Paddling in the wind: the basics...

[GregS]

Paddlecraft off all descriptions are, of course, singularly subject to windage. Sea Kayakers have perhaps come up with the most complete solutions for solo paddling. Tandem pairings in an open canoe can commonly cope pretty well by taking advantage of paddlers working together. Those solo paddling an open canoe quite commonly struggle... but often needlessly!

An American Canoe Association perspective...

Wind power or push is what builds waves and effects boat handling. A 10 knot winds force is doubled by a 14.2 knot wind and quadrupled by a 20 knot wind. In [specific area], an 18 knot wind usually means a Small Craft Advisory, other [areas] set their own, perhaps some higher.

Most intermediate touring paddlers paddle at about 3 knots, but if paddling into a 15 knot headwind, the speed made good drops to 2 knots and at 25 knots, drops to 1 knot made good or 1 nautical mile per hour. A routine 6 mile paddle home with little wind, would in theory take 2 hours, but with 25 knot head winds, an exhausting 6 hours of steady paddling.

Source: ACA

[GregS]

Rolf Kraiker has produced a basic video guide covering the essentials of solo-paddling a tandem in the wind

See Controling a canoe solo in the wind.

The focus on "trim" is also at the heart of British Canoe Union and Paddle Canada approaches to handling wind.

[GregS]

What isn't highlighted clearly in that video is the importance of heeling to the leeward side in wind and waves.

Dirk Barends shows the more secure option...



BCU Coach Jason Carroll published a thoughtful paper on this matter: see The Trim Test. He notes that leaning towards the wind "gives you a more stable platform", and that paddling on the upwind side is advantageous if a wave begins to break as "you can low support on it and simply bongo slide as thewater pushes you downwind". He also notes "It is difficult to take on water over the gunnels [...] because the water builds up on the bottom of the canoe because of its shape".