The Washington times., 1915-07-05
Measures and Causes of Its Acct.
dents In Canoeing.

To the Editor of THE TIMES
AS carfofstN of thirty years. expert
ence. / agree with some of Mr.. Brem-
mons views as to the safety Of a canoe,
if properly handled. I have padded
around the waters of Lake Ontario, lakes
OF Muskoka. rivers running into Geor-
gian bay. Temagami and its rivers, up
per waters of the Montreal river and for
years on the upper Potomac.
In that time l have encountered rough
and swift waters, approached and left
falls and rapids. and in many cases had
woman friend as bow paddler and in
all those years l have never had a
canoe capsize. nor saw any instance
where the canoe could have been con-
sidered dangerous craft" in fact. a
rowboat could not have been used at all
in and around the rapids.
The many accidents to canoists is due
to the desire to sit upon the thwart OF
narrow seat away above the safety
line" where he is not only top heavy,
but has no control over the canoe or the
actions of his bow paddler, who may in
padding strike submerged log or
sunken rock. When stern and bow pad
dlers are both kneeling on the bottom
of canoe and their hips are resting on
the thwarts. they are then able to shift
their weight to either side to keep canoe
on even keel Sometimes wave or
comber from passing steamer or the
canoe striking something will cause the
canoe to tip, and If the paddlers es-
pecially the stern paddler, is kneeling
1t needs merely the quick movement OF
the body from the hips up, done almost
involuntarily, to turn ships" 1t Is
next to impossible to upset canoe by
one who Is a passenger If the stern pad
dler Is kneeling and is a fairly good
canoist. AS a proof of the foregoing
witness at our aquatic events a fitting
tournament, where, in each canoe Is a
stern paddler and a man, the "tilter,"
standing upright with fitting pole, whose
duty is to knock the other tilter out Of
the canoe as they pass each other. The
success of the event is due to the pad
dler, kneeling with knees firmly braced
against sides and bottom of canoe.
Thetefore l would suggest that in
stead. as Mr.. Bremmon advises, every
canoist "wear some form of life belt"
that he learn to swim we'll, even trying
to swim with his clothes on. then let
him rent a canoe and learn the Joy of
mastering the wind and rough waters in
It. Also. he ought to be able to get
his canoe righted-empty some Of the
water out of 1t and get into 1t. should he
ever be upset-and l might add the idea
of placing patrol men along our river Is
good one. but they will not save many
lives of those who cannot swim, whose
boat or canoe has upset, because, as
a rule. non-swimmers sink at once In
swift water.
AS long as persons will go boating
who cannot swim we will have those
sad drownings, and just here let me ad-
wise anv one who thinks he would like
to be a good canoist get and read
Stewart Edward Whites book, The
Forest" especially on canoing.
The advent of the cane seat In the
modern canoe is largely responsible for
the desire to sit up, though It is not as
safe and graceful as kneeling. When a
drowning occurs from canoe some-
times feel l am responsible, for 7
brought the first padding canoe to
Washington in June of 1890. and was
for more than two years the only pad
dler on the river. as members Of the
Analostan Boat Club can testify, I
therefore am exceedingly anxious that
grand sport OF canoing may not have
any setback. but become, through com
mon sense management, a still greater
pleasure to those who love the rocky
and wooded shores of our Potomac
river. EGBERT A. CLARK.
Washington, July q