How long would it take to row 31 miles?

Question

How long would it take a 17 year old female with a height of 5'8" and weight of 155lbs to row 31 miles in a large canoe with two other people in a freshwater lake rowing at a decent speed to pace herself?

Answer 1

depends on how fast you row

Answer 2

If you row a mile per minute you would take 31 minutes to row 31 miles

Answer 3

Well, if its a canoe you won't be rowing.  You won't have oars, you'll have a paddle.  Paddling a canoe solo, especially one loaded down with other persons, is a bit tricky.  To stay in a straight line you'll want to use a 'J' stroke.  That's a normal forward stroke with a push outward at the end in order to counter the natural turning motion of paddling on one side.  Otherwise you'll be constantly shifting from side to side, further tiring yourself in what is already going to be a long-duration & strenuous voyage.

Given that you are probably an inexperienced paddler your sustainable speed is likely to be something less than 5 miles-per-hour.  If you have headwinds or currents then it will be considerably less than that.

This is a long distance for a novice paddler.  It is likely to take at least 6 hours and probably considerably more.  Without training and experience, you are likely going to end up very tired, very sore, and probably with blisters on your hands (even if you wear paddling gloves).

It would be much better if your passengers could alternate with paddling to help you out.  And it would be much better if you could get some experience and practice first.  

Better take a reality check here.  If you are doing this alone without other boats along it is potentially dangerous, especially if weather changes happen unexpectedly.  If you are unused to canoes even in flat water there is the possibility of capsizing.  You need to carry and probably wear proper lifejackets, carry emergency gear, and generally be fully prepared.  If the wind comes up, for instance, you may be stuck for a night out on the lake shore someplace.  31 miles is a considerable distance for a novice canoeist.