Boundary Waters Quetico Forum :: Listening Point - General Discussion :: Recent capsize experience and lessons learned – seeking further advice
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paddlefamily |
carbon1: "Personally I found solo's to be far more tippy. I been using canoes for over 60 years. Do you happen to have a picture of the stabilizer set up? I'd like to see it as I'm intrigued. Thank you! :) |
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Ahahn366 |
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petzval |
At the risk of even further damage to my ego, I'd like to share my recent capsize experience in the hopes of furthering my learning and, perhaps, that of others on the forum. I put in to Sawbill Lake just after 9 AM on Tuesday, September 27. This was to be my fourth solo trip in as many years. It was in the 40s with a decent wind and occasional gusts from the north. The constant barrage of waves breaking on the shore necessitated the group of three day-fishermen in front of me to put in on the protected and calmer, south side of the dock. I did the same but entered from shore (I've never entered a solo canoe from a dock, and I didn't have great visions of success). Coming out from behind the dock, I let the incoming waves just push me a little west and south until I was able to turn myself into my desired northern route (I was headed up toward Cherokee). I was paddling into the wind and waves, but it was actually working out just fine. The seat in this solo canoe was toward the back. I had a ~40 lb pack in front of me and a ~30 lb pack behind me (I know, I take a lot of stuff), and traveling into the waves seemed to enable good control (I had an experience on Winchell Lake last year where I was more front-end weighted with the wind at my back, and I didn't have any control of the direction of the canoe). While the wind required me to exert more energy than I wanted, I felt good and never worried about the waves making me lose control (as it did on Winchell that day). The wind and waves became intermittent, and I had a few moments of really moving and wishing that the wind would subside. I had visions of easily making the northern portion of Sawbill and, possibly, to Cherokee. As I made my way past a tiny island in the middle of Sawbill south of the portage to Smoke (really, just past the official entry into the wilderness), the wind picked up, and the waves got bigger (more than a foot, no whitecaps, and no water splashing into my canoe). I maintained my strategy of pointing the canoe directly into the waves, but my canoe started wanting to turn to port. I really didn't think it would be a good idea to have the canoe parallel to the waves (perhaps a flawed assumption), so I made some hard left hand paddles to try to get back perpendicular to the waves. I tired a backpaddle on my right, and that seemed to be the end. I was in the water before I even knew what was happening – there was no slow tipping with me trying to correct. I was dumped. My PFD pulled me up to the surface, and my two packs were kind of trapped under my canoe. I was still holding my oar and map bag (which I must have grabbed as soon as I hit the water). I wasn't far from the little island, and the waves were moving in that direction, but nothing I could do with my legs could propel me and my canoe to that island. We seemed to be riding up and over each wave without actually moving in the direction of the waves. I tried to move in the direction of the other shores (that were MUCH farther away) to no avail (though I thought I was being successful at one point). I started getting a little worried after a few minutes. I really didn't want to be in the water for too long, and I was getting tired of kicking. I decided to rest a minute and then direct all of my effort toward making it to that little island. My effort, or the waves, or some combination thereof slowly moved me closer to the island. At one point, I let my feet relax, and they touched a rock. I love that rock! I was able get everything to the shore of the island and unload. I was probably in the water for less than five minutes, and I knew I needed to get myself dry and into some dry clothes. The dry bags that I had for my clothes, camera, and sleeping bag all did their jobs, and I was able to get into some dry clothes (hopefully no one saw the “full moon” at 10 AM, but I had my priorities...). I decided pretty much immediately to end my trip and take the short paddle back to the entry point, and I'm glad that I did. Pretty much all of my other gear was wet, and it was going to be in the upper 20s that night. Right before I started loading the canoe, a Forest Service ranger passed by, saw me on the island, and asked if I was ok, I told him I was good, and he asked if I had capsized. He paddled over to truly ensure that I was ok when I told him that I had. He told me (perhaps just being nice) that it was pretty difficult paddling and that he had to adjust his weight distribution to make it paddling manageable. I rested a bit more after he left (gathering my courage to get back in the canoe) and shoved off after a few more minutes. I had a pretty easy paddle back with the waves behind me that were subsiding. So, it was a major bummer to say the least. I had left my home in the Twin Cities at 4 AM and was back home by 5 PM. All of my gear survived and is dry and ready for my trip next year. I will be getting more dry bags for most of the equipment that I take. I think my first lesson learned is that maybe I should have just waited. It didn't really occur to me at the time I put in, but I had enough flexibility in my schedule that I could have waited it out at least a few hours to see if the conditions might have improved. My second lesson learned was related to my PFD. I am someone who always wears a PFD whenever I am in a canoe (and immediately takes it off and attaches it to a thwart when I am not in a canoe). This experience made me thankful that I am that way. I would have survived this incident without a PFD. I might have even been lucky enough to be able to retrieve all of my things with the help of others or the current. But the severity of this event would have increased exponentially had I not been wearing it or had I been even further from some shore or and island. Everyone makes their own decisions, and I'm sticking with mine. Finally, I realize that I need some basic training in trimming and controlling my canoe in challenging conditions. I don't know how to do that other than just doing it, but I'm open to all advice that people want to give. Ultimately, I think I made the right decision in ending my trip given my circumstances, and I kept telling myself that I was ending this trip so that I can take more trips in the future. I am curious what others might have done in the same situation. I'm probably owed some stern admonishments, and I can take anything in the spirit of learning. With great humility, Dave (a.k.a. Petzval). |
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Frenchy19 |
On all solo trips I carry two portage packs, and, generally, I always try to keep most of the weight in seat area of the canoe when I start paddling. My big pack (a CCS Pioneer pack) goes directly behind me, and it carries the overwhelming weight of my load. I never weigh my packs, but my guess is it comes in at between 30-40 pounds depending on length of trip. My small pack (a CCS Rucksack) goes as far forward as I can move it, and it contains rain gear, snacks and my CCS tarp. I move the Rucksack fore and aft as I "feel" the need, and this comes from time in the boat. This general set up has worked for trim purposes in the 5 different solo canoes I have owned and tripped in. When paddling into the wind, I quarter the boat into the wind; try to keep a 45 degree angle into the wind. This means that if I want to continue paddling in windy conditions, I may need to travel farther that I want to to get to where I want to go. I also always try to stay really close to the shore; again, this may mean more miles paddled, but it is a safety feature that I hold true to. When it gets really windy and my gut starts sending fear messages to my head, I get off the water. When windy, I also only use a single blade paddle as I believe it gives me more control; I save kayak paddle for smooth water when I want to make time. One final thought: someone said to me the importance of always making sure my head is in the boat. By that he meant that if I lean too far port or starboard, I am going in the water (has happened a couple times when excited about landing a big fish!). So, I always keep in mind the importance of keeping my noggin between the gunnels. Again, no means an expert, and there are many on this board who are and I hope they chime in. I am glad you are safe, and I thank you for sharing. |
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okinaw55 |
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ockycamper |
First, the guys that capsized were not "hugging" the shore out of the wind, but trying to cut through the middle of the lake to get to base camp quicker. Second, in two of the cases the guys went out solo and did not trim their canoes correctly. One guy likes to paddle in what I call the "jive" position. . . leaning way back against a pack. He loses all control that way Third.. . and foremost. . .they should not have been out there to begin with. Once waves are tall enough to come in the canoe. . .and particularly with white caps and wind. . .time to stay on shore and hunker down. |
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WHendrix |
Cricket67: "Thank for sharing Dave. Dan Cooke, right here on this forum! |
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HighnDry |
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ChristineCanoes |
Cricket67: "Thank for sharing Dave. I’m in Canada. I’m certified as an instructor with ORCKA so up here I’d recommend their website. Instructors can do coaching. I was certified with ACA at one point. I imagine their instructors can do the same. Maybe reach out to a local canoe company. You just need someone who has solo tripping experience and is a good teacher. |
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petzval |
Just because I didn't mention it in my original post, I was using a kayak paddle, and the Prism solo canoe was set up with the seat toward the stern and fixed portage yoke as has been discussed. Also, I really hope that I haven't scared anyone off of trying a solo trip! I've done three other solos and didn't have nearly this kind of experience. I love the solo experience, and I would highly recommend it to anyone who is considering it. Hopefully all of the discussion here will just give us additional tools that we can use to enjoy one of the most beautiful places in the world! Happy paddling all! Cheers, Dave. |
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Banksiana |
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sns |
petzval: The seat in this solo canoe was toward the back." Not a lot to add from what others have said, but this part of your description has me wondering...were you in a true solo with the seat a few inches to the rear of center, or were you in a solo-rigged tandem canoe and thus seated further back? If the latter, I would think that's a contributing factor. (What's the make & model of the canoe? Rental or yours?) |
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chessie |
We instinctively want to lean into a wave when things get dicey, we ought to lean with the wave, and to the point of 'keeping your head in the boat,' yes, we lean by flexing our hips, keeping our upper body in the boat. Angle may apply least here, though some have mentioned quartering. I don't think it's inherently wrong to head straight into the wind. Momentum = control. Backpaddling caused loss of momentum and thus control. I too will trim a bit heavy in bow in high wind. Also, I try to heed my wise ol' pop's words, always paddle close to shore when in a canoe. It has cost me on big lakes when I've done otherwise. Lastly, getting one's center of gravity as low as possible, so kneeling on boat floor as opposed to sitting on the seat, helps. Great post, and very glad you got to the island, and had the presence of mind to get dry and warm! |
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boonie |
From your description "The seat in this solo canoe was toward the back. I had a ~40 lb pack in front of me and a ~30 lb pack behind me" coupled with the fact you were on Sawbill makes me think you were paddling a Prism with what I have heard referred to as "the Sawbill setup". Here's an old thread. I am no expert either and have no experience with this setup, but my understanding is that this moves the balance from the normal center position towards the rear of the canoe and requires different strategy to achieve correct trim. Moving the paddler's weight toward the rear would require more weight forward to achieve level trim than the standard setup. Generally the standard advice is to have level trim for a solo with slightly more weight forward into the wind and more in the stern downwind. It sounds like with that setup and your pack weight distribution you were stern heavy and bow light, which would trim the canoe better for downwind than upwind, hence the pretty easy paddle back. With the bow light going into the wind, the wind can catch the bow and swing it around. Like straighthairedcurly I prefer a double blade in the wind and would avoid any stroke that slows momentum and especially the backstroke, which probably compounded your problem by shifting your weight more rearward and probably toward the right side, which I would guess is the side you went over. I have narrowly avoided this when trying such things in the past. It is good that you were wearing the PFD and had dry clothes in dry bags. Along those lines most also use waterproof[ed] packs by using liners. I have used the clear 5-mil heavy duty plastic liners. They are large, quite tough and can be repaired with duct tape. The tops are tall and I twist them tight closed, double them over, and secure with BDB's. That protects everythng in the pack. There are many more knowledgeable, skilled, and experienced solo paddlers here and I am sure someone will reply with a more thorough explanation. And, btw, it was quite cold that night, probably mid-20's. My water was about half-frozen. |
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Banksiana |
Northwoodsman: " Not that it's good or bad, you just need to change your strategy when packing and trimming." I think the "Sawbill setup" is bad. Sacrificing ease of trim and initial and final stability (not to mention ignoring both the intention and the execution of the hull design) in order to have a permanent yoke is frankly stupid. |
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bobbernumber3 |
EddyTurn: "....I'd say that your boat were stern-heavy, which makes paddling into a strong wind challenging and, in high enough winds, practically impossible. The boat will be inclined to rotate 180 degrees..." kjw: "... if it is windy and there are waves, I always make sure the bow has less weight than the stern..." Well... which? I'd say, into the wind - bow heavy would be best. |
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ChristineCanoes |
Thanks for sharing. We all learn through discussion. A couple of thoughts which you are welcome to take or leave: - I always encourage everyone to take canoe lessons. There are some awesome instructors around and I bet a day with a qualified instructor focusing on paddling in wind would help you feel confident in your decisions - I am always weary about giving advice about paddling conditions because it depends both on conditions and paddling ability but I will say that when I am deciding if I am going to paddle the windward or leeward side of the lake I think about the likelihood that I will end up in the water. Paddling on the side of the lake where the wind is building makes it less likely that one will end up in the water BUT if I do end up in the water I’m going a lot further. I usually paddle on the side where the wind is building because I am pretty sure of my paddling abilities but that’s the trade off. - I love to paddle with a canoe paddle but keeping a break down kayak paddle available does increase the range of conditions one can paddle in - In the event that one’s boat gets away from you, it is best to let the boat turn down wind and then correct. Trying to correct as the boat is swinging is a move I’d recommend practicing a great deal before using. |
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kjw |
You need to stay oriented properly into waves. I would rather exert a little more energy fighting the wind than have the bow plunged into the water and not being able to straighten my canoe after getting shifted by the rollers. I personally feel that having more weight in bow of canoe when going into the wind applies more to tandem canoes. In a tandem, you have someone up front to help. I also prefer to go into waves at 45 degree instead of head on if possible. Bottom line if you are trimmed where you can't move the bow left or right quickly with a stroke or two you can get into trouble very fast. I paddle canoes with a little bit of rocker in bow and stern. Some of the canoes have no rocker in bow and stern. They are made for fast travel on lakes. I would think trim would be more important if you are paddling canoe with no rocker. |
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okinaw55 |
As for dumping in the wind I can completely see that solo. I don't ever travel solo (though I dream to someday). Windy conditions like you described I've been through but always with a bow paddler that responds to my instructions. A couple of years ago we crossed Brule on a very windy day with whitecaps and big winds. Honestly I was scared but in the end I knew my wife would do the bow thing as I instructed and we were fine. All that said, I was an idiot for trying to cross that lake in those conditions. I need to learn when to sit tight and still until threats have passed. I'd say the same to you. That's my advice. Glad you are safe. |
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Northwoodsman |
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straighthairedcurly |
I am not sure from your description if your boat was trimmed evenly, or was stern heavy, or bow heavy. Since you mentioned you keep your seat a bit more to the stern and then had packs of almost equal weight on each end, my guess is that you were stern heavy. I find that my solo canoe handles better if it exactly trimmed or slightly bow heavy when I am going into the wind. Some people prefer more bow heavy. And the opposite when traveling with the wind. You also don't mention if you were using a single-blade or double-bladed paddle. Using a kayak paddle in high winds gives me more control. But rudder strokes (or reverse strokes like you described) are definitely the riskiest stroke, IMO, no matter what paddle you use, especially if you are starting to get parallel to the waves and trying to force the boat back upwind. If I am forced to make such a severe correction, I am always very conscious of making sure my legs are splayed wide against the gunwales to give myself extra control of the boat with my lower body. Or if sitting on a high seat, I kneel down with my knees pretty wide apart. I try to do 99% of course corrections in high wind with forward strokes only. I also like to practice on local lakes every summer in really windy conditions to get used to how my boat feels in different positions and then the stakes are lower. Keep asking questions and paddling in different conditions. Experience is the best teacher. |
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Northwoodsman |
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EddyTurn |
good survival technique! From your description - solo canoe with a seat some way towards the stern and 2 similar packs in the front and back - I'd say that your boat were stern-heavy, which makes paddling into a strong wind challenging and, in high enough winds, practically impossible. The boat will be inclined to rotate 180 degrees and attempting to force the bow back into the wind could be dangerous or at least exausting. Bill Mason in his paddling videos demonstrates a possible solution: if one can't redistribute the packs properly to keep the upwind end of the boat heavier then one can rotate his own position 180 degrees, so bow and stern trade places. |
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carbon1 |
So much I made light weight stabilizers for mine. PVC pipe and foam floaties They made a huge difference. I spent hours tipping trying to tip my solo over testing with and with out. Paddling to get them right. I do not use my solo without them. Stay safe. |
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ChristineCanoes |
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OutThere |
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nctry |
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Dolpho |
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Cricket67 |
As someone hoping to do their first solo trip in the near future, I appreciate this story and all the following advice. I am trying to get out in my solo when I can, especially on breezy days. I found a prism late last summer and am still getting a feel for it and have been swapping back and forth between the kayak paddles and a single straight shaft paddle. ChristineCanoes: This sounds like a great idea! Where can one find an instructor? I'm aware of the American Canoe Association, but is there any other resources out there? |
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straighthairedcurly |
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LaVirginienne |
Dolpho: "Lots of good advice given. Only additional thought i can offer is regarding paddle selection. I trip with both a bent shaft and straight shaft paddles. The straight shaft stays stowed in front of me most of the time. But when conditions change with wind and whitecaps the straight blade comes out. The additional length provides more reach, leverage, and ability for a more effective brace if needed. " Dolphi, I’ve noticed the same thing. My spare is an otter tail straight shaft and it does better in dodgy waters. |
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bumabu |
It's all a learning experience, and the good thing is that you are self aware and are willing to learn. Glad you were close to shore when this happened and had a PFD on. That cold water is no joke. |