Watercraft paddling
Encyclopedia
Paddling with regard to watercraft
is the act of manually propelling or navigating a small boat using a blade that is joined to a shaft, known as paddle
, in the water. The paddle is also used to steer the vessel and may either be a single bladed or double bladed . The main differences between paddling and rowing
is that the item used to manually propel or 'row' the boat, known as an oar
or sweep, is connected to the boat by an oarlock whereas with paddling, the paddle is not connected.
Rowers can however face forward and row the boat forward either by means of a special mechanism, or else by using a different technique of oar handling. Examples of this are in Italy during an historical re-enactment of a rowing ceremony known as the Vogalonga
(the long row) that takes place annually in Venice, Italy. Small boats in Asia can be seen where the boat operator is standing or sitting, facing forward and manning a pair of oars.
Oars can be paired, with one oar applied to each side of the boat. When two hands of one person man a single oar, this is referred to as rowing using a sweep oar. Whereas, when one person mans a pair of blades, one hand controlling each, this is referred to as sculling using a pair of sculls rather than oars. A scull refers to a boat that is rigged for sculling.
Another distinction between paddling and rowing is that a person holding only a single blade paddle can propel or paddle a boat forward, backward, or sidewards in a straight line without switching paddling sides, whereas there generally must be a pair of oars or sculls (held by either one or two people) in order to efficiently move the boat forward in a straight line.
There is also a technique for propelling a small boat forward by hand power using just a single sweep oar, that is referred to as sculling. For this technique, the sweep oar is projected over the back or aft end of the boat, or stern, sometimes resting in a notch formed in the transom of the boat or else pivoting and held within a pair of small guide posts called thole pins. In single blade sculling, the blade moves transversely behind the boat whereas in rowing and double blade sculling, the blades move longitudinally alongside of the boat.
Chinese sampan
s utilize a specialized sweep oar called a yuelo . It is S shaped and the handle is usually tethered to a post on board the boat. It hangs over the stern of the boat and is manipulated side to side in a flattened figure of eight shape through the water. Pressure is exerted by the blade towards the water backwards in order to propel the boat forwards.
In Burma (Myanmar) single paddles with very long shafts are controlled by fishermen
by wrapping one of their legs around the lower portion of the paddle shaft while in a standing position facing forward. By pulling their legs backwards and thrusting their torsos forward while holding the top of the shaft in one hand, the leg paddlers can propel their boats ahead.
There are also double oar rigs used in Asia
where the blades are controlled and powered by the legs alone, leaving the hands and arms of the rower free.
Double bladed paddles were developed to propel kayaks in Alaska
, Canadian
arctic
region and Greenland
.
Gondoliers propel gondolas forward in a straight line using a single blade oar while in a standing posture. The oar is connected to the gondola towards the aft end of the boat and the blade is handled more like a paddle than a conventional sweep oar to gain purchase in the water. The blade moves underwater similar to a single canoe paddle forward propulsion stroke, such as the "J" Stroke and the Canadian Stroke. Therefore, gondolas and sampans combine aspects of both rowing (single blade attached to long shaft which is connected to the boat) and paddling (forward propulsion achieved by a single blade).
In West Wales
Coracles on the River Teifi
and River Towy are operated by a single paddle held by one arm projecting forward of the craft and are swept in a figure of eight movement to pull the craft along. This method frees up the other arm to operate a fishing net.
Canoeing is the activity of paddling a canoe
for leisure, navigation or exploration. In America the term refers exclusively to using one or more single blades or paddle
s to propel a canoe forward. However, in Britain
canoeing is used to refer to kayak
ing and Canadian canoeing is used to refer to canoeing. The International Olympic Committee and the International Canoe Federation both use the term "Canadian Canoeing" and "Kayaking".
There are sub-varieties of canoeing, such as whitewater or wildwater canoeing, outrigger canoeing. Travelling white water in a whitewater raft can involve using either paddles, or a pair of oars, or both.
which uses the outrigger canoe
. The sport is also known as Va'a (Wa'a) racing in some parts of the Pacific
and Waka ama (Māori
) in New Zealand
.
Kayaking is the use of a kayak
for moving across water. Kayaking is differentiated from canoeing
by the fact that a kayak has a closed cockpit and a canoe has an open cockpit. Kayakers use a double bladed paddle
and sit in a seat on the bottom of the boat with their legs extended out in front of them. Canoeists will either sit on an elevated bench seat or kneel directly on the bottom of the boat. However, sprint racing canoeists kneel on one knee in the "high kneel" posture.
A Dragon boat is a very long and narrow human powered boat
used in the team paddling sport
or Dragon boat racing which originated in China
.
For racing
events, dragon boats are not rigged with full decorative Chinese dragon
heads and tails and are not required to carry a large drum aboard. The decorative boats are used in ceremonial
events. They do howevever use smaller and lighter dragon heads and tails and drum for racing. They are not normally used during practice.
Rafting or whitewater rafting uses a raft
to navigate a river
or other bodies of water. This is usually done on whitewater
or different degrees of rough water, in order to thrill and excite the raft passengers. The development of this activity as a leisure sport has become popular since the mid 1970s.
Watercraft
A watercraft is a vessel or craft designed to move across or through water. The name is derived from the term "craft" which was used to describe all types of water going vessels...
is the act of manually propelling or navigating a small boat using a blade that is joined to a shaft, known as paddle
Paddle
A paddle is a tool used for pushing against liquids, either as a form of propulsion in a boat or as an implement for mixing.-Materials and designs:...
, in the water. The paddle is also used to steer the vessel and may either be a single bladed or double bladed . The main differences between paddling and rowing
Watercraft rowing
Watercraft rowing is the act of propelling a boat using the motion of oars in the water. The difference between paddling and rowing is that with rowing the oars have a mechanical connection with the boat whereas with paddling the paddles are hand-held with no mechanical connection.This article...
is that the item used to manually propel or 'row' the boat, known as an oar
Oar
An oar is an implement used for water-borne propulsion. Oars have a flat blade at one end. Oarsmen grasp the oar at the other end. The difference between oars and paddles are that paddles are held by the paddler, and are not connected with the vessel. Oars generally are connected to the vessel by...
or sweep, is connected to the boat by an oarlock whereas with paddling, the paddle is not connected.
Rowing
Rowing has an ancient history in the Mediterranean, Scandinavia and in Egypt (which is in northern Africa). Generally, rowers face towards the back or aft end of their craft, whereas paddlers always face towards the front or bow of their craft.Rowers can however face forward and row the boat forward either by means of a special mechanism, or else by using a different technique of oar handling. Examples of this are in Italy during an historical re-enactment of a rowing ceremony known as the Vogalonga
Vogalonga
Vogalonga is a rowing "competition" in the Italian city of Venice.On November 11, 1974 a group of Venetians, both amateur and professional rowers, had a race in the island of Burano. They came up with an idea of non-competitive "race" in which any kind of rowing boat could participate, in the...
(the long row) that takes place annually in Venice, Italy. Small boats in Asia can be seen where the boat operator is standing or sitting, facing forward and manning a pair of oars.
Oars can be paired, with one oar applied to each side of the boat. When two hands of one person man a single oar, this is referred to as rowing using a sweep oar. Whereas, when one person mans a pair of blades, one hand controlling each, this is referred to as sculling using a pair of sculls rather than oars. A scull refers to a boat that is rigged for sculling.
Another distinction between paddling and rowing is that a person holding only a single blade paddle can propel or paddle a boat forward, backward, or sidewards in a straight line without switching paddling sides, whereas there generally must be a pair of oars or sculls (held by either one or two people) in order to efficiently move the boat forward in a straight line.
There is also a technique for propelling a small boat forward by hand power using just a single sweep oar, that is referred to as sculling. For this technique, the sweep oar is projected over the back or aft end of the boat, or stern, sometimes resting in a notch formed in the transom of the boat or else pivoting and held within a pair of small guide posts called thole pins. In single blade sculling, the blade moves transversely behind the boat whereas in rowing and double blade sculling, the blades move longitudinally alongside of the boat.
Chinese sampan
Sampan
A sampan is a relatively flat bottomed Chinese wooden boat from long. Some sampans include a small shelter on board, and may be used as a permanent habitation on inland waters. Sampans are generally used for transportation in coastal areas or rivers, and are often used as traditional fishing boats...
s utilize a specialized sweep oar called a yuelo . It is S shaped and the handle is usually tethered to a post on board the boat. It hangs over the stern of the boat and is manipulated side to side in a flattened figure of eight shape through the water. Pressure is exerted by the blade towards the water backwards in order to propel the boat forwards.
In Burma (Myanmar) single paddles with very long shafts are controlled by fishermen
Fisherman
A fisherman or fisher is someone who captures fish and other animals from a body of water, or gathers shellfish. Worldwide, there are about 38 million commercial and subsistence fishermen and fish farmers. The term can also be applied to recreational fishermen and may be used to describe both men...
by wrapping one of their legs around the lower portion of the paddle shaft while in a standing position facing forward. By pulling their legs backwards and thrusting their torsos forward while holding the top of the shaft in one hand, the leg paddlers can propel their boats ahead.
There are also double oar rigs used in Asia
Asia
Asia is the world's largest and most populous continent, located primarily in the eastern and northern hemispheres. It covers 8.7% of the Earth's total surface area and with approximately 3.879 billion people, it hosts 60% of the world's current human population...
where the blades are controlled and powered by the legs alone, leaving the hands and arms of the rower free.
Double bladed paddles were developed to propel kayaks in Alaska
Alaska
Alaska is the largest state in the United States by area. It is situated in the northwest extremity of the North American continent, with Canada to the east, the Arctic Ocean to the north, and the Pacific Ocean to the west and south, with Russia further west across the Bering Strait...
, Canadian
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
arctic
Arctic
The Arctic is a region located at the northern-most part of the Earth. The Arctic consists of the Arctic Ocean and parts of Canada, Russia, Greenland, the United States, Norway, Sweden, Finland, and Iceland. The Arctic region consists of a vast, ice-covered ocean, surrounded by treeless permafrost...
region and Greenland
Greenland
Greenland is an autonomous country within the Kingdom of Denmark, located between the Arctic and Atlantic Oceans, east of the Canadian Arctic Archipelago. Though physiographically a part of the continent of North America, Greenland has been politically and culturally associated with Europe for...
.
Gondoliers propel gondolas forward in a straight line using a single blade oar while in a standing posture. The oar is connected to the gondola towards the aft end of the boat and the blade is handled more like a paddle than a conventional sweep oar to gain purchase in the water. The blade moves underwater similar to a single canoe paddle forward propulsion stroke, such as the "J" Stroke and the Canadian Stroke. Therefore, gondolas and sampans combine aspects of both rowing (single blade attached to long shaft which is connected to the boat) and paddling (forward propulsion achieved by a single blade).
In West Wales
Wales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
Coracles on the River Teifi
River Teifi
The River Teifi forms the boundary between the counties of Ceredigion and Carmarthenshire in south-west Wales for most of its 75 mile length, flowing into the sea below the town of Cardigan. The catchment of the river is estimated to be 1,008 square kilometres yielding an average flow at Glan...
and River Towy are operated by a single paddle held by one arm projecting forward of the craft and are swept in a figure of eight movement to pull the craft along. This method frees up the other arm to operate a fishing net.
Canoeing
Canoe
A canoe or Canadian canoe is a small narrow boat, typically human-powered, though it may also be powered by sails or small electric or gas motors. Canoes are usually pointed at both bow and stern and are normally open on top, but can be decked over A canoe (North American English) or Canadian...
for leisure, navigation or exploration. In America the term refers exclusively to using one or more single blades or paddle
Paddle
A paddle is a tool used for pushing against liquids, either as a form of propulsion in a boat or as an implement for mixing.-Materials and designs:...
s to propel a canoe forward. However, in Britain
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
canoeing is used to refer to kayak
Kayak
A kayak is a small, relatively narrow, human-powered boat primarily designed to be manually propelled by means of a double blade paddle.The traditional kayak has a covered deck and one or more cockpits, each seating one paddler...
ing and Canadian canoeing is used to refer to canoeing. The International Olympic Committee and the International Canoe Federation both use the term "Canadian Canoeing" and "Kayaking".
There are sub-varieties of canoeing, such as whitewater or wildwater canoeing, outrigger canoeing. Travelling white water in a whitewater raft can involve using either paddles, or a pair of oars, or both.
Outrigging
Outrigger canoe racing is a team paddling sportTeam sport
A team sport includes any sport which involves players working together towards a shared objective. A team sport is an activity in which a group of individuals, on the same team, work together to accomplish an ultimate goal which is usually to win. This can be done in a number of ways such as...
which uses the outrigger canoe
Outrigger canoe
The outrigger canoe is a type of canoe featuring one or more lateral support floats known as outriggers, which are fastened to one or both sides of the main hull...
. The sport is also known as Va'a (Wa'a) racing in some parts of the Pacific
Pacific Ocean
The Pacific Ocean is the largest of the Earth's oceanic divisions. It extends from the Arctic in the north to the Southern Ocean in the south, bounded by Asia and Australia in the west, and the Americas in the east.At 165.2 million square kilometres in area, this largest division of the World...
and Waka ama (Māori
Maori language
Māori or te reo Māori , commonly te reo , is the language of the indigenous population of New Zealand, the Māori. It has the status of an official language in New Zealand...
) in New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
.
Kayaking
Kayak
A kayak is a small, relatively narrow, human-powered boat primarily designed to be manually propelled by means of a double blade paddle.The traditional kayak has a covered deck and one or more cockpits, each seating one paddler...
for moving across water. Kayaking is differentiated from canoeing
Canoeing
Canoeing is an outdoor activity that involves a special kind of canoe.Open canoes may be 'poled' , sailed, 'lined and tracked' or even 'gunnel-bobbed'....
by the fact that a kayak has a closed cockpit and a canoe has an open cockpit. Kayakers use a double bladed paddle
Paddle
A paddle is a tool used for pushing against liquids, either as a form of propulsion in a boat or as an implement for mixing.-Materials and designs:...
and sit in a seat on the bottom of the boat with their legs extended out in front of them. Canoeists will either sit on an elevated bench seat or kneel directly on the bottom of the boat. However, sprint racing canoeists kneel on one knee in the "high kneel" posture.
Dragonboating
Boat
A boat is a watercraft of any size designed to float or plane, to provide passage across water. Usually this water will be inland or in protected coastal areas. However, boats such as the whaleboat were designed to be operated from a ship in an offshore environment. In naval terms, a boat is a...
used in the team paddling sport
Team sport
A team sport includes any sport which involves players working together towards a shared objective. A team sport is an activity in which a group of individuals, on the same team, work together to accomplish an ultimate goal which is usually to win. This can be done in a number of ways such as...
or Dragon boat racing which originated in China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
.
For racing
Racing
A sport race is a competition of speed, against an objective criterion, usually a clock or to a specific point. The competitors in a race try to complete a given task in the shortest amount of time...
events, dragon boats are not rigged with full decorative Chinese dragon
Chinese dragon
Chinese dragons are legendary creatures in Chinese mythology and folklore, with mythic counterparts among Japanese, Korean, Vietnamese, Bhutanese, Western and Turkic dragons. In Chinese art, dragons are typically portrayed as long, scaled, serpentine creatures with four legs...
heads and tails and are not required to carry a large drum aboard. The decorative boats are used in ceremonial
Ceremony
A ceremony is an event of ritual significance, performed on a special occasion. The word may be of Etruscan origin.-Ceremonial occasions:A ceremony may mark a rite of passage in a human life, marking the significance of, for example:* birth...
events. They do howevever use smaller and lighter dragon heads and tails and drum for racing. They are not normally used during practice.
Rafting
Raft
A raft is any flat structure for support or transportation over water. It is the most basic of boat design, characterized by the absence of a hull...
to navigate a river
River
A river is a natural watercourse, usually freshwater, flowing towards an ocean, a lake, a sea, or another river. In a few cases, a river simply flows into the ground or dries up completely before reaching another body of water. Small rivers may also be called by several other names, including...
or other bodies of water. This is usually done on whitewater
Whitewater
Whitewater is formed in a rapid, when a river's gradient increases enough to disturb its laminar flow and create turbulence, i.e. form a bubbly, or aerated and unstable current; the frothy water appears white...
or different degrees of rough water, in order to thrill and excite the raft passengers. The development of this activity as a leisure sport has become popular since the mid 1970s.