Tips For Paddlers and Racers

Some tips For paddlers planning to enter the marathon:

• Portages: Ryerson Dam is a MANDATORY portage. We recommend that you portage around Dam # 1. It is safer for both paddlers and boats.
• Arrive early, at least an hour. The start line is crowded! There will be between 700 and 1000 paddlers trying to find a parking space, unload their canoes, hit the port-a-potties, and launch their canoes.
• Bring plenty of non-alcoholic fluids. The race course will take three or more hours to complete and the sun may be hot. Drink before you get thirsty. Even if you are Not working hard, you will be losing fluids. Bring water or sports drinks. Alcohol depletes your body of fluids faster. This may causes lose of good judgment which puts you and others in danger of injury or drowning. If you wish to drink alcohol, please do so after the race.
• Sunscreen! A person can get a serious sunburn while on the water. Even on a cloudy day the sun's effects are magnified by the water. Excess sun causes sunburn and may lead to skin cancer.
• Keep you shirt on. You are cooler With a cotton t-shirt on than With a shirt off. As you sweat, your body cools you off. If your t-shirt is wet With sweat it will do a better job of cooling, and show off your muscles after the race!
• Your head is important! Wear something on your head, a bandana or a hat to keep the sun off.
• Blisters are probably the most frequent medical problem a novice encounters is blisters. Try Not to grip the paddle too tight and change hand position periodically. Sometimes keeping your hands wet will help.
• Hut! Veteran racers call "hut" every ten strokes or so. At the call, paddlers switch sides. This keeps the paddlers fresher and lessens fatigue, especially With the bow paddler. Switching sides can also help control the direction of the canoe without having to rudder or do a "J stroke".
• Travel light. It may seem like a good idea to bring a cooler full of pop and sandwiches, until you have to portage. Less to carry means a quicker, easier portage.
• Extra Paddle. Bring an extra paddle, you might lose one or break one.
• PFD's: PFD's (or Life Vests) are mandatory in the canoe. In high water or dangerous conditions, you may be required to wear them. Orange horsecollars are legal but make it difficult to paddle while wearing them. A fisherman's vest can be purchased for a comparatively low cost and will be much more comfortable if you have to wear it. It is always a good idea to wear a Life Vest while in any kind of water craft.