Glossary of Canoe Terminology

ABEAM                      To the right, or at right angles to the centreof a craft.

AFLOAT                     Floating. Not stuck on a rock or sandbar.

AFT                             Towards the rear, or stern, of the canoe.

AGROUND                Stuck-usually on a shoal or rock-when you didn’tintend it to be.

ASTERN                    Towards the rear, behind, or at the back of yourcanoe.

BACK-PADDLE        Paddling backward to slow or reverse the forward motion of acanoe.

BEAM                           Width of a canoe when measured atits widest point.

BEARING                   A direction with respect to either a compasspoint, such as North.

BLADE                       The wide, flat end of the paddle.

BOTTOM                   The part of the canoe that is under the water.

BOW                           The front or extreme forward end of thecanoe.

DRY SUIT                  A lightweight, totally waterproof suit, usually wornin cold weather

FALLS                                    A sudden drop in which the waterfalls free for at least part of the way.

FATHOM                    A nautical measure of depth – 6 feet.

FLAT-WATER           Calm river water without rapids, lake water.

GEAR                         Everything you carry in your canoe. Your equipment.

GRADIENT                The degree of inclination of a riverbed

GRIP                           The top of a paddle. The two most popularshapes are the pear grip and the T grip.

HELMET                    Head protection

HULL                          The lower half of a kayak or closed canoe,or the main structure of an open canoe.

LASH                          To make gear secure, usually with a rope.

LAUNCH                    To slide a craft into water.

LEAN                          Adeliberate tipping of the canoe as a manoeuvre in ferrying or to regainstability.

LEE, LEEWARD        Away from the wind, downwind. Opposite of windward.

OUTFIT                      To equip a canoe for a particular purpose.

PADDLE                     The instrument used to propel a canoe throughwater, it is not an ‘oar’.

PICK POLE                A pole used to propel a canoe. Also called a ‘canoepole’.

PITCH                         Asudden drop in, or steeper section of, a set of rapids.

PIVOT                         To turn sharply, around a point.

RAPIDS                      Waves, white-water and similar contortions ofwater in a fast stretch of river.

RESCUE PACK         A special pack in which all rescue equipment is kept

RIFFLES                     Light rapids where water flows across a shallowsection of river.

ROCK GARDEN       A navigable waterway filled with rocks; requires constantmanoeuvring

SCOUTING                To inspect an unknown stretch of water on foot beforeattempting it.

SHAFT                       The handle of the canoe paddle between the gripand the blade.

STARBOARD            The right side of the canoe when facing the bow.

STERN                       The rear of the canoe.

STROKES                  The various movements used by the paddler to controlthe direction and speed

WET SUIT                  A garment made of neoprene foam which insulates canoeists& kayakers

WHITE-WATER         A long stretch of foaming waves and rapids. Also called ‘wildwater’.