When did you go from duffer to bow paddler?

Obviously not all kids are the same with strength and grit, but about what age is right to start paddling the bow? I suppose it depends on the trip too. Let's make it a strategically safe trip with very little big water and not too many miles any day.

In 1990, my two best Quetico paddling buddies and I all had baby boys born a total of six weeks apart. Naturally, it wasn't long after they were born when we got talking about when we could start taking them on our canoe trips. There were some lightweight local paddling adventures with an overnight here and there starting when they were eight years old, but we decided that at age twelve, they would be able to hold their own in the bow and on the portages. The route to the lake in Quetico that we liked to go to had a few portages, including one long one and there was some bigger water to paddle across.


Our trip to Quetico in 2002 got diverted due to heavy rains washing out the road so we ended up in the BW off the Echo Trail. Kind of a lightweight trip, but the boys had fun. This photo is our group in 2003 when the boys were thirteen. Their first trip was a huge success. They have been back several times.

Depends on the kid, but I feel like my kids were in the bow around age 10. My son is still my bow paddler at 42!

My daughters each did their first father/daughter trip with me when they were 5 in the bow. The younger daughter is going with me in the bow on Sunday for her high school graduation trip. My son did his first father/son trip with me last year at age 5. He excited to do his 2nd annual trip with me in July. I definitely stick to small water with a kid in the bow.

I was 10 years old and in the Scouting organization when I was first taught to paddle at Big Marine Lake. Both bow and stern. Maybe a year later we were taught river paddling. Rivers with more than class 2 rapids came a little later.

Depends on the kid. My two boys were 9 when they started manning the bow. They took their first trips when they were 8 by sitting in the middle and taking it all in. They are 41 and 39 now and teaching their kids how to handle the canoe. Nothing like having a grandkid in the bow and your fishing partner for a week in the BW.

Fun times. My 8 year old daughter got put in the bow after an emergency injury left my adult bow paddler unable to paddle. Not a lot of power in the paddle strokes, but she didn't miss a stroke all day. I was proud of her. She'll be 10 this year and is going to get the bow seat for the whole trip. Excited for her.

I just went fishing on a small lake with my 4 year old this weekend for his first time paddling a canoe.

grizzlyadams: "


I just went fishing on a small lake with my 4 year old this weekend for his first time paddling a canoe."

I like the cinder block in front

petehal: "

grizzlyadams: "



I just went fishing on a small lake with my 4 year old this weekend for his first time paddling a canoe."

I like the cinder block in front"

Hahah, he needed some extra weight up there.

Hey Grizzlyadams, is that an old 19ft Grumman square stern?

I think my son was 9-10 when he went on his first BW trip. We started at Little Gabbro EP, then Snake River, base camping & doing day trips, then started doing loops when he was 13-14.

And like Grizzly, at first we had to put a decent sized rock in the bow to get the trim right. We even portaged the rock on day trips so we wouldn't have to look for a new one the right size.

Go for it, best thing to do with your son.

Both of my sons (8&10)are graduating to the bow this year. We have a trip planned to Sylvania and the BW. Younger one told me last year he was tired of sitting in the middle, so I told him what would be expected of a bow paddler and he told me was ready. The way I look at it, it’s all about realistic expectations and making the trip fun along the way.

XYpaddler: "Hey Grizzlyadams, is that an old 19ft Grumman square stern?"

No it's an alumacraft. Funny though, my in-laws have an old grumman square stern stored at their house.

MiPatrick: "Younger one told me last year he was tired of sitting in the middle, so I told him what would be expected of a bow paddler and he told me was ready. "

I love it! Have a great trip! :)

Depends on what you mean by paddle bow. If you mean being able to really push rather than lily dip, I have seen 30-year olds who couldn’t paddle.

When I took out kids trips, the youngest were seven. They paddled bow and better than some adults I have seen. Our son started when he was five. It is more a matter of good technique than age. I took out some 13 year olds who could handle stern on choppy water.

If you are wondering when to start your kid, I would say whenever they want to. Canoeing is a sport, so like any sport, let kids tell you what they like to do and when and then just give them opportunities and support.

Took my oldest the first time when he was six, just the two of us for a week back into Insula. Great trip. He could really help paddle when he was inclined to but more frequently he amused himself by "putting on the brakes". He loved to put his paddle in the water and just watch it create a little waterfall as I paddled! Great memories.

As I was the oldest, mom stuck me in the bow at age 3 and just said paddle harder. I still hear her voice...miss her a lot.