Canoe terminology

When you are reading the spec sheets does it sound like they are written in code? These are the code words, explained.

Gunwales are the top edge around the canoe. They could be made of wood, vinyl, aluminum or some combination of those. The inside half are the inwales and outside half are the outwales.

Deck plates are the triangular plastic or wood pieces on the top front and rear of the canoe. Some ultra-light canoes omit them completely. Heavy-duty canoes sometimes have handles molded into the deckplates.

Thwarts are the crosspieces that go from side to side between the gunwales.

A portage yoke is a specially made center thwart contoured to fit the shoulders for more comfortable carrying.

A paddling thwart is a wide thwart, mounted lower and slightly angled as a lightweight substitute for a seat.

Expedition thwart refers to a thwart mounted directly behind the front seat for extra stiffness and a tie in point for large gear.

Rocker is he amount of vertical curvature in the bottom centerline of the canoe. It gets the center of the canoe deeper in the water and the ends up a bit higher for easier turning.

The stem is the front end of the canoe. So is the bow.

The stern is the rear.

A keel is a proturbance along the center-line on the bottom of the canoe. I helps keep a canoe from blowing sideways in a stiff wind. Other than that, it just gets in the way. Some manufacturers put them on canoes marketed to beginners so that they can paddle in a straight line without learning how. Think of a keel as non-removable training wheels. Keels frequently are the cause of mishaps when they snag on an underwater obstacle.

Chines describes the area between the floor area of the canoe and the sides. Hard chines are when the curvature is abrupt and has a small radius. Soft chines are when the curve is gradual and has a large radius. The radius of the chines has a big effect on the relationship between primary and secondary stability in a hull.

Primary stability is the ability to sit flat on the water no matter what. A canoe with high primary stability will track the surface of the water closely. If it’s calm and flat, the canoe sits there nice and stable. This is the characteristic that leads beginners to say, “This is a good one. It’s not tipsy at all.” And when the wind and waves pick up and the canoe is leaning with every wave they say, “Oh God, we’re gonna die.”

Secondary stability is what saves your butt when conditions get bad or you do something stupid. As the canoe leans farther, the resistance to leaning farther increases at a faster rate. Primary and secondary stability are generally mutually exclusive. Both can’t be high, but both can be low.