Canoe Poling Practice and Play

Practice is necessary for anything that you want to get good at. I like to challenge myself, so that I will be ready for the day that I will need to be my best!
Thanks to Andrea Chappell for her video footage that makes me look so good and to Jean Lefebvre for the final photo sequence and his dedication to making sure that I don't get away with it when I don't!

[@feenerproductions]

We're all between swims is right! Thanks for sharing.

[@kevanwithaneh5171]

Love it that's the way you do it.

[@canoepoler]

Kevan with an eh Thanks for the kind words!

[@JasonIrwinTumblehome]

Great!

[@canoepoler]

Remember... this could be you! Well... eventually, but really! :)

[@downeastprimitiveskills7688]

Nice presentation, as usual. Great start and ending.

[@canoepoler]

Thank you! The start is always a stunt, but I know that you will appreciate the end! Keep the faith!

[@16prospector]

Great video Steve. You are a good ambassador for our sport. Rory

[@canoepoler]

I am really trying to be. You have set the bar very high!

[@ThePursuitofPassion]

Nice control,.....and swim! 😄 Go figure the GoPro fizzled out. Your new mount is interesting. Seems like less shake.

[@canoepoler]

I know it seems fishy... but I did include the photos to show my departure from "nice control." Actually the mount that day was the worst ever because of the long extension, but I fooled with the footage a bit. I am bracketing in on it none the less. Thanks for dropping by, David!

[@CyndiLH]

Beautiful video! And love the commentary! Esp for new paddlers (and now maybe a new poler)

[@canoepoler]

Oooooh! That is what I love to hear!

[@danieltaggart5687]

Very impressive

[@canoepoler]

I aim to please! :)

[@slofr8dan]

I've been polling for 30 years and am still learning. I stand bladed but will try the squared off style. Nice vid.

[@canoepoler]

@slofr8dan The squared off stance was developed by the folks that race poling in the U.S. In Canada the diagonal stance is the traditional way to go the same as there, but in development of modern poling standards for best practices, we teach the squared off stance and a pole shod at both ends as the most versatile. I still step a foot back when really pushing up a current or holding a hard position when snubbing. I've only been at it about half that long, so kudos to you! Thanks for commenting.

[@rainavingerhoeds6154]

Love the “nfb shorts” vibes of Jean’s photos at the end!

[@canoepoler]

How very sensitive of you, Raina. I was hoping that the video itself was of some value and not just Jean's capture of my wipe out! (lovely paddle Saturday past! My fingers thawed out by Sunday evening! ). 😉

[@rainavingerhoeds6154]

Whole thing is quite cool! I’d love to get out on the gorge someday. I also was searching through the comments for the answer to this question… are poles like cabers… must you go out to the bush to find your own

[@canoepoler]

@@rainavingerhoeds6154 ?cabers? Anywho, you make your own pole or get someone to do it. No commercial pole manufacturer in Canada. There is one in the U.S. and believe it or not... the British Canoe training scheme has poling as a core skill that you must learn. You can buy a canoe pole in the U.K. but not in Canada. If I knew what I could charge for one, I would start that business myself. :). We go to the Gorge regularly. Guelph Kayak Club is always there, so join their group.

[@rainavingerhoeds6154]

I once worked for a fellow who was a Scottish Athlete, since they had a fair bit of bush at their place it was the place to come when you needed a new caber to toss. That was my assumption when I saw you with your pole! Ash borer would make my prospects a little slimmer for that right now unfortunately.

[@canoepoler]

@@rainavingerhoeds6154 I guess that I have never seen the word caber written! Ha! So embarrassing for a pure blood Scot. My wooden poles are mostly ash. It might be because there are plenty of trees to harvest these days...

[@robbullis5025]

Nice video, I really I like it when people doing white water whether paddling or poling show that even very experienced paddlers & polers go for a swim. So there is no shame for beginners swimming when starting out.

[@canoepoler]

I agree with you almost completely, BUT there was "shaming" that day, let me tell you! ;) (oh and thank you)

[@joelin8835]

Hi Stephen, do you have any plans on 2022 for canoe poling class? I live in Whitby and have been your KZbin subscriber for a while. I love canoe tripping with intermediate whitwater experience. I would like to expand my skills to canoe poleing. Thank you!

[@canoepoler]

I do as many courses as I can. Often with only a couple of people. You can contact me through the Paddle Canada website (link at the top of my home page for my channel) and go to the instructor for hire page (www.paddlecanada.com/instructor-for-hire/) and enter canoe poling for Ontario.

[@tylerscott2430]

Can you use a Kevlar or similar composite canoe for poling? Or do you need something like royalex?

[@canoepoler]

Tyler Scott You can use anything you want. It has to do with boat design. Not a short solo, but usually 16' or more. If it is a good river tripper, then it will be fine. I have Royalex boats because I am in very shallow water for the most part and would scratch the daylights out of it. If you are not avoiding rocks at speed and have a foot of water, it is often more enjoyable to push a light boat.

[@thomasmurphy460]

Hey canoe Poler I’ve watched all your videos I would like to get in touch with you how can I do that would a 16 foot old town penobscot Royalx be OK for canoe polling?

[@canoepoler]

Message me through canoepoler on Instagram. I am not a big boat expert, but Penobscot 164 should pole ok. Maybe not the ideal boat to start out with, but really it will be fine. It is a river tripper and that is what you want. Make sure you trim your boat upstream light regardless of your direction of travel unless you are gunning downstream. It doesn't have much rocker and fairly plumb stem and stern so you want them not to catch the current and try to spin you. Have fun!!!

[@blackspruceroutes]

Hi We chatted on another video. Are you doing any courses in 2023 ? Also It looks like its written prospecteur 15 on this canoe?

[@canoepoler]

That is a 16' Prospector. Generally a longer canoe poles better in many applications. I have a 17' - 6" Swift Yukon which I love to pole. You didn't tell me if you were near me to attend a course. (contact me through "Canoepoler" on Instagram.)

[@JayhooOutdoors]

Love it great video. Wanting to take my prospector down the gorge where you putting in at?

[@canoepoler]

It isn't easy to get to the top of the gorge anymore because of condo development. The suicidal way now is to take it down the stairs into the Irvine Creek gorge and float or carry the boat down to the Grand. In the future, when the W.W.C.K.C. is doing outings again, you should come along. Helmets, of course.

[@JayhooOutdoors]

@@canoepoler 10 4 it looks awesome down there but trying to get a 100lbs canoe down there looks like a real pain. Got to make a pole yet too 😁

[@mathlamenace1]

Wow awesome video !! 😁😁 What the best size and model for canoe polling??

[@canoepoler]

Basically a flatter bottom to slight shallow arch. Longer is better. Don't go below 16'. A stable river tripper is the most fun, but you can pole most stable boats. As you progress, you choose the boat for what you want to canoe. It is the type of canoeing that determines the shape/type of boat you get. Just remember that a speedy lake tripper may not be the right one to pole.

[@TheREALLibertyOrDeath]

I really want to learn poling

[@canoepoler]

Well you can get a book, watch as many KZbins as you can or contact canoe training folks in your appropriate country. American Canoeing Assoc., Paddle Canada or British Canoe all do instruction. Best is to knock up a 12 foot pole somehow and just go out and work on it!

[@stephenreitsma1761]

Are you using a 15 or 16 foot Prospector

[@canoepoler]

That is a Nova Craft 16' Prospector in Royalex. The longer the better for poling.

[@stephenreitsma1761]

You said in a reply that you have a swift yukon too

[@canoepoler]

@@stephenreitsma1761 Yup, but it is worn through to the foam and needs the full repair, so it is out of the water for now. I love that boat and especially for poling. It is 17'-6" and a nicer shape. Quicker.