OC Technique J Stroke vs S River J
teering your canoe straight in whitewater is easy—provided you are using the right strokes for the job. The J and river-J are the most common steering strokes. The similarity of these two strokes, however, can make choosing between them a source of confusion. So, how do you choose between the J and the river-J strokes? We all agree the J and river-J are both effective strokes for steering canoes. Both
use a prying motion off the gunwale to direct the bow toward the paddling side. The J stroke uses the power face for the pry, whereas the river-J uses the non-power face. But it’s the difference in each stroke’s speed and power that helps you determine which is best for a particular maneuvre.
Different river features and maneuvres require different levels of performance from your strokes. You must adapt by selecting strokes to best match the water conditions. Quick eddy hopping across flat currents makes speed a priority so the smoothness of the J stroke is the natural choice. Front ferrying through large waves requires added boat control and in this case the extra steering force of the river-J is the better choice.
J Stroke The J stroke’s pry smoothly follows
the forward stroke. At the completion of your forward stroke’s power phase, the paddle should be adjacent to your knees. Twist the T grip so your thumb on your top hand is pointing forward, toward the bow. With the power face of the blade now facing sideways, push the T grip in front of your body so that the paddle shaft pries off the gunwale. The prying motion is a smooth finish to the forward stroke and should be com- pleted at the hip.
The advantage to the J stroke is that it does not slow the cadence of your for- ward stroke. This allows you to paddle quickly and achieve momentum for moves requiring speed. Unfortunately, twisting the top thumb forward hyper- extends your wrist, robbing the pry of much of its power. Building speed before crossing a difficult eddy line is one situation where the J stroke is help- ful.
River-J Stroke The river-J lacks the grace of the J
stroke but its turning power is far greater. The river-J also follows the for- ward stroke but occurs just behind the hips. Twist the T grip so the thumb on your top hand is pointing upward, toward the sky. Your wrist remains in a
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neutral position contributing to the strength and comfort of the stroke. The power of the river-J comes from prying off the gunwale using the non-power face. Although similar to the stern pry (“Correction Strokes,” Rapid V2 I3), the river-J does not reach as far toward the stern.
The river-J takes longer to execute
and offers less speed than the J stroke. The river-J’s advantage is that it pro- vides the force needed to maintain a straight line in difficult waves or cur- rents. When angling across wave troughs, canoes tend to turn parallel to the trough; a river-J maintains forward momentum and allows you to hold your course.
he versatility of the two different J strokes permits them to be interchanged in many circumstances. However, if speed is of the essence and a gentle correction stroke will do, the J stroke is your best choice. If you find yourself needing a powerful correction stroke to maintain your course, use the river- J. When used at the right times, the J and river-J strokes will allow you to easily steer your canoe in whitewater.
T Andrew Westwood is a frequent contributor to
Rapid and is an instructor at the Madawaska Kanu Centre.
by Andrew Westwood
J Stroke: Turn the thumb of your grip hand
toward the bow preparing the power face to pry.
River-J Stroke: Turn the thumb of your grip hand up to ready the non-power face for the pry.
Rapid Stock Images
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