It is a beautiful, crisp spring day on your favorite run. So far you have stayed dry, as splashes from the choppy waves spray harmlessly aside. But around the corner is your nemeses, and the threat of bigger waves that could swamp you, dampen your spirits and make a swim much more likely. You wish it was easier to avoid swamping in the big waves.
There are several strategies to keeping your boat dry. Route choice is certainly the most common. Look for the ramp of smooth water through the drop, and paddle through this ‘window’ between the eddy line and the waves. Usually this window will be just off the side of the wave train. Stay on the shoulder of the waves until the waves are small enough for your boat to ride up and over.
If you end up in the waves, you may have to angle your boat 45 degrees to the wave and lean the boat to keep water from splashing in the downstream gunwale. This momentary boat tilt blocks water from coming in over the gunnel. Tilt the boat by lifting one knee, so your body remains balanced and centered over the boat.
Usually you will angle your canoe so your paddle is on the upstream side of the boat, partly for the comfort of the brace, and partly for the easy sweep that can straighten you out. Other times you will have your boat angled to block the waves with the paddle on the downstream side. In this case you use a bow draw to pull your boat over the wave and straight. Drift through the rapids like a cork while you turn or bounce your boat to block the tallest waves. Changing the trim of a boat can also improve its dryness.
River trippers, carrying heavy loads, use backferries to keep waves from crashing into their boats. This adjustment of speed is a good skill to have, but it shouldn’t be your prime mode of staying dry or running rapids. Momentary backferries are great for a brief hesitation to find a dry line or to figure out a safer run. Backstrokes sometimes work as a last ditch effort to keep a wave from breaking over the bow.
These tricks will help you stay dry, when you would really rather not be soaked. But with a warm day, good paddling companions, and proper equipment, there is nothing wrong with plowing through a few huge waves. That can be a lot of fun. However, don’t use river difficulty to measure your improvement. Instead, challenge yourself by making hard moves on easy rivers. This is how racers and all the really good boaters develop their skills. Matching your ability to appropriate rivers and rapids is the most important part of safe boating.