STEALTHY AS A SHADOW. PHOTO: GARY MCGUFFIN
PADDLE LIKE A NINJA
FIVE SECRETS TO MASTERING THE SILENT AND ANCIENT ART
Whether you’re sneaking up on a moose for that perfect photo or simply enjoy- ing the sensation of gliding across water soundlessly, silent paddling is a skill every canoeist should master. The good news is, at the heart of every quiet stroke is just good technique. Employ it and you’ll be able to travel farther and faster while con- serving your strength—and no one will hear you coming. Silent paddling is attainable by anyone
willing to work on improving the biome- chanics of their forward stroke. Your body and paddle should act as one to position the canoe and exert force, enabling your boat to move through the water. Any time you hear the paddle, be it banging the gunwale or moving water, you can be sure you need to improve the efficiency of your technique. Efficiency starts with your body posi-
tion. Your hands on the grip and shaft of the paddle should be spaced a bit more than shoulder distance apart. Sit or kneel with
42 PADDLING MAGAZINE
your knees anchoring you to the canoe in a solid stance. This achieves balance and it enables you to transfer maximum power through your paddle to the canoe. Slightly bend and lock your elbows so
that your upper torso will have to rotate to plant the paddle, engaging your core mus- cles. To avoid a noisy splash when you plant your blade in the water, keep the paddle shaft near vertical as it enters—this way, you’ll only hear a whisper. Fully submerging your blade will allow
you to paddle without creating a gurgle. Think of the blade as anchored in the wa- ter. As you unwind your torso, pull with your shaft arm while pushing with your hand on the grip. Focus on bringing the canoe to your paddle instead of the other way around. As you do this, use your hips to thrust the canoe forward. Exiting the paddle blade silently from
the water requires finesse, and must happen in line with your hip and not behind it. To
do this, drop your grip hand slightly while turning that thumb forward, effectively twisting the paddle in the water. Lift your shaft hand so the blade clears the surface, sliding out perpendicular to the water’s sur- face instead of parallel. Keep those elbows locked. Your arms, torso and paddle must remain as one unit to be efficient. Did you hear anything louder than a whisper? Reach forward for the catch and plant
the blade again—with practice this tech- nique will become smooth. Master the silent art and you’ll not only
notice the benefit of moving faster with less effort, but you will achieve a true sense of oneness between you, the paddle, the canoe and the water that only silence can bring. —Joanie McGuff in
This article first appeared in the Spring 2014 issue of Canoeroots.
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