Canoe racing

:This article is about flatwater canoe racing. Other forms of canoe and kayak racing, such as e.g. whitewater racing, extreme racing, dragon boat racing and outrigger canoe racing, are practised on white water and/or use quite different boats and paddles. See the article on canoeing for a more general overview. For the distinction between the terms canoe and kayak see the article on the canoe.

Equipment

The boats are referred to as K-1, K-2, K-4, C-1, C-2 and C-4, where ?K? stands for kayak, ?C? for canoe, and the number indicating the number of paddlers. In Canada, a racing class exists for the C-15 or "War Canoe". An antiquated boat class is the C-7, resembling a large C-4 which was debuted by the ICF with little success. Marathon races often have boats of five to nine racers. The ICF has set rules for some boats, defining among others the maximum length, the minimum weight and the shape of the boats. For example, by ICF rules, a K-1 is at most 520 cm long, and weighs at least 8 kg for marathons, or 12 kg for sprints. Kayaks have a steering rudder, which is operated by the (foremost) paddler with his feet. Kayaks and canoes may also have a foot or hand pump to remove water from the boat. Nowadays the boats are usually made of carbon fiber and/or aramid fiber (e.g. Kevlar) with epoxy resin.

Related Topics:
Rudder - Pump - Carbon fiber - Aramid fiber - Kevlar - Epoxy resin

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Paddles for propelling are double-bladed for kayaks, and single-bladed for canoes, and are usually made of carbon fiber with epoxy. For kayaks so-called wing paddles are generally used, the blades of which are shaped to resemble a wing. These paddles are more efficient than traditional paddles, presumably because they create extra "lift" in the direction in which the kayak moves. Many marathon racers prefer to avoid wing paddles, citing durability and little, if any, edge in efficiency.

Related Topics:
Paddle - Wing - Lift

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