When a canoe is flipped it naturally fills up with water.  While upside down, the water partially drains out.  However, when trying to roll it back over, the canoe collects water and fills on the way to being upright.  An upright canoe even just half full of water would take over an hour to bail out with a bucket or bilge pump.  If, however, there was a way to flip the canoe back over so that it doesn’t collect water on the way back to upright, then the paddlers will be able to climb back in and paddle to safety.


  Here is a method on how two paddlers can empty a swamped canoe while the paddlers are still in the water.

1) Swim Under the Canoe

Both Canoeists should either lift up one side of the canoe and get under it or swim under the canoe.  Let the canoe come back down.  Don’t worry, while upside down there will be air trapped under the hull.  Both paddlers should face each other while under the canoe.

2) Grab the Gunwales

While under the canoe and facing each other, each paddler will grab the gunwales on both sides of the canoe.  While not the point, if the canoeists can’t stand, this will keep them stabile and secured under the canoe. 

3) Lift up One Side

The paddlers should decide which side to lift up first.  Once decided, lift up that side to break the suction of the canoe against the water.  At this point one side is still in the water and the other side is up out of the water.  You would think that you simply roll the canoe over at this point, however that simply won’t work.  If you attempt to roll the canoe over with one side still in the water, that side will just scoop water up with it.

4) Scissor Kick Up

So, the idea is to flip the canoe over.  However, if the paddlers can’t stand because the water is too deep it is extremely difficult to get the leverage to lift up and flip over the canoe.  The weight simply pushes the paddlers back down.  And if the paddlers can somehow lift both sides of the boat out of the water, they certainly don’t have the strength to flip it over at that point.  So, some momentum and leverage is necessary.  With one side still up, both paddlers should perform a scissor kick in the water to thrust their bodies up and provide them leverage.

5) Lift and Flip the Canoe over

At the same time as the scissor kick, the paddlers in the water will lunge upward and flip the canoe up and over.  Essentially, they are throwing the boat over while holding it out of the water.  It is for this reason that this method works best with lighter canoes.  Be sure to get out of the way of the canoe as it flips over or comes crashing back down from not enough rotational momentum.

Summary

So, lets put it all together.  Both paddlers get under the canoe and grab the sides.  They will first lift up one side to break the suction.  Then, in unison, they will scissor kick in the water while simultaneously lifting the other side up and then flipping the canoe over while it is in the air.  Easy enough?

Now What?

That was the easy part.  Now that the canoe is back over with all of the water out of it the paddlers have to climb back into the canoe.  This is no easy task.  But, neither was flipping it over, so you’re half way there.