What are the characteristics of a good whitewater canoe?

Question

whitewater canoes

Answer 1

Here's the characteristics of a good solo and tandem (2 person) whitewater canoe, with each of the terms defined:

Solo whitewater canoe:  Shorter length, high secondary stability, rounded stem, extreme rocker, narrow beam, average depth, average capacity  

Tandem whitewater canoe:  Average length, high secondary stability, rounded stem, extreme rocker, narrow beam, average depth, high capacity

Length and maneuverability:

10 to 13 feet:  Good solo canoe length, great for moving water, easy to maneuver, does not track well (straight line), limited capacity

14 to 15 feet:  Good overall canoe length.  Good for moving water and still, can accommodate a solo paddler or tandem crew, good at maneuvering and straight line tracking, capacity for weekend trip or third passenger

High Secondary Stability: Canoe stability is typically described in sales literature in two categories, initial stability, and secondary or final stability.  Canoes that have good initial stability will not have good secondary stability and vice versa.  A canoe with high initial stability will feel stable when stationary and flat in the water.  However, lean to far out to paddle, and you will quickly find out that your canoe has low secondary stability and will feel very instable.  A canoe with low initial stability will not feel as settled when stationary, and can be rather unsettling when you first climb in.  However when you go to paddle and the canoe leans you will quickly learn that it resists the urge to tip over much better.

Rounded Stem: The stem on a canoe is how the bow, or front of the canoe is shaped.  A rounded stem helps out with steering and maneuverability.  If you plan to do moving water then a rounded stem is a better choice than square.

Lots of Rocker: Rocker is how much the bow and stern of the canoe curves upward. If you plan to do whitewater canoeing in extreme conditions, you will probably want a lot of rocker, more than three inches is not uncommon.

Narrow Beam: The beam is the width of a canoe at it's widest point. The narrower the beam at the waterline, the faster the canoe will perform as it has less resistance moving through the water.  For whitewater and casual canoeing, a narrow beam below the water line is ideal.

Average Depth: A shallower depth can make for better speed and better performance in the wind.

Capacity: The capacity of the canoe is typically rated in the number of pounds of weight it can carry.  As you add weight to your canoe, it will sit deeper in the water.  Most of the capacity of the canoe is borne at the center, as this is the widest part of the canoe, and has the most displacement in the water.  A good capacity for a solo canoe is 400 to 500 lbs., while a good touring canoe should have at least 1,000 lbs. of capacity.  This of course is also dictated by your size.  If you are large framed and tall, you will need a higher capacity canoe if you plan to bring a friend along.

No External Keel: A keel is a support that runs the length of the bottom of a canoe. If you plan to do any moving water, you should stay away from an external keel.

I also suggest: Buy an excellent pfd, always wear it, practice rescue techniques in calm water first and always paddle with others.

Good luck!

Answer 2

Whitewater canoeing is a freakin' art form.... Took me many trips to learn the proper J stroke.... and that's elementary.

Good luck!! And avoid those rocks.