Canoeing is one of the fastest-growing outdoor activities—more that 9 million people enjoy the experience each year. It allows you to socialize with friends and family while exploring new places as you relax and enjoy the outdoors. Canoeing not only provides you with the basic skills and knowledge you need to safely head out for adventures on a variety of water trails but also presents a strong foundational understanding of this recreational activity.

In Canoeing, the expert instructors from the American Canoe Association provide you with

• indispensable advice on gear and equipment selection, food and nutrition, fitness, water trail etiquette, and safety and survival skills;
  
• step-by-step instruction of fundamental paddling skills and techniques;
  
• informative consumer, technique, and safety tips; and
  
• Web-based resources to help you plan trips in the United States and throughout the world.

The authors share all of the background information you’ll need to get started, beginning with descriptions of the various types of canoeing being practiced today to help you determine the type of paddling that suits your needs. They discuss fitness basics, food and nutrition needs, and gear and equipment—from the canoe itself to life jackets, paddles, and clothing. They then cover important safety and survival guidelines, including weather, river hazards, capsizing, cold-water safety, and rescue protocols.

Canoeing will teach you fundamental paddling skills and techniques and help you build on those skills to learn more complicated compound strokes and maneuvers. Now you’re ready for your first adventure. Starting with easy river trips, you move on to more challenging waterways, overnight and extended trips, and canoeing adventures for groups and families—even with dogs!

The book also includes the Quickstart Your Canoe DVD. This instructional DVD guides you through an introduction to paddle sports and basic safety and paddling techniques so you can enjoy a safe boating experience. It contains videos of the essential skills and techniques of canoeing, making it easier than ever to learn the basics.

Throughout the book and DVD, expert instructors provide all the skill instruction and insider tips you need to enjoy canoeing and have a successful adventure while extending your skills for more challenging adventures in the future.

Canoeing is part of the Outdoor Adventures series. This practical series contains the essential information to help you get ready and go. The Outdoor Adventures series will prepare you with instruction in the basic techniques and skills so you can be on your way to an adventure in no time.

Contents
Preface

Part I Preparing for a Canoeing Adventure

Chapter 1. Going Canoeing

• Canoeing, Kayaking, and Paddle Sports
  
• History of Canoeing
  
• Canoeing Today
  
• Where to Canoe
  
• Paddling Venue Resources
  
• Summary

Chapter 2. Getting Fit for Canoeing

• Four Components to Physical Fitness
  
• Flexibility In and Out of the Canoe
  
• Key Components of an Effective Training Program
  
• Cross-Training and Off-Season Training
  
• Nutrition
  
• Summary

Chapter 3. Canoes, Paddles, and Gear

• Canoes
  
• Paddles
  
• Personal Flotation Devices
  
• Personal and Safety Accessories
  
• Clothing
  
• Storing Your Gear
  
• Food and Water
  
• Summary

Chapter 4. Getting Ready to Paddle

• Planning a Trip
  
• Pre-Event Planning Meeting
  
• Day of the Trip
  
• Sharing the Waterways
  
• Canoe Etiquette and Ethics
  
• Summary

Chapter 5. Water Safety and Survival Skills

• Know Your Boating Abilities and the Waters
  
• Weather
  
• River Reading
  
• River Currents
  
• River Obstacles
  
• Capsizing
  
• Cold-Water Safety and Survival Skills
  
• Rescue and Emergency Protocols
  
• Summary

Part II On the Water

Chapter 6. Canoeing Techniques, Strokes, and Maneuvers

• Concepts of Paddling
  
• Getting Started
  
• Basic Strokes
  
• Compound Strokes
  
• Customized Strokes
  
• Summary

Chapter 7. River Trips

• Canoeing on Moving Water
  
• River Maneuvers
  
• River Sense
  
• Vision, Scouting, and Decision Making
  
• River Trip Planning
  
• Summary

Chapter 8. Overnight Camping Skills

• Trip Planning for Canoe Camping
  
• Equipment
  
• Selecting a Campsite
  
• Setting Up Camp
  
• Breaking Camp
  
• Camping Safety
  
• Camping With Children
  
• Camping With Dogs
  
• Summary

Chapter 9. Pursuing Paddle Sports: Pass It On

• Use and Stewardship of Resources
  
• Limitations of Use
  
• Paddler Environmental Ethics
  
• Paddler Standard of Conduct
  
• Paddling Opportunities
  
• Summary

Web Resources
Success Checks
Photo Credits
About the Editor
About the Contributors