushes the water away from the boat. It is a little harder to paddle because you have to reach out a bit further with each stroke.
Straight:
A nice compromise between flared
and tumblehome, this design offers reasonable stability, dryness and
ease of paddling. Tumblehome: Because the sides curve in with this design, you don’t have to reach over as far to paddle. This design is not as stable or as dry, and requires more skill to take advantage of the design feature.
Bow Shape:
Blunt, fuller bow shapes offer
more buoyancy and help to shed the splashes when paddling through choppy
water. They also provide a bit more room for lightweight items. Canoes
with finer, thinner bow shapes cut through the water more easily.
Keel:
External keels will help the canoe track better, but can
also be a hazard. It can catch on obstacles in the water and upset the
boat. A good hull design can offset the need for an external keel. Rocker: This refers to the fore and aft upward curve of the keel line of the canoe. Boats with little rocker will track better because more of the hull is down in the water. More rocker lets the canoe turn more easily. For general recreational canoeing, a little rocker is a good compromise.
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