A canoe is a rowing boat.
Canoe is a term whose origin is found in the Taíno language. A canoe is a type of rowing boat characterized by its narrow design and the same shape at the stern and bow .
The canoes, therefore, are propelled by the force of their crew using the oars : extensive blades that, by leveraging the water , enable the movement of the vehicle. Generally these boats are built in a single piece and lack a keel (the segment that extends from the bow to the stern and that allows the frame of a boat to sit).
Canoe Features
It is common for both ends of a canoe to end in a point . The canoes are open in their upper sector: that is where the crew members enter the boat, sitting inside.
The hull, bow, stern and seats are the fundamental parts of a canoe. They also have a horizontal mast that is located close to the upper area of the hull and gunwales (which line the edge of the hull).
As for materials, canoes are usually built of wood , sometimes in combination with other components. Fiberglass , aluminum and the synthetic fiber known as Kevlar can also be used.
Canoes are currently often used for recreational or sporting purposes.
A historical tour
Although it is complex to specify the origins of the canoe, it is estimated that its birth dates back to Prehistory . After sailing on logs (the rafts ) and in leather structures (the primitive kayaks ), human beings managed to start drilling the trunks of the trees with the help of fire and using axes and thus managed to create the canoe.
One of the oldest canoes on record is the so-called Lake Bracciano canoe , which dates back to approximately 5280 BC. It was developed in the trunk of an oak tree one meter wide and ten meters long.
The canoe, however, only became popular at the end of the 19th century , when it began to be used recreationally and for sport. In 1936 , meanwhile, canoeing became an Olympic sport .
Canoeing as a sport
As a sporting activity, canoeing (also known, in this framework, as canoeing ) has the International Canoe Federation (or International Canoe Federation ) as its governing body. This Swiss -based institution , made up of more than a hundred national associations, is responsible for defining the regulations and organizing events.
Competitions in calm waters , whitewater descents and slalom canoeing are some of the modalities that include the use of canoes or similar boats.
Different types of channels
In several countries, the canal that is built with the objective of promoting the conduction of water is called a canoe. The oblong box used to feed animals is also called a canoe.
The cover that protects fluorescent tubes and the channel of a roof are other elements that can be called a canoe in certain nations .