🛶 Getting in

Getting into a canoe safely: master the wobbly moment

The wobbliest moment in canoeing is not the paddling, it is getting in and out. With the right order and a low centre of gravity it stays calm. Here is how to get in and back out safely.

Why it wobbles most as you step in

A canoe sits steady in the water as long as your weight is low and centred. In the moment of stepping in that is not yet the case: one leg is on the jetty, one foot in the boat, and your centre of gravity is briefly up high.

A high centre of gravity makes any narrow boat tip. The fix is simple: stay low, bend your knees and support yourself with your hands on the sides of the boat. The closer you are to the bottom, the steadier the canoe sits.

Step onto the centre of the floor (green), never on the rim (red)

How to get in safely

It works best with two people: one holds the boat, the other steps in. What matters is the order, calm and without rushing. You will find the individual steps in the guide just below.

At the jetty we will show you quickly on the spot, so you feel confident before you set off.

And getting back out

Getting out works in reverse order. Bring the canoe calmly alongside the jetty and let your partner hold it. Support yourself with both hands on the sides of the boat, stay low and come up slowly from the crouch.

Put one foot on the middle of the boat floor first, then one foot on the jetty, and only shift your full weight once you stand securely. No fast moves, and everything stays calm.

Step by step

1
Lay the canoe alongside the jetty
Bring the canoe parallel to the jetty. Your partner holds it the whole time so it cannot drift away.
2
Both hands on the sides of the boat
Press both hands firmly onto the sides of the boat. That gives you support and lets you control your weight.
3
Stay low and bent over
Bend your knees and keep your body low. A low centre of gravity keeps the boat steady.
4
First foot onto the middle of the floor
Place one foot on the middle of the boat floor, never on the rim or the seat. The floor carries you steadily.
5
Bring your weight over the boat slowly
Shift your weight calmly from the jetty into the boat and bring the second foot in, also onto the middle of the floor.
6
Crouch down onto the seat
Go into a crouch and lower yourself slowly onto the seat. Sit first, then pick up the paddle.

Frequently asked questions

Where do you step into the canoe?

Always onto the middle of the boat floor, never on the rim and never on the seat. The rim tips away, the floor sits steady in the water. Hold on to both sides of the boat while you do it.

Why does it wobble exactly when getting in?

Because your centre of gravity is briefly high while one leg is still on the jetty. Stay low, bend your knees and support yourself, then the canoe sits calm.

Ready for your boat trip?

Right on Lake Haltern, no licence needed. Reserve your boat or check the current boat weather.

To the boats Boat weather today

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