Paddling aficionados are incredibly passionate about their pastime. For some, it’s a competitive sport; for others, a pleasurable recreation. In early days, the canoe played an indispensable role in transportation and exploration, but paddling has altered significantly as design, function, and materials became more sophisticated.
Jay Mothersill of Muskoka’s Paddle Shack points to the innate simplicity of paddling and its appeal to our sense of heritage. “Human beings seem to be drawn to something natural and simple, but then we make it complicated,” he comments. “You can see this cycle in the evolution of paddling skills and forms.”
Jay’s study of the history of paddling leads him to conclude that our ancestors devoted more time to learning the art of technique. “Our lives are now more multifaceted, and we can’t invest so much effort into a single pursuit. Fortunately, engineering ingenuity has developed models that make paddling much easier.”
The first hollowed-out tree-trunk canoes gave way to the prototype of wooden ribs bound by evergreen resin and covered with birch bark. The earliest kayaks, dating back at least four millennia, were constructed from animal skins stretched over a wooden or whalebone frame.
With technical advances and access to new materials, both these crafts were considerably modified. In 1930, Leroy Grumman established a company focused on aircraft construction, later expanded to include canoes. His lighter and sturdier aluminum canoe eventually supplanted the traditional wood models — and a keen eye may have noticed the Grumman logo on the canoes used in the film ‘Deliverance’. Interestingly, Grumman was also the chief contractor for the Apollo Lunar Module that first landed men on the moon.
As paddling applications became broader, more intricate models were produced to accommodate different functions and waters, such as touring, whitewater, outrigger, fishing, or racing. Materials evolved from wood, bark, and skins to aluminum, fibreglass, kevlar, carbon fibre, and advanced plastics.
Stand-up paddleboarding is the fastest growing sector of paddle sports in North America. And what could be simpler? A board, a paddle, and a rider! But, human inquisitiveness being what it is, the SUP board has been re-engineered for a range of functions (fishing, yoga, exploration, core workout) and a variety of waters (river, lake, open water). Like its predecessors, it too has begun the process of evolution.
“With such diverse makes and models for any paddling activity,” Jay says, “it is imperative to try out anything before you buy to be sure that it fits you and your intended purpose.”
It is hard to predict what path the art of paddling will take in the future. But it is safe to forecast that it will always be an important part of human activity. Writer and paddler Kevin Redmond sums it up beautifully: “When we paddle, the experience of place moves from the brain to the heart, making it a life-forming experience.”
And, somewhat less reverently, Jay observes, “Making love in a canoe is just SO yesterday. It’s 2015 … try doing it on a paddleboard!” CCH
