Getting Started with Whitewater Canoeing: Beginner’s Guide

If you’re looking to add some variety to your whitewater boating routine, adding a canoe to your arsenal will give you a new perspective on your old familiar runs.

One of the most technically demanding whitewater boats to paddle, open canoes can immediately raise your excitement level even on a Class II stretch. Here’s a guide to getting started with whitewater canoeing, from how to choose the best whitewater canoe for your goals, essential skills to acquire, and helpful add-on gear to consider.

Much more prevalent in the Southeast (but gaining popularity in the West), open whitewater canoes are an ideal second boat, especially for paddle rafters, as both pursuits involve a single blade. But of course you’ll use a wider variety of strokes in a canoe.

Another option is a decked canoe, or C1, but those haven’t been widely available for years, forcing those who are interested to convert kayaks to accommodate a canoe saddle. We’re focusing here on open canoes.

Alan Cammack, co-owner and canoe/kayak instructor at Canyon River Instruction in Salida, CO, said that most of the beginner whitewater canoeists he sees either grew up paddling on lakes or are rafters who want to try a smaller boat for day trips or as another option during low-water years.

Based on his experience instructing brand-new paddlers and people with whitewater experience in other boats, Cammack offered tips to fast-track your transition to whitewater canoeing. (Interested in increasing your skills in other types of whitewater boating? Check out 8 Ways to Sharpen Your Rafting and Paddling Skills.)

Choose your first whitewater canoe

Shopping for a whitewater canoe is far simpler than shopping for a kayak as you’ll have fewer choices. As with any boat, when you’re just getting started with whitewater canoeing, you’ll want to demo or rent various models before you commit. 

The three companies currently dominating the whitewater canoe market are Canada-based Esquif, US-based Blackfly, and UK-based Silverbirch. Each company uses different materials.

Esquif uses T-Formex (the descendant of Royalex, which ceased production in 2014), a high-tech plastic laminate that is light, heat- and UV-resistant, and durable. Blackfly’s canoes are made of rotomolded plastic and are known for being virtually indestructible. Silverbirch canoes are made of high-density polyethylene that’s designed to absorb impact and resist cracking.

Solid, all-around choices in these lines include:

Esquif L’Edge Lite or SuperLite

“This is an excellent boat, stable, built to run about anything,” Cammack said. “It’s not trying to flip you.” It’s also one of the easiest open canoes to roll. If you’re looking for more adventure, look at the Esquif Spark. “It’s basically an open slalom boat,” Cammack said. “Very fun but very wet.”

The third choice from the Esquif line, in Cammack’s opinion, is the Raven: “Entry-level, dry and stable, but a bit dated design.”

Silverbirch Agent 88

“Short, wide, and very stable,” said Cammack. “Works beautifully for creek boating for lighter paddlers.” 

Blackfly Condor

Nearly indestructible, Blackfly canoes were one of the first plastic canoes made and as such, they still dominate the market. For an all-around open canoe that can work for creek racing, self-supported multi-day trips, and even the occasional slalom race, this is the right pick from Blackfly. It’s built to be fast, dry, and maneuverable.

Where to demo whitewater canoes

It’s challenging to find places to demo whitewater canoes. The best bets are catching canoe outfitters at paddling festivals. Here are a few pointers:

• Blackfly: Check out the Blackfly demo program for a list of paddlers in various regions who have demo boats available
• Esquif: Refer to Esquif’s list of worldwide retailers, all of which have demo boats available. Canyon River Instruction outside Salida, CO, also has some demo boats.
• Silverbirch: Contact Gnarlz Outdoors for information about trying and buying a Silverbirch canoe in the US, or check out the Silverbirch Demo Days program.

Customize your canoe outfitting

Once you’ve chosen your canoe, make sure it fits right.

“A modern whitewater canoe shouldn’t be uncomfortable,” Cammack said. “I’m a huge fan of the new all-foam outfitting pedestals.” These pedestals are made to be carved to your specifications. Cammack says a turkey carving knife is seriously the ideal tool for this task. “Don’t be afraid to play with the foam,” he said. “Carve it, or add foam to make it snug.” 

Essential whitewater canoe gear

In addition to the canoe with outfitting customized for you, here are a handful of other items you’ll need:

• Flotation: Although some whitewater canoes come with flotation, if yours doesn’t, check out Fall Line float bags, Tribal Bags, or NRS 3-D Float Bags.
• Paddle: Opt for a newer curved or spoon-faced paddle such as the Werner Bandit for best performance.
• Shoes: Flexible shoes are a good investment for whitewater canoeing. For grippy, fast-drying choices, try the Astral Loyak or Astral Rassler. 

What not to buy? Thigh straps or a bilge pump. Thigh straps are common in open canoes, but especially for beginners, they can be an entrapment hazard. If your saddle is snugly fitted to you, the thigh straps are less critical for staying in the boat. A bilge pump also isn’t necessary when you’re getting started with whitewater canoeing. (If you’re interested, check out electric pump options from Ridge Spirit Outfitting or a hand pump from NRS.

For recommendations on paddling clothes and other handy gear for whitewater canoeing, check out 4 Types of River Shoes Every Paddler Needs, Best Dry Bags for River Trips, and our post about rafting and paddling clothes for any weather conditions.

Now that you’re geared up, here’s where to focus to get better, fast, at whitewater canoeing.

Get familiar with the cross-bow stroke

“Realizing that you can reach the other side of the boat with a cross-bow stroke changes the game,” said Cammack. The cross-bow stroke allows the canoeist to keep the boat moving forward while making adjustments in the canoe’s orientation on the water. Watching open canoe slalom races will give you a clear picture of how important the cross-bow stroke is in turning the boat with precision.

The cross-bow stroke is going to feel weird at first, no question. “You just need to keep practicing the reach,” said Cammack. “It will seem very awkward at first.”

Get used to using your edges

For new canoeists, paddling a boat that interacts with one current at a time feels completely different from paddling a raft, which can straddle currents. Understanding how to use the edges of the boat typically requires going back to Class II water. In calm water, you can play with balancing on the edges of the canoe to see how it interacts with the water, Cammack said. 

“In a canoe, you’re on one current at a time, and you have to anticipate the transitions between the current with your boat edge,” he said. 

Learn to pick dry lines

Although whitewater canoes have flotation to deflect water, they’re going to take on water in waves. You can reduce the chances of swamping your boat in the middle of a rapid by continuously adjusting your orientation to the waves throughout the rapid to take on as little water as possible. In other words, you’re going to pick the dry lines. 

Learning to work your edges is a crux move for keeping dry, too. As you get more proficient at whitewater canoeing, you’ll learn to use your knees to tilt the boat on its edge, exposing the hull to the deflect the meat of a wave, while simultaneously using your upper body to execute a cross-bow stroke. 

Take a whitewater canoe lesson

After playing around with your canoe in some easy whitewater, take a lesson to troubleshoot the areas where you’re having trouble, whether it’s learning to work with your edges, learning to roll, or picking and sticking to the dry line. Canyon River Instruction in Colorado and Nantahala Outdoor Center have instructors with extensive whitewater canoe experience. 

No matter your current skill level in other boats, switching to an open canoe will crank up the intensity of your paddling experience, and likely make you a better all-around boater.