Aerated water:
Water filled with air bubbles frequently found where the water
is turbulent. |
Aerobic exercise:
Muscular activity which requires oxygen to fully metabolise glucose
for energy. |
aft
The rear part of a canoe or kayak. |
Anaerobic exercise:
Intense muscular activity using energy generated by conversion
of glucose to lactic acid, which does not require oxygen. It
can be maintained for only a short period of time. Oxygen is
required for recovery and further metabolism of the glucose supplying
more energy. |
Asymmetric blades:
A blade with an unequal curved end. Shaped to give a smooth and
efficient entry to the water. |
Approach angle:
The angle at which you set the boat when about to enter the current.
For example when ferry gliding and breaking in and out of the
current. |
Back paddle: (Should
always be refered to as Reverse Paddling!)
Paddling backwards will move the boat in a reverse direction.
It will also stop or slow the boat when in a forward motion. |
Bailer:
Anything used to bail water out of a boat. |
Bank support (team):
Land based assistants acting as rescue cover and support. |
BAT
Baths Advanced Trainer, a small kayak with round ends and designed
for use in swimming pools. |
Beam:
Width of a canoe when measured at its widest point. |
Bearing:
An angle fixing the direction of a line with respect to either
the north or south direction. |
Belay:
Method of holding the rope to safeguard a climber or swimmer
rescuer. |
Bivvy bag:
Waterproof and windproof bag which can enclose a person for basic
shelter. Frequently carried for emergencies. Many of the top
quality and purpose built bivvy bags are made of breathable fabrics
or a combination of fabrics (Gortex, Milair or nylon). |
Blade:
The wide end of the paddle used to propel the boat. |
Body rotation:
Rotating the upper body whilst paddling. Using body rotation
ensures that the powerful back muscles are used and strain is
reduced on the arm muscles. |
Boof
Boofing is a whitewater paddling maneuver for going over drops
whereby the paddler jumps over water hazards known as holes at
the bottom. When you do this properly, there is a distinct "boof
"sound. See "Boof" |
Booties:
Footwear made of neoprene. Usually used by snorkel/scuba divers
and commonly used by canoeists. |
Boils:
Water surging vertically upwards to the surface and spilling
outwards, giving confused and unpredictable currents. Common
near deep stoppers and on eddy lines in high volume rivers and
tidal areas in the ocean where there is an uneven bottom. |
Bow:
The front of a canoe or kayak. The forward extremity of a canoe
or kayak. |
Bow draw:
A paddle stroke applied towards the front of a canoe or kayak.
By using a combination of a bow rudder and draw stroke, the bow
of the boat is turned very effectively sideways and around the
blade performing the stroke. |
Bow rudder:
A paddle stroke applied towards the front of a canoe or kayak.
By holding the blade still in one position the momentum of the
boat will assist the bow to veer sideways around the blade performing
the stroke. It is a very effective way of turning the boat. |
Bow seat:
The seat located at the front end of a canoe or kayak. |
Brace (support) Stroke:
A paddle stroke designed to maintain stability and prevent capsize.
The paddle blade is pushed down horizontally on the surface of
the water, somewhat like an outrigger, to give support or recovery
from instability. |
Breaking in:
Manoeuvring the boat from an eddy into the current so as to carry
on downstream. |
Breaking out:
Manoeuvring the boat out of the current into an eddy. |
Bridle:
A line looped around the front end of the canoe to which another
line is attached under the canoe and used for towing or lowering
the craft. |
Broach (broadside):
Sideways to the wind, a wave or an obstruction in the current,
such as a boulder. |
 Bulkhead:
A partition under the forward and rear decks of a canoe or kayak,
usually fitted to create a sealed compartment. In sea kayaks
the space inside is used to store gear. A ‘wall’ sealing
off one end of a kayak to form a watertight compartment. Normally
seen in sea kayaks. |
Buoyancy:
Flotation materials fitted inside a craft or onto a person to
keep the craft or person afloat. What, in a sea kayak, there
is never enough of. (When the compartments of a sea kayak are
not filled with gear they should be filled with buoyancy material.)
All canoes and kayaks must have sufficient buoyancy material
so that they float level at the surface when swamped. |
Buoyancy aid (PFD):
A waistcoat style jacket which is inserted with special closed
cell foam to assist with buoyancy, and designed to help a swimmer
stay afloat. |
`Cag' (cagoule):
A windproof and water resistant paddling jacket. Many jackets
have neoprene cuffs and waist and are breathable. |
Canadian canoe:
A craft paddled in a kneeling or sitting position and paddled
with single bladed paddles. They can be open or decked (closed).
(This term has been used, following archaic British practice,
for ‘canoe’.) |
| Canoe A small
boat propelled with a single blade paddle, from a kneeling position
in sprint and whitewater competition. Touring and marathon paddlers
normally sit. Touring, sprint and most marathon canoes are undecked;
many whitewater canoes are decked, and may appear to be kayaks.
Canoes are derived from the birch bark canoes of North America.
The term ‘canoeing’ often refers to kayaking
as well. |
L–R above: touring canoe, about 5m long; Sprint C1, 520cm
long, 75cm beam; Marathon TC1 |
|
Canoeing:
A generic term used in Australia and Great Britain, for kayak
and Canadian canoe paddling. In USA and some other countries,
canoeing is only used for Canadian canoe paddling. Kayaking is
used for paddling a kayak. |
Canoe polo:
A ball game played by two teams of five a side. The players use
short kayaks and score goals by throwing the ball into a goal
or against a suspended board. |
C1:
A one person Canadian canoe in which the paddler may sit, kneel
or half kneel, and is paddled with a single blade. |
C2:
A two person Canadian canoe in which the paddlers may sit, kneel
or half kneel and is paddled with single bladed paddles. |
capsize
How upsetting. (Leave the boat upside down until you either get
it on shore or the rescuer takes over—roll it back upright
and you will fill it with water, making life difficult.) |
Carve turns:
Where the kayak is leaned over on its edge to help it follow
a smooth turn. Used frequently when doing eddy turns. |
Catch (plant):
The point at which the paddle blade enters the water at the start
of the forward stroke. |
Channel:
A stretch of passable water through shallows, among obstructions
or trees. |
Chest harness:
A belt system worn over or integrated into a personal flotation
device, to which ropes can be attached for rescue purposes. This
belt has a quick release system which provides a safe method
of attachment and release of the paddler to a rope and is used
when being rescued or when rescuing a fellow paddler. |
Chute:
Where part of a stream is compressed between two obstructions
which causes the water to speed up. It is usually the deepest
and safest route. |
| Clapotis:
Reflected waves will interpolate with the incoming waves in a
largely predictable and regular pattern (an interference pattern)
causing an area of disturbed water where wave heights spike (this
can be quite explosive) – expect to find this ‘clapotis’
anywhere there is a sheer coastline or harbour wall. |
Closed canoe (decked):
Any canoe, C1 or C2, where the deck of the craft is covered (similar
to a kayak) leaving cockpit openings for the paddler or paddlers. |
Closed cell foam:
A non absorbent flexible foam material used to provide the flotation
in buoyancy aids. Closed cell foam mats are used by campers to
insulate themselves from the cold. |
Coach:
A qualified person who concentrates on improvement of a paddler's
performance and skills rather than teaching new or basic skills. |
Coaming:
A rim around a kayak or decked Canadian cockpit to which a spray
skirt is attached. |
Cockpit:
The hole in the top of a canoe or kayak where the paddler(s)
sit or kneel. The place occupied by the paddler(s). There is
normally a seat, and in kayaks especially, the cockpit will be
sealed with a spray cover around the paddler’s waist and
attached by shock cord to the cockpit rim. |
Collision
A collision can ruin your entire day. As far as other boats are
concerned the rule is: ‘If it’s bigger, faster, or
more expensive than the canoe or kayak, keep out of its way.’
On rivers and in channels, keep to the right. |
Compartment
The space separated from the rest of a boat by a bulkhead
(e.g. in a sea kayak) for the stowage of gear and preservation
of buoyancy. cotton A useful natural fibre. Unfortunately
cotton fabrics are poor insulators when wet, and cotton garments
should not be worn when paddling except in hot weather. (Jeans
should never be worn on the water.) |
Composite blade:
A type of paddle blade construction which uses a combination
of materials such as fibreglass, kevlar, carbon fibre, aluminium
and expanded plastic. |
Compound stroke:
A number of basic strokes combined together to control the boat. |
CPR (cardio pulmonary resuscitation):
Is the combination of mouth to mouth resuscitation (Expired Air
Resuscitation) and chest compressions (External Cardiac Compressions)
to assist the circulation. |
Crest:
The top of a wave. |
Cross:
A move executed in a canoe or kayak across a fast jet of water. |
Cross bow stroke:
Predominantly used in a Canadian canoe by the bow paddler. The
blade is lifted across the bow and placed in the water on the
opposite side without swapping hand positions. |
Cushion wave:
A build up of water on the upstream side of a boulder. Often
called a pillow. |
| Cyalume The original chemical light stick,
named for the manufacturer, the American Cyanamid Company. A
word used to trap canoeing writers, editors, and proofreaders,
who invariably spell it wrongly. The light sticks themselves
are useful when paddling at night, and for emergencies. |
Dagger
A short stabbing weapon with pointed and edged blade. Also, the
name of a US canoe and kayak manufacturer. |
Deck:
The top part of a canoe or kayak. |
Deck lines:
A rope, usually 6 8mm, attached along the front and back deck
of a kayak. Mainly used for grabbing the boat in an emergency
whilst swimming. Popular on sea canoes. |
Deep stopper:
A stopper in which the recirculating water is deep. Difficult
and more dangerous to paddle than shallow stoppers. |
Deep water rescue:
The rescue of a capsized paddler while still in the water. The
rescuer empties the victim's boat so the victim is able to get
in without having to go ashore. |
Double blade paddle:
A paddle with a blade at each end, used basically with kayaks. |
Down river race:
A race held on white water (usually under grade 3), over a distance
of 5km and above. |
Downstream V:
Fast flowing water being compressed between two obstacles causes
a V shaped pattern to form. The point of the V is furthest downstream. |
Draft:
The depth of water necessary for a craft to float; the distance
between the water line and the bottom of the keel. |
Drag:
The resistance to forward motion. |
Dragonboat
Traditional Chinese paddle-racing
boat, with more than 20 paddlers, plus sweep and drummer. |
Draw stroke:
This is used to move a canoe or kayak sideways. |
Drive face:
The drive face (front) of the blade is the side that pushes through
the water and faces you during the normal forward paddling stroke.
The other side is called the back of blade or non drive face. |
Dry blade:
A phrase used for that paddle blade which is out of the water
and therefore not performing the stroke. |
| Duct tape Self-adhesive tape used to
repair anything except ducts. The minimalist repair kit for canoeists. |
Eddy:
Areas of slack or counter moving water, usually created by the
shape of the shoreline or obstacles above or slightly below the
water line. Found in rivers and in oceans where there is a current.
An area of water that is still, slow-moving, or moving upstream
behind an obstacle in a river. Often used by white water paddlers
to stop and look about. |
Eddy current:
Is the water in the eddy that moves in the opposite direction
to the main current. |
Eddy hopping:
Using eddies to manoeuvre upstream or downstream. |
Eddy line:
The area of water where the calmer eddy waters meet with the
main flow of the river. |
Eddy turn:
A dynamic manoeuvre used to enter or leave an eddy. |
Edging:
Tilting the kayak using the hips, knees and thighs. Putting the
boat on edge to increase its manoeuvrability. (See also J
Lean.) |
| End loop A loop of rope of at least 6mm
diameter and large enough to allow a 9mm sphere or cylinder to
pass through fixed to bow or stern for use as a hand grip. See
toggle. |
Entrapment:
This usually occurs when the paddlers’ boat has been pinned
against an obstacle. The paddler can then be trapped in the boat
by the force of the water or due to the boat collapsing. |
EPIRB
Emergency Position Indicaing Radio Beacon: an electronic device
for locating survivors and wreckage after an incident is over.
As with all ‘safety’ devices, not a substitute for
seamanship. |
Eskimo
A disparaging term, meaning ‘eater of raw meat’. See
Inuit. |
Eskimo roll:
Returning your boat to the upright position without exiting it,
after a capsize, using hands or paddle. |
Face (drive side):
The flat side of a blade that is used to push against the water. |
Feathering:
The degree to which kayak blades are set at an angle to each
other. This varies from 70 to 90 degrees, depending on the discipline.
Some sea paddles have no feathering at all. |
Ferry glide:
A technique used to cross the current laterally by facing the
boat upstream at an angle. |
Forward power stroke:
A stroke which propels the kayak forward. |
Fibreglass:
Glass threads formed into a matting or fabric and used with special
resins to form a covering of high strength to weight ratio. Used
to build canoes, kayaks and paddles. |
Flare
1. The progressive widening of a hull towards the gunwale, typically
seen at bow and stern of open canoes, and also in bow and stern
of some sea kayaks. Flare gives lift in rough water.
2. Pyrotechnic device often required by boating regulations (not
in South Australia) but generally regarded as useless by sea
kayakers. |
Flat water:
A calm lake or river that is not affected by wind, moving water
or rapids. |
Flotation:
Polystyrene, closed cell foam or air bags placed in a canoe or
kayak to help keep the craft afloat in the event of a capsize. |
Foot rest:
Fitted to the inside of a boat to give the paddlers’ feet
something to push against. This improves steering, balance and
power. |
Freeboard:
The part of the canoe which lies above the water line. |
| Freestyle
A competition on white water, where paddlers perform tricks and
are scored. See our information pages on freestyle,
rodeo and playboating. |
Grab loop:
A loop of rope on the bow or stern of a canoe or kayak, which
is useful for grabbing onto in an emergency situation. |
Gradient:
The degree of inclination of a riverbed, usually described as
the number of metres the river drops per kilometre. |
GRP (glass reinforced plastic):
See fibreglass. |
Goon stroke (stern pry):
The most basic of the forward paddling steering strokes for canoes.
It is a pry stroke executed at the back of the boat to push the
stern sideways, and away from the paddle. |
Gunwale:
The top side section of the canoe from stern to bow. |
H rescue:
A deep water rescue performed by two rescuers. Each paddler lifts
up one end of the victim's boat to empty it. |
| Hatch An opening through the deck into
a compartment, and closed by a hatch cover. Normally seen on
sea kayaks. |
Hand roll:
An Eskimo roll performed using only the hands. |
Haystack:
A standing wave with a tumbling crest. |
H I rescue: (Ipswich Rescue)
A deep water rescue performed by two rescuers who empty the victim's
boat by see sawing it across a paddle bridge formed between the
two boats. |
High brace support stroke:
A paddle stroke used to counteract instability. The paddle is
held higher than the wrists and elbow, and the face of the paddle
blade is used to give support. |
High cross:
A manoeuvre in which you cross a fast jet of water as high up
as possible, from one side the river to the other. The upstream
face of a standing wave is often used to surf across. |
Hip flick (hip roll):
The action of flicking a kayak back into the upright position
(using knee lift) during an Eskimo roll or support stroke. |
Hip movement:
A dynamic rotation of the pelvis which causes the kayak to return
to the upright position after a roll or brace. |
Hole (stopper):
The hollow area on the downstream side of a boulder or ledge
and upstream side of a stopper wave. |
Hull:
The underside of the boat. |
Hydraulic:
A general term for the confused and disturbed currents immediately
below or around obstructions; eg surges, standing waves, stoppers. |
| Hypothermia The loss of core body temperature
through exposure to cold and wet, and especially wind. Potentially
fatal. Prevention is much better than cure: dress warmly and
eat well. Lowering of the body core temperature as a result of
immersion in cold water, or exposure to cold conditions. |
ICF:
International Canoe Federation: the governing body for canoeing
and kayaking worldwide. |
| Inuit Literally, ‘the people’
— the name given by the Arctic people to themselves. |
Inwale:
The inside of the gunwale. |
J Lean
A way of leaning the boat while keeping the torso vertical. In
sea kayaks, lifts bow and stern, increasing the effective rocker
and making the boat easier to turn. |
J stroke:
The steering phase of the forward paddling stroke which is used
to keep the canoe maintained in a straight direction. |
Jet:
A term used to describe a tongue of fast water usually between
two eddies. |
 K1
Single kayak. Usually refers to sprint kayaks, at right in diagram
below. K2 and K4 are also used in competition. |
K1, K2, K4 etc:
Kayaks designed for one, two and four paddlers. |
Karabiner:
A steel or alloy link developed for climbing/mountaineering to
make quick connections with ropes and tapes. Now widely used
in river rescue situations. |
Kayak A small
boat propelled with (usually) a double blade paddle, from a seated
position. Most kayaks are decked.
Kayaks are derived from the frame and sealskin hunting boats
of the Arctic.
L–R above: Polo BAT, 2.5–3m long; white water play
boat (used here for training, surfing, etc.), about 3.5m long;
touring kayak, about 4.5m long; sea kayak, about 5.5 m long;
sprint K1, 520cm long, 51 cm beam. See Canoe |
Kayak volume (high, low, medium):
The amount of air enclosed by the empty boat's shell. |
Keel:
A projection below the hull running from stern to bow, which
helps the craft maintain straight movement. It also adds strength
to the hull, and protects it from damage. |
 Kevlar
Du Pont’s trade name for poly-para-phenylene terephthalamide,
a strong, tough, stiff, high melting point fibre, used in composite
construction. Lighter, stiffer, more expensive than glass fibre. |
Keyhole cockpit:
A kayak cockpit built to improve the paddlers’ safety by
allowing for ease of exit but still allows effective bracing
of the paddlers’ knees. |
Knee brace:
Supports attached to the canoe or kayak which the canoeist uses
for bracing with the knees. |
Knee lift:
The action which is needed to assist with an Eskimo roll and
also used to maintain balance, or right a boat during support
strokes. |
Leaning
An action used by paddlers to tilt the boat this assists with
turning and steering. The paddler leans from the upright position
rather like a cyclist turning a corner. |
Ledge:
A rock shelf which extends across the river at right angles to
the current and acts as a natural barrier over which the water
flows. |
Lee, leeward:
Away from the wind; downwind. |
Life jacket:
A personal flotation device with buoyancy designed to maintain
flotation with the face out of the water. |
Lining:
The use of ropes to manoeuvre a canoe downstream. |
Linking strokes:
The process of combining different paddle strokes. |
Low support (brace) stroke:
A support stroke using the back of the paddle blade to keep the
boat upright. The paddle is held so that the blade is lower than
the wrist and elbow. |
Low brace turn:
A paddle stroke which is used as a bracing stroke to enable the
boat to turn in a long wide curve. |
Loop:
A nose stand or ender where the kayak goes beyond the vertical
position into a somersault. |
| Marathon Racing over long distances,
the longest race in Australia being the Red Cross Murray Marathon,
400km over five days. Often described as a fit way to see a river. |
Meaty stopper:
A powerful, holding stopper that is likely to give a paddler
trouble. |
Munched:
When a paddler descends into a stopper or hole and is swallowed
up, given a rough time or capsizes. |
Neutral break in/break out:
Breaking into or out of the current by allowing the current to
provide all of the turning effect. |
Neoprene:
A synthetic rubber used to make booties, wet suits and spray
decks. |
| Nose The part of the dog that sniffs,
and leaves wet patches on whatever it touches. Also front end
of canoe or kayak. |
Nose cone:
A specially moulded guard fitted to the nose of the canoe or
kayak to protect it from damage. |
Nose and tail stand (ender and back ender):
Standing the kayak vertically using the sloping face of a wave
or the downward suction of a stopper. |
Off side:
The side opposite to the side where the canoeist is paddling. |
Open canoe:
A canoe that is open (it is not decked). Also called a Canadian
canoe. |
Open water:
A term used for the unsheltered lakes, estuaries, the sea or
a very wide river. |
| Outrigger A form of paddle racing, usually
at sea, derived from Pacific island outrigger canoes. |
Outwale:
The outside gunwale. |
Paddle n. A canoe paddle has a
single blade, with a T or similar grip at the top; a kayak paddle
has two blades, usually set at or a little less than 90°.
There are specific designs of paddle for particular purposes.
v. To propel a canoe or kayak with a paddle. |
Painter:
A rope attached either to the bow or stern of a canoe or kayak. |
Pawlata
Hans Eduard Pawlata, the Austrian who adapted a Greenland roll
for use with the feathered European paddle and introduced it
to Europe in 1927. A particular type of Eskimo roll which uses
the full length of the paddle, giving extra leverage. Mainly
used by novices. |
Perception
The faculty of perceiving — the ability of the mind to refer
to sensory information of external objects as their causes. Also,
the name of a US kayak manufacturer. |
PFD
Personal Flotation Device. A general term used to describe life
jackets, buoyancy aids, buoyancy garments, etc. Canoeing PFDs
are Type 2 or Type 3, and designed specifically for canoeing
to allow the freedom of body movement needed. |
Pillow:
A build up of water on the upstream side of a boulder or underwater
obstruction. Often called a cushion. |
Pitch:
A sudden drop in, or a steeper section of, a set of rapids. |
Pinned:
Entrapment of the boat/paddler on an immoveable object by the
force of the water. Bow of the boat held vertically in a steep
rapid or waterfall with the nose of the boat trapped. |
Pivot:
To turn sharply, or to turn the craft around a point. |
Pivot turn:
A fast turn created by standing the kayak on end and rotating
it in this vertical position (usually the stern). |
Placid water (calm water):
Any area of water that is sheltered and still and not effected
by the tide, wind or current. |
Plant (catch):
The point at which the paddle blade enters the water at the start
of the forward stroke. |
Plastic:
Usually refers to boats made of polyethylene (linear, cross linked
or high density). |
| Playboating See Freestyle |
Plunge pool:
A deep pool found at the bottom of most drops, natural waterfalls
and weirs. |
Pogies:
A paddle mitten which is fitted to the paddle shaft enabling
the paddler to hold the paddle and have warm hands. |
Polyethylene:
Plastic material from which recreational white water canoes and
kayaks are often constructed. |
Polypropylene:
Commonly used to make excellent non absorbent underwear (thermal
wear). Also used in helmet construction. |
| Polo A ball game played in polo boats
in swimming pools, the object being to score goals. Rules are
similar to those of basketball. See our section on Canoe
Polo. |
Port:
The left side of the canoe when facing the bow. |
Portage:
From the French `To carry'. |
Power face:
The face of the blade which pushes against the water. The front
of the paddle blade. |
Prusik A knot for attaching a loop to
a rope. The loop can be slid along the rope, but holds when under
tension. In canoeing, used in whitewater rescue situations.
Named after Dr Karl Prusik, a German climber of the 1930s.
Another word usually spelled wrongly by club paddlers. |
Pry:
The paddle is used like a lever against the side of the boat
to push the boat sideways. Mainly used in canoes. |
Pulling draw:
A draw stroke that makes the boat move sideways towards the paddle.
The positioning of the paddle before it is pulled will determine
whether the nose, tail or entire boat moves. |
Quartering:
Running at an angle to wind and waves; a technique for riding
over waves at a slight angle to avoid burying the bow in a wave. |
Ramp:
A sloping platform of water. |
Rapids:
A fast and turbulent stretch of water which could include waves,
haystacks, stoppers and drops. Rapids are graded 1 to 6 on the
international scale. |
Recovery stroke:
A term used for returning the paddle and getting ready for the
next stroke. |
Rescue cover:
When members of the group, who have throw lines and rescue equipment
at the ready are positioned along the rapid as rescuers (on the
bank and in a boat). |
| Retractable Skeg (fin) A control surface
fitted to a sea kayak to control its directional stability —
making the boat easy to control downwind. The skeg resides in
a case, and extends through an opening in the hull towards the
stern. |
Reverse paddling:
Paddling backwards. |
River mouth:
Where a river empties into the sea or another body of water. |
Rock garden:
A section of river filled with rocks which requires constant
manoeuvring by the canoeist. |
Rocker:
The amount of curve in the keel line of the boat. |
| Rodeo See Freestyle |
Roll The self rescue method devised by
the Arctic people (who would have rapidly died had they tried
to swim in their freezing waters).
The roll relies on body movement for success, not the sweep of
the paddle. There are many variations. |
Rooster tail:
Formed when a wave explodes over a semi submerged rock or boulder.
It can be identified by a pronounced water spray with a pocket
of air underneath it. |
| Rowing A backward way of travelling. |
| Rudder A movable surface at or near the
stern to control the directional stability of a kayak. That on
a sea kayak will be retractable, that on a sprint kayak will
be fixed. A complicated device to cure what is better treated
by trimming the boat appropriately or using a simpler device,
the retractable skeg. Rudders are not for steering. |
S turn:
A combination of break in and break out manoeuvres used to cross
the current. Also used when practising on flat water slalom gates. |
Scouting:
Checking a stretch of water before paddling it. |
Screw roll:
A commonly used Eskimo roll. |
Sculling draw:
A complicated paddle stroke that moves the kayak sideways by
sculling the blade at a slight angle to and fro (figure eight
motion) parallel to the boat. |
Sculling for support:
A support stroke which requires the paddle blade to be swept
to and fro across the surface of the water. |
Shaft:
The straight part of a canoe or kayak paddle. |
Seal launch:
Launching off a bank or rocks after first getting into the kayak
and putting on the spray cover. |
Sideslip:
The sideways movement of a canoe or kayak across the water. |
Side surfing:
Riding side ways in the slot of a stopper or wave. |
Skeg:
A fin attached to the stern of the kayak that helps the paddler
to travel in a straight line. Useful for novices in slalom/general
purpose boats and sea canoeists. |
Slack water:
Non moving or very slightly moving water, often associated with
adjacent moving water. |
| Slalom Competition held on white water
in which paddlers travel a course marked out by ‘gates’,
poles suspended over the water. The object is to make the fastest
time without missing or striking the gates. |
Slalom gate:
Used in slalom racing. A gate is formed by two poles hanging
from an overhead wire through which competitors must paddle in
a downstream or upstream direction. A slalom course consists
of some twenty to thirty such gates. |
Slicing:
The blade is cut through the water like a knife to take it quickly
back to its starting position. |
Sling:
Continuous tape loop used for making quick attachments to anchor
points, eg rocks or trees, for rescue purposes. |
Slot:
The deep trough of a stopper at the point at which the downstream
flow meets the upstream moving back tow. |
| SOT Sit On Top — a form of kayak
in which there is no real deck, and the paddler sits in a sort
of well. Examples include the Perception Torrent®. Also known
as ‘wash deck’ boat. |
Souse hole:
An American name for a stopper or `play hole'. |
Split paddles:
A paddle that can be taken apart at a joint in the middle usually
used as an emergency paddle. |
Spray cover/deck/skirt:
A nylon or neoprene cover worn around the paddlers’ waist
that closes off the cockpit opening. |
| Sprint Racing on flat water over marked
straight courses over distances of 500m, 1000m, etc. Sprint kayaks
and canoes must meet strict size and weight rules, and are designed
for speed, not comfort and stability. Sprint is an Olympic sport. |
| Squirt boat A whitewater kayak of low
volume, one so lacking in buoyancy that it may be deliberately
submerged to perform tricks, as in Freestyle.
A specialised kayak with exceptionally low bow and stern that
submerges easily allowing the experienced paddler to perform
complicated and intricate manoeuvres and stand on its nose or
tail. |
| Stability What beginners wish there was
more of. Stability in canoes and kayaks is dynamic, relying on
body movement, with the paddle. |
Standing wave:
Continual waves which remain in one place; usually caused by
the dissipation of energy when a fast flowing current reaches
a slower pool of water or by obstructions. |
Starboard:
The right side of the canoe when facing the bow. |
| Stern The aft extemity of a canoe or
kayak. |
Stern draw:
A stroke applied at the back of the boat to pull the stern sideways. |
Stern push:
A stroke executed at the back of the boat to push the stern sideways,
and away from the paddle. |
Stern pry (goon stroke):
The most basic of the forward paddling steering strokes for canoes.
A pry stroke executed at the back of the boat to push the stern
sideways, and away from the paddle. |
Stern rudder:
A stroke executed at the back of the boat to steer it. |
Stern sweep:
The back half of a stationary forward sweep stroke. |
| Stopper The wave formed immediately downstream
of an obstacle over which water is flowing. Known as a ‘hydraulic
jump’ in other circles. Large ones will stop boats, and
those below weirs may be deadly. |
Strainer A fallen tree or a submerged
fence through which water flows, but against which a boat or
person can be held by the force of the flow (being strained like
leaves in a tea strainer).
Keep well clear of such hazards. If swept against an object,
lean towards the object to prevent capsize. |
Support crew:
Member or members of a team that look after a paddlers needs
(i.e. drink, food, erecting camp, massage, etc,) and meet at
locations along the river. |
Surfing:
River surfing is riding on an upstream face of a standing wave.
Ocean surfing is riding on a face of a wave, out from the shore
towards the beach. |
Swamp:
When a canoe or kayak is accidentally filled with water. |
Sweep stroke:
A wide, low stroke. The stroke starts at the bow of boat and
finishes near the stern and is used for turning. |
Swimmer!:
Anyone who has capsized and is floating or swimming down the
river. |
Swimmer rescuer:
A person swimming in the river to help others in distress. |
T grip (pear grip):
The top of a canoe paddle. |
| TC1 Single touring canoe. Usually refers
to boats used in marathon racing. TC2 and TC4 are also used. |
| TK1 Single touring kayak. Usually refers
to boats used in marathon racing. TK2 are also used. |
| Tail The part of the dog that wags. Back
of the boat! |
Throat:
Where the paddle shaft flares into the paddle blade. |
Throw line:
A length of rope, usually 15 20m, stored inside a small floating
bag to which one end of the rope is attached. It is used in a
variety of rescue situations. |
Thwart:
The cross braces which stretch from gunwale to gunwale to strengthen
an open canoe. |
Tip:
The end of the paddle blade. |
| Toggle A device
at least 75mm long and 10mm in diameter fixed by cord to the
ends of a canoe or kayak as a safe hand grip. Toggles are not
intended as carrying devices — carry the boat, not the toggle. |
Tongue:
A stream of fast water usually compressed between two obstructions
forming a downstream `V'. |
Tow back or back tow:
The area of water on the downstream side of a stopper which is
flowing upstream. |
Tow line:
A short line with a quick release mechanism used to rescue boats
or swimmers. It can be attached to a boat or a paddler rescuing. |
| Torso The part of the body that provides
most power for paddling — power in paddling does not come
from the arms, but through twisting the body. toy boat
A marketdroid’s concept of a canoe, e.g. Condor or Pioneer,
perhaps Minnow. |
| Trangia A stove, as described by R. Kipling
as ‘the kind you must particularly never touch.’ |
Trim:
The level at which the boat sits in the water. |
Trip leader:
The person who has taken the responsibility to lead a trip. |
Trough:
The bottom between two waves. |
Upstream:
The section of river that is between you and the start of the
river. The side of the boat facing the oncoming current. |
Upstream V:
A V shaped wave pattern formed by water moving past a rock which
is just below the water surface. |
Wake:
The temporary trail in the water behind the canoe; also called
the wash. If another boat rides on the wash, the paddler can
go the same speed but with less effort exerted. |
Wave:
A rise in flowing water in the shape of a pinnacle or hump, caused
by the power and varying forces of the river as it accelerates
or changes direction. |
"Weather Cock"
A boats tendancy to turn into the wind |
| Weils Disease Weils
Disease or Leptospirosis is a bacterial infection carried
in rat’s urine which may contaminate water in lakes, rivers,
etc |
| Weir A wall across a river to control
its flow, such as the ‘locks’ on the Murray. They are
dangerous, because the flow at the surface immediately downstream
of the weir will be upstream — objects (i.e. boats
and people) can be trapped in the circulating flow. Keep well away from weirs, both upstream and
downstream. |
Wetsuit:
A garment made of neoprene foam which insulates against the chill
of cold water; essential for cold water canoeing to avoid hypothermia. |
White water (wild water):
Fast moving turbulent water. |
Wild water race:
A race held on white water, with rapids being grade 3 or over.
Wild water races are usually 3 8km long. |
Wing paddle
A type of racing paddle with an aerofoil like cross section. |
X rescue:
A deep water rescue which is performed by one paddler. The rescuer
drags the victim's upturned boat across his/her own boat and
empties it by see sawing it and then places it on the opposite
side. Very similar to a T Rescue where the boat is brought
up onto the rescuers cockpit and emptied and then returned to
the SAME side. |