PE2: Adventure and Outdoor Activities

I. Competencies
1. Explain and discuss canoeing and kayaking as an adventure and outdoor
activities.
2. Identify the benefits of canoeing and kayaking.
3. Promote canoeing and kayaking as form of outdoor activities as a form of
physical fitness activities.

II. Notes
Canoeing/ Kayaking

Canoeing is a very popular water sport played extensively all around the world.
Canoeing is a sport where one gets into a little boat made for the sport called a canoe and
using a single-bladed paddle to steer the canoe, tries to travel down a stream of a river. In
some parts of the world, canoeing is also referred to as kayaking. in which the boat used
is called a kayak. The main objective in canoeing is to travel across a stream of water (a
part of a river, generally) with the help of a canoe and a paddle.

A Brief History of Canoeing

When canoes were first invented it is not known, but a form of dugout or canoe
was used many years before Christ. The canoes that were developed by the American
Indian, commonly called birch bark, has proven by far the best in design and in practical
use. Manufacturers have adapted the Indian’s basic design and there has been no drastic
change except in the types of material used in the construction.

The romance and charm of canoeing in God’s Great Outdoors may not all be credited to
the moon and courtship – but may be due to the fact of the early American tradition
which goes back to the earliest known reference to canoes by a Frenchman, Jacques
Cartier, who reported that he saw two bark canoes, in 1535. He said the two canoes
carried a total of 17 men. Champlain was the first to record no definite dimensions of
the bark canoes. He wrote in 1603 that he had seen near Quebec bark canoes 8 to 9 paces
long and 1 ½ paces wide. If a pace is taken as 30”, then the canoes would have been 20
to 23 feet long and 40 to 50 at amidship.

The Europeans, especially the French, were very impressed with the lightness
and speed of the bark canoes. Weymouth speaks admiringly of the fine workmanship
shown in the structure of the canoes. The first English reference that has been found was

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in the records of Captain George Weymouth’s voyage in 1603. These canoes ranged in
size from 12 feet to 30 or 33 feet long and carried 10 to 18 men.

Of all birch bark canoes the most famous were the canoes of the great fur
companies known as North or Great Canoes. These canoes were developed early, as we
have seen in the French Colonial records and remained a vital part of the fur trade until
well toward the end of the 19th century. At that time canoes had at least 200 years of
use and development. A comprehensive history of the Canadian and American fur trade
is yet to be written. When it does appear it will show that the fur trade could not have
existed on such a large scale without the Great Canoe of birch bark. It will also show that
the early exploration of the North Country was largely made possible by the Great
Canoe. The fact is the Great Canoes of the Canadian fur trade must be looked upon as
the national watercraft type, historically of Canada and far more representative of the
great years of national expansion than the wagon, truck, locomotive or steamship.

It is generally concluded that the basic design was from the Algonquin form of
high-ended canoes. It is known that the Indians first supplied the French government and
church authorities with their early canoes. When this source of canoes proved
insufficient the first canoe factory, as such, was built at Trois Rive’res. More standard
size canoes came into being at this time. The Hudson Bay Company finally took over the
fur trade and continued the policy of building canoes at various outposts where materials
and builders were available. Canoes served well in the pioneering development of
Canada and the northern part of the United States.

With time and progress the canoe, as a serious means of transportation and
communication, lost out to more modern media and therefore took a back seat and
slumbered along for decades. Now in the United States, recreation and especially
outdoor recreation has grown by leaps and bounds. The canoe is making a noticeable
comeback. Many people are re-discovering the same advantages the canoe has long been
famous for. It is light, fast, and low in cost compared to other types of watercraft. The
hunter, fisherman and adventurer are being attracted to the advantages of using canoes.

In more recent years the camper and the camping family find the canoe
appealing; arousing within the old pioneering spirit which made our country famous.
Consequently, canoes are on a well-deserved comeback as a wholesome outdoor sport.

Advantages of Canoeing/ Kayaking

 Exercise - Canoeing and Kayaking is a bodily activity that enhances and helps
in maintaining physical fitness and overall health and wellness. This
sport is an aerobic and a physical exercise that helps in improving
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 the cardiovascular system of your body. The body uses more of the
energy generating process.
 Recreation - This is an organized, competitive, skillful and entertaining
physical activity which requires commitment, fair play, and strategy
in which a winner can be defined by the means of its objective.
 Travel and Tourism - Going to a distant place on the top of a canoe or kayak
can be an experience and also an adventure of a lifetime. Canoeing
and kayaking has a high level of danger because it involves speed,
height, supreme physical effort, and the use of highly specified gear.
Hence, it gives a tremendous thrill to all its participants.

Parts of a canoe and kayak

The most famous type of canoes are the wood and canvas ones which are
preferred by many old timers. After World War II aluminum canoes made a fast break
into the canoe market. In very recent years fiberglass canoes have made their appearance
on the canoeing scene.

If you prefer building your own canoe out of wood and canvas or assembling a
pre-fab fiberglass canoe kit you can paddle your own canoe for a reasonably small
investment.

The canoe has the advantage of being easy to handle in or out of the water, little
maintenance and easy repairs. More now than ever the canoe is influenced with the
romance and adventure of the Great Outdoors.

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Parts of an Ocean Kayak:

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Parts of a Kayak Paddle:
Description:
 Bow—front of canoe
 Stern—rear of the canoe
 Gunwale—the top edge of the side of the boat
 Thwart Bars – the support bars across the width of a canoe, of which there are
usually three
 Keel – the center line of the bottom of a canoe running from one end to the other
 Starboard Side – the right side of the canoe
 Port Side – the left side of the canoe
 Leeward – the down-wind side of a canoe
 Windward – the direction from which a wind is blowing
 Paddle Strokes—Entry Phase, planting the paddles in the desired position to start
stroke, power phase, which applies power to the paddles and makes use of the
catch effect, that enables the paddler to pull the boat towards the paddle that is set
in position in the water, and the recovery phase, where the paddle is pulled or
sliced out to the water and returned to the entry phase.
 Backwater – stroke used to mainly stop or move the canoe backwards
 J-stroke- a steering stroke. In tandem paddling the stern position uses it as
needed to keep the canoe on course. It is used almost continuously when
paddling alone.
 Pushover (aka pry) – Stroke used to move the canoe sideways away from the
paddling side

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  Draw –stroke used to move the canoe sideways toward the paddling side
 Sculling – stroke that has the same effect on the canoe as the draw and pushover
 Rudder – stroke used for steering & turning

There are basic safety rules that all boaters should follow.
Always use common sense and always follow safety rules.
1. Wear lifejacket
2. Avoid cold waters.
3. Cross other boat traffic as a group on the stern side.
4. Stay on inside of bends.
5. Be aware of strainers, fallen trees, bridge pilings, or undercut rocks.
6. Watch for holes downstream. If it is smiling, it is friendly. If it is frowning, avoid
area.
7. Carry throw rope, wear secure footwear, and carry a whistle.
8. Know self-rescue technique—Swim onto your back, feet on surface to avoid foot
entrapment. Angle hard toward closest safe shore. If being swept rapidly, roll
onto side, and stay flat until you are in slow shallow water.
9. Ropes can be used for shore-based rescue. Rope should float and be brightly
colored.
10. Always follow the boating rules of the area you are in.
11. Tell someone your paddle plan, which includes where you are going, what you
will be doing, how long you expect to be gone, and how many people are in your
party.
12. Any time you see a person on shore, in a canoe or anywhere holding a paddle by
the end of the shaft, with the blade high in the air – indicates they want you to
come to them. This is a “help, stop, or distress” signal.
13. There are six classes of difficulty set on an international scale explaining
conditions of travel on a river.

Kayak Re-Entry
There are a variety of ways to get back on a sit-on-top kayak. One process seems
to be particularly easy for most people. It is called Bellybutton, Backside, Feet or BBF.

Step 1: If the boat is upside down, it will need to be turned over. To do this,
reach across the bottom of the boat and grab the scupper holes.
Bring your knees up and onto the bottom of the boat. Lean back and the
boat will roll over.

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 Step 2: Position yourself so your head is near the cockpit area of the boat and
you are facing the boat. Let your feet float to the surface of the water by
floating on your bellybutton.
Reach across the boat to the far edge and then swim up on onto the boat,
so your bellybutton is across the centerline of the boat. (Your belly
should be between the foot wells and the seat.)

Step 3: Roll over onto your backside which should end up in the seat. Sit up,
swing your feet into the foot wells and you’re ready to go.

How to Paddle a Canoe

 The Paddle: Place your upper hand over the top grip. With your lower hand,
grip the shaft about a foot above the blade/shaft intersection. Remember
holding the shaft closer to the blade only makes you work harder with each
stroke.
 The Power Stroke: A strong stroke is the fundamental tool of canoeing. To
begin rotate your torso so that your paddle-side shoulder is forward. At the
same time, plant your blade in the water up to the blade/shaft intersection. The
blade should be kept close to the boat, with its inside edge just touching the
side of the canoe. The shaft should be vertical. Your strongest stroke will
utilize the full forward range of your torso/shoulder rotation, yet keep the
shaft absolutely vertical. Your stroke ends when your torso rotation brings the
paddle back to your hip. Paddle recovery is now a straight-forward matter:
rotate your torso to put your paddle-side shoulder forward while bringing the
paddle over the water surface to begin the next stroke.
 The Efficient Stroke: The thrust of your stroke is achieved by rotating your
torso rather than pulling with your arms. Using your torso muscles distributes
the work to many muscles rather than a few, making your stroke both
powerful and efficient. The results: more forward thrust and less fatigue.

How to Steer a Canoe

Any who has spent time in a canoe knows that they are much easier to steer from
the back (stern) than from the bow. But have you ever really thought about why
that's the case? The answer actually provides insight into how and why a canoe
reacts the way it does to all the strokes you take.

See www.oldtowncanoe.com
For instructional videos on:
 How to Launch & Land a Canoe
 J-Stroke
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  Carving Turns
 Pivot Turns
 Sitting Positions
 Canoeing with Your Dog

Tandem Steering
 Practice going straight by switching hands and paddle sides every 6-8 paddle
strokes.
 Bow and Stern canoeists work in tandem to keep the boat going straight.
 Stern paddler is generally in charge of direction, but this activity works on the
tandem aspect of steering.

Paddle Stroke Practice

 Forward—the paddle blade is brought forward along the side of the canoe,
dipped into the water and drawn back
 Back—same movement as forward stroke but done in reverse.
 J-Stroke—starts as a regular stroke, but towards the end, the paddle is rotated
and pushed away from the canoe in the shape of a J.
 C-Stroke—used by single paddler from a standstill position or strong wind or
current and makes the shape of a C.
 Sweep—the paddle is inserted into the water a distance from the gunwale,
facing forward and is drawn backward in a wide sweeping motion.
 Pry—The paddle is turned sideways and braced against the gunwale and then
is turned at an angle, allowing the water to provide the force.
 Draw—Paddle is inserted vertically in the water at arm’s length from the
gunwale. The paddle is pulled inward towards the paddler’s hip.
 Scull-the paddle is slightly in front of the paddler at a 45 degree angle toward
the stern and drawn straight backward.

The Paddle: Place your hands on the paddle shaft a little further apart than
shoulder width. As a guide, hold your arms out to the sides then bend them
to 90 degrees at the elbow. This is about how far your hands should be from
each other as you grasp the paddle. Remember you only want to hold the
paddle, not choke it. Over grip can tire your arms. You may notice some
paddlers using off-set or feathered blades rather than blades that are on the
same plane. Feathered blades are sometimes used to lessen wind resistance,
but are largely a matter of personal preference. For beginners a straight
blade arrangement is easiest.

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 The Paddler: Sit all the way back in the cockpit of your kayak. Careful
adjustment will make your backrest a comfortable aid in maintaining proper
body position. Also adjust your foot braces before you leave the shore. To
properly adjust foot braces on a sit-on-top kayak, straighten your legs all the
way then bring them in one foot well. On a sit-inside kayak, foot brace
adjustment should provide a snug fit for your knees and thighs. The fit will
depend on the paddler and the kayak bracing system. Remember if your legs
are too straight, you may strain your lower back.

The Power Stroke: The basic paddle technique is a forward stroke. Place the
blade in the water near your toes. Pull the blade back alongside the kayak
approximately to your hip–a better way to think of it is pulling the kayak up
to the blade. Lift the paddle and perform the same move on the other side.
To turn the kayak, use a wide sweep stroke on one side. The bow will swing
away from the stroke.

The Efficient Stroke: For greater efficiency use your torso and shoulders to paddle, not
just your arms. Make sure to sit up straight to avoid straining your back.
There are many paddling techniques you can use–check out books, videos,
websites, Paddling TV or get kayak instruction to learn more.

See www.oldtowncanoe.com
For instructional videos on:
 Getting In
 Proper Technique
 Forward & Reverse Strokes
 Tandem Paddling
 Kayaking with Kids

Ocean Kayak Paddle Tips

 Ocean Kayaks are very easy to use.

 By beginning in calm water, you can quickly get the feel of the boat and
paddle techniques, and practice getting in and out of the boat by yourself.
 A long paddle will allow for a longer stroke, while a shorter paddle will
give a shorter, faster stroke.
 Relax your hands when paddling - you don't need to hold a death grip!
Sit with good posture, keep your torso vertical and choose a footrest
position that will allow your knees to be slightly bent.

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  For greater efficiency, use not only your arms, but your torso and
shoulders as well.
 Start out easy until you get the feel of the paddle and the steering strokes.
 Most experienced paddlers use an offset (feathered) paddle, but
beginners may prefer to keep the blades square.

III. Performance Tasks:

Paste at least 4 pictures of you performing kayaking/ canoeing/ boating/ using a

Bangka and put a caption in each picture about your feeling in doing this activity.
Paste your picture in 1 bond paper Substance 20.

References:

https://www.tutorialspoint.com/canoeing/canoeing_tutorial.pdf
https://pe-kansas.com/lesson-builder/activities/9-12/health-fitness-activities/
outdoor-pursuits/canoeing-kayaking

____________________ ________________________
Date Accomplished Pre-service Teacher’s
Signature over Printed Name

________________________
Date Received

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 “There is a lot of adventures out there,
waiting for us to live them!”
– Quote by Hostelgeeks

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