How Do You Get Back Into A Canoe?

To get back into a capsized canoe, stay calm and assess the situation. Hold onto the canoe, position yourself beside it, pull yourself onto it, balance and stabilize, empty water from the canoe, and get back in control and resume paddling.

To get out of a canoe on a similar shoreline, approach the shore straight on and follow these steps in reverse. The bow paddler steps out first to stabilize the boat while the stern paddler keeps their weight low and walks down the length of the canoe.

In this episode, we focus on re-entering a canoe from the water using a canoe over canoe rescue technique. Although there are techniques for getting back into a canoe without the capsize, the Capistrano flip is the most effective method. When landing a canoe on shore, the front should gently go up onto the land, while the back should remain in the water.

To get back into a canoe from the water, flip the canoe upright, roll it over right-side up, and position yourself at the middle of the canoe. Grip the edges of the canoe and hold only the low gunwale and kick.

Canoeing is always about balance, so the best way to get back in your canoe when you are alone is to pull yourself to the stern end of the canoe. The capsized canoe should be eased across the gunwales of the rescue canoe and scooted along until it is balanced and all water is drained out.