OC Technique
Back Ferries by Andrew Westwood photos Rapid Stock Images
Back ferries in relatively flat water are easier than in wavy water. The bow draw is used to steer a tandem canoe.
ilderness river tripping demands plenty of skill from canoe partners, not to mention constant cooperation. Paddling heavily loaded canoes through rapids relies on many skills, but the most useful of all is the back ferry. Back ferries are great when descending long sets of wilderness whitewater by permitting you to skillfully manoeuvre through large waves and around obstacles.
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Back ferries are most commonly used for the following purposes: 1. To maintain your position above a set. You can slowly back ferry from side to side to scout your route, wait for the go-ahead sign or fine-tune your position on the tongue.
2. To slow down your canoe mid-current. Going slowly can prevent waves from crashing over the bow and buy time to communicate and plan your next move.
3. To manoeuvre your way down longer sets with style and precision. Back ferry- ing amongst rocks and ledges with control allows you to access the most rewarding and safe routes a river has to offer.
Although back ferrying is one of the most useful and practi- cal skills for a river tripper, it is also one of the most difficult
manoeuvres to master. It is best to begin practicing back ferries in a wide class I swift. Position yourself in the subtle current facing downstream, then back paddle to provide upstream momentum and adjust your angle to move across the current. The bow partner assumes the role of controlling the angle, and the stern person maintains upstream momentum. The role rever- sal is necessary because, during the back ferry, moving back- ward into the current creates waves at the stern that impede the effects of the sterns draw and pry strokes. As the bow paddler, your goal is to point the stern into the
direction that you want to travel. Just remember, if you want to steer the canoe toward river-right you will have to move the bow to the left, and vice-versa to move to river-left (kind of like driv- ing your car in reverse). Although the stern paddler can better see the angle and feel the correction that is needed, the bow paddler can more easily make the correction. Communication is crucial for controlled back ferries. Back ferries are usually worked into a sequence of river
manoeuvres, often requiring the steering responsibility to bounce back and forth between the bow and stern paddler. For
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