The key here is to 'do more with less'. How can I get from point A to B using as little energy as possible?[...] start reading the subtleties in all the little currents that make up the entire flow of the river.
- To do this, first use the current or water as much as possible.
- Then use boat control (lean/edge and angle) next.
- Last but not least, the paddle.
Rolf Kraiker (who also uses the phrase "paddle smart not hard") is then quoted:
Getting the canoe in the right place, at the right angle with the right lean lets a paddler do a move in white water with no effort while just getting one of those elements wrong means they have to do a lot of work [...] Wave position, angle and tilt of a canoe are also factors, but its important to place the paddle in the right place at the right time.
Read in context here.