Reading the River: Three White Water moves in Canoe on the Afon Vyrnwy (Wales)

Reading the River and giving an explanation of my lines and river reading on the Afon Vyrnwy. How to read the water and then how to make the line work for the canoe.
If you enjoyed this then consider making a small donation at: www.buymeacoffee.com/RayGoodwin
In all three cases we had scouted from the bank to see the line and work out our tactics.
Paddling the Afon from www.venturekayaks.com
Paddle is the WW Big Dipper by freebirdpaddles.co.uk
Drysuit, PFD and Gear by www.nrs.com
My website: www.RayGoodwin.com
My book 'Canoeing', is available direct from me or from Amazon.

[@WildParkin]

Tremendous to watch and learn the skills of a master at work. My instinct would have been to paddle on the right of my canoe to curve into that first eddy. But Ray paddles left and makes it look effortless. It's these little tricks that we need to absorb to become better.

[@RayGoodwinCanoe]

Thank you for those comments. Glad you found it useful

[@KayakFishing2021]

We love your videos. Keep up the great work! 👍

[@RayGoodwinCanoe]

Thank you! Will do!

[@xerxses88]

Great tutorial Ray! Love these!

[@RayGoodwinCanoe]

Thank you. More to come.

[@Martin_G]

Great video Ray! Thanks for walking through your process.

[@RayGoodwinCanoe]

Thank you. I will aim to get more of this style out over the next months.

[@richardmoses2105]

Really enjoyed that one Ray; appreciate your efforts in putting them together 👍🏻

[@RayGoodwinCanoe]

Thank you Richard, appreciated.

[@Wildidentity]

Brilliant! You are such a fab teacher Ray! x

[@RayGoodwinCanoe]

Thank you for that kind comment. It is appreciated.

[@MrMjt888]

Brilliant Ray. Just what someone at my level needs. Thanks for doing this series. Mike

[@RayGoodwinCanoe]

Glad it is of use Mike. I did listen to your request on this so part due to you.

[@davidblyth4330]

Thanks Ray these are great! I like the way they show how thought and planning help make awkward rapids achievable with neat sequential moves. 😁👍

[@RayGoodwinCanoe]

Thanks David. I have wanted to do an edit like this for ages. Just needed to get going with the new editing software. More like this to come

[@wrzlgummidge7663]

thanks Ray, useful knowledge as always. atb

[@RayGoodwinCanoe]

Thank you. It was an interesting one to make.

[@abigailbown3243]

Thanks Ray, great to hear the reasonning behind all of the moves

[@RayGoodwinCanoe]

Glad you liked it. I will be trying to do more of these in the future.

[@MilestoneOutdoors]

Great video Ray. Loved learning about the thought process and considerations you are making. Super helpful. Would love to see more like this. Hope you are well, Niall

[@RayGoodwinCanoe]

Hi Niall. Thank you. Yep I will take the opportunities, as soon as I am back on the rivers, to film more like this. Will try to make it a series or at least regular. We are doing well up here on our hill with social isolation real easy (too easy in a bad winter). Doing lots of video editing, gardening and walks. Keep well.

[@mikewenholz8423]

Thank you. Informative.

[@RayGoodwinCanoe]

You are most welcome

[@ellon118]

Excellent video Ray, really explains the moves in simple terms. A good reference video to watch again and again until you get the move right. Keep them coming. Thanks

[@RayGoodwinCanoe]

Glad it was helpful. Hoping to do a few more of these in the next months.

[@juliedavies3785]

Great video Ray, really clear explanations and reasoning behind the moves. I’ll try to remember it! Also really important to plan using things like that eddy above the rapid to your advantage not as a hindrance. The bit where you say you settle yourself too. Great. Like, “righteo, next bit” not blast through each bit without setting up. I watched it again and your edging is really good to watch. You move and edge the boat to compliment your moves perfectly. You don’t draw attention to it in the commentary but there are slight and subtle changes and edges. Well worth another watch for the edges as well as the paddle strokes. Great stuff as always 👍🏼

[@RayGoodwinCanoe]

Thanks Julie. I need to do a video on edging and it subtleties. The list grows.

[@downeastprimitiveskills7688]

Nice working through those sets.

[@RayGoodwinCanoe]

Thank you. Will look to do more of this style as the opportunities arise.

[@cormacobrien1011]

Nice to hear the logic

[@RayGoodwinCanoe]

Thank you. I hope you find it useful

[@philschaefer4651]

Thank you Ray! I spent many hours this winter watching the original video trying to figure out what you were doing any why.

[@RayGoodwinCanoe]

A couple of folk requested voiceovers to that video so been working up to it. Finally getting FCPX to work for me, mind my brain has exploded a couple of times during the learning process. 😆

[@wrzlgummidge7663]

nice moves Ray

[@RayGoodwinCanoe]

Thank you sir 😀

[@hathawaydj1]

Fun video. I love the gopro angle.

[@RayGoodwinCanoe]

Me too! Gives a bit of a a paddler eye view along with the action

[@seanfaherty]

Path of the Paddle

[@RayGoodwinCanoe]

Path of the Paddle was one of my inspirations.

[@jamesbinns8528]

I see that this is an older video. It's new to me. By your "accent," I'd say that you are in UK. Anyhow, you guys do things differently there. It looks like the narrator is sitting on the thwart. You've got the flotation, the helmet and proper gear ( you fellas call it "kit," right?) , but you don't have white water boats. There is some really good current, and great wave action! Since you are not in a white water boat (saddle, thigh straps/hip belt, and rocker), it takes a lot of skill to do what you did. Very good, my friend!

[@RayGoodwinCanoe]

Thank you for that. There are folk in the UK that do use specialist ww canoes with saddles etc but I suppose a lot of us like a single boat that can operate on open water, rivers and 'fit' a traditional Canadian style philosophy of travel. The skill is getting such a boat down white water safely. Anyway thank you for your kind comments. It is appreciated. PS I am sitting on a kneeling thwart which is lower than the standard ones.

[@kevinbungles]

Brilliant

[@RayGoodwinCanoe]

Thank you.

[@nigelgregory4777]

Looking forward to having a go at this, old adrenaline junkies don't die, we just hibernate until we feel the next rush, got my fix on Windermere mate, now I'm hooked. Take care, Nige ☕

[@RayGoodwinCanoe]

Have fun.

[@nigelgregory4777]

I will with you Ray, look forward to seeing more of you in the summer. Nige ❤☕☕

[@1556peterc]

Excellent stuff Ray, although don't give away too many of our secrets, we'll be out of work!

[@RayGoodwinCanoe]

Absolutely! I didn't think of that. Will do my best not to let too many secrets out of the bag. 🤣

[@davidparfitt2716]

Great

[@RayGoodwinCanoe]

Thank you.

[@Tim8o1]

Hi Ray, you may wish to add to the narrative; the position of your paddle at the drops ready for a low brace if needed, if that makes sense? A low brace was one of my failings and it probably still is TBF.

[@RayGoodwinCanoe]

Hard to add now (ie I can't work out how to do it) but I will add this to future videos). One in the can and one to still film. So a good suggestion.

[@hntrains2]

Calculating differently, you could simplify move one (so as to avoid the 180 degrees rotation). Also, I would never go sideways into a rapid.

[@RayGoodwinCanoe]

It's great that there are often many ways of running rapids. I like the way I do move one as I am always working with the water whether it be the cross to attain the eddy of using the current to pull the canoe around on the move into the next part. I have seen folk do it direct without turning but it is much harder work as the current is pushing them off line. Going into a rapid at an angle or even sideways is in often used tactic by many canoeists and kayakers where there is a need to move across the current rather than straight down. In kayak I have used it in big volume class 5s where you really don't want to go where the current would take you. Anyway thanks for commentating and as ever there are normally different ways to do the same rapid. kzbin.info/www/bejne/Y5XahIt8hMuhiqcsi=wlwMOSTE8dEWy14p

[@spoonerbooner]

cheers Ray, I need to slow down in WW,

[@RayGoodwinCanoe]

I think the biggest thing is to set your speed to the situation. There are times I will be putting in a lot of power but only as I need it. But if you are always fast then playing with slowing appropriately would be good. Have fun.

[@spoonerbooner]

@@RayGoodwinCanoe thank you Ray, I think I'm getting to the point, ( instinctively) I can know we're to power and beast it. And were to slow and steady it. Your videos are a great for rasing our awareness of requirement of being a better paddler.

[@nigelgregory4777]

Hi Ray, I have seen some of your trip videos but new to the tutorials, a great video showing the manoeuvre from different angles, a question though, would you run this on an expedition or consider another option?. Many thanks, Nige.

[@RayGoodwinCanoe]

Now that is a very good question. Solo I would happily run the first drop with a laden boat but tandem I would want to be with someone I trust in the bow. 2nd drop if there was an easy way around I would probably line although in lower water it is possible to go over the first part and eddy out before lining through the 'squeeze'. Third drop I would not like laden: there is a bigger drop just below it and I could not guarantee the eddy on the left. The slightest error and I would miss it. So that one is possible to line on the far left. Hope that helps.

[@nigelgregory4777]

@@RayGoodwinCanoe, thanks for the honest reply Ray, many on KZbin would be heroes to that question, I know you were running an empty canoe and I bet it could be a lot of fun and would love to do it, but I've seen your advice on laden canoes for expedition which is something I would like to do in the future, so your advice is well noted for the conditions shown in your video. Many thanks, Nige.

[@RayGoodwinCanoe]

Glad it made sense

[@CyndiLH]

Have you paddled the Milk River in Alberta? I think you would love it...

[@RayGoodwinCanoe]

Hi Cindy, not a river I know. Will do a little research.

[@CyndiLH]

@@RayGoodwinCanoe It's one of the southern prairie rivers...and the only river in Alberta that ends up.in the Gulf of Mexico.

[@travisp9280]

Nice runs and very nice boat sir.. I've benn canoeing for the past 2 years and really enjoy it. I just got into solo whitewater canoeing and really would like some info on a whitewater canoe paddle. Any suggestions? Thanks a lot.

[@RayGoodwinCanoe]

Hi Travis, thanks for your kind remarks. WW Paddle: where are you based? UK, other country?

[@travisp9280]

@@RayGoodwinCanoe yes sir.. i am from the southeastern usa. Fair amount of rivers and lakes to paddle.

[@RayGoodwinCanoe]

@@travisp9280 Not sure what I would buy paddle wise over there. Sorry not to be able to help. Over here in the UK it would be easy to recommend.

[@travisp9280]

@@RayGoodwinCanoe oh ok no worries.. thanks for responding

[@NobleEndeavours123]

Any chance you have a good video in your collection showing the solo cross bow technique?

[@RayGoodwinCanoe]

hi, closest I have is the following video: kzbin.info/www/bejne/b5uzhoyndt92qZI Your comment has prompted me to add a bow rudder/crossbow rudder to the to do list.

[@kevinelliott5823]

That looks like really beautiful countryside. Is it a public area or is there a fee?

[@RayGoodwinCanoe]

There is no fee however like many rivers in England and Wales there will be a landowner. On this river no one objects to paddling so we just use public car parks to access the river. Oh that all rivers were this simple. And yes it is a wonderful area.

[@kevinelliott5823]

@@RayGoodwinCanoe thank you for the response! I’m just starting to think about running rapids. Good info👍

[@hughcenterville8999]

It's not as easy as he makes it look!

[@RayGoodwinCanoe]

Thank you. yep interesting moves

[@davewasea]

any recommendations for a 2/3 person canoe for white water river running?

[@RayGoodwinCanoe]

Hi David, what country do you live in? That influences the answer

[@davewasea]

@@RayGoodwinCanoe not far from where you made this video 👌🏻

[@RayGoodwinCanoe]

@@davewasea My Venture Afon, the canoe I am paddling, makes for an awesome tandem ww canoe. It is heavy because it of polyethylene plastic. Lighter would be a Esquif 16' Prospecteur in T-Formex, although their Canyon would perhaps be better for ww as it has more rocker.

[@davewasea]

Would the afon also make a decent open water canoe?

[@RayGoodwinCanoe]

@@davewasea Solo it is a big boat so windage is big. Having said that I use on open water and it is a very very secure boat in that environment. Lots of videos on my channel of it in open water. kzbin.info/www/bejne/iorXh5Z5ad5rl9k shows it in big winds. kzbin.info/www/bejne/gHa4n4p3prFnoLM shows it on the sea on a benign day.

[@gpalmer456]

How many years have you been whitewater canoeing, Ray?

[@RayGoodwinCanoe]

In canoe some 32 years but I had been doing a lot white water kayaking six years before that. In kayak I have paddled the Grand Canyon of the Colorado twice, done rivers in the Alps as well as masses of kayaking in the UK. So all that learning transferred to canoe. So a long time and I have worked hard on my technique all through that time whilst having masses of fun.

[@gpalmer456]

Ray Goodwin thank you for your reply. I really appreciate your videos. Especially where you break technique down.

[@cwright91685]

These videos that you have posted are amazing. I just bought a canoe this past summer and never really did any kayaking either prior to this. You look so stable and balanced the entire time. I was just on a lake that was pretty calm and I felt like I was seconds away from the canoe tipping. I guess practice makes perfect like everything else in life.

[@bertheemskerk3273]

You should have Maya do the voice over 😅

[@RayGoodwinCanoe]

You are a terrible man Bert other than your ability to carry loads and provide stroopwaffles. 😅 Mind if would increase views and likes it may well be worth a try

[@nigelgregory4777]

Hi Bert, was on the forest hunter course with you, how about Maya does the canoe stuff and Ray does the voice over 😂😂😂

[@stephenlambert9826]

My old inflatable itiwit 2 seater would hAve cruised over that hahaha why make it seen harder than it is

[@RayGoodwinCanoe]

I would have done differently in an inflatable. In canoe things are a little tricker. But viva la difference. Keep well