Poling is the primary way to move a boat upstream in shallow water under 2 m deep: stand in the stern, plant a pole 4-5 m long on the bottom, push against it while walking your hands down the pole, and pull it out and replant it. Fit a metal shoe to grip rock and gravel, and mind the weight: a 4.5 m hardwood pole 5.5 cm across weighs 6.4-8.6 kg, against about 2.5 kg for a 4 cm softwood pole.
Part of River Navigation & Ferry Systems
Poling is propelling a boat by pushing a long pole against the river bottom, the method suited to shallow, clear, moderately fast water.
Poling Works Where Rowing Cannot Hold A Position
In shallow water an oar blade has little depth to bite and can strike the bottom; a pole uses the bottom itself. It works upstream where the current is not too strong, and it lets a boat hold position, which oars cannot do in a current. Where the current is too strong to pole, the boat is pulled from the bank instead (see Tracking (Cordelling)). Where the river is deeper than about 2 m, the pole cannot reach the bottom or needs to be longer than a person can handle.
Which method to use is a matter of depth and speed: poling for shallow water of moderate current, tracking for stronger current, rowing or sailing for deep water and slack current (see Reading the River).
What You Need
- A straight pole, 4-5 m long and 5-6 cm across (the carrier’s dimensions), of hardwood
- A metal shoe on the bottom to grip rock and gravel; without it the pole slips on hard bottoms
- A boat with a clear stern platform to stand on
- A flotation device worn on the body
Method: Choose And Prepare The Pole
Step 1: Check the depth range. The pole must reach the bottom with enough left above the water to grip; the reach arithmetic is in Poling Upstream.
Step 2: Choose the wood for strength and weight (hardwood is tough; softwood is light), and test it by bending (see Mast Construction for the bend test).
Step 3: Fit the shoe: a metal cap or a pointed iron tip lashed or nailed on.
Step 4: Practise in slack water before using the pole in current; the stroke is in Poling Upstream.
Worked Example: How Heavy Is The Pole?
A pole of 4.5 m and 5.5 cm diameter has a volume π × 0.0275² × 4.5 = 0.0107 m³. At seasoned-hardwood densities of 600-800 kg/m³ (from Logistics & Load Planning) it weighs 0.0107 × 600 = 6.4 kg to 0.0107 × 800 = 8.6 kg. A 4.0 cm softwood pole of the same length at 450 kg/m³ weighs π × 0.02² × 4.5 × 450 = 2.5 kg. Poling means lifting the pole out of the water and re-planting it at each stroke, so a pole of 8 kg is a heavy load to swing for hours. If the pole is too heavy, taper it toward the top, where it does not need to be thick, or use a lighter wood and test it.
Common Mistakes
- No metal shoe — the pole skates on gravel and rock.
- A pole that is too heavy for the poler — fatigue, bad technique and falls.
- Poling in deep water — the pole cannot reach.
- Wedging the pole — see below.
Safety
A stuck pole can pull a person overboard
If the pole jams in the bottom while the boat keeps moving, holding on drags the poler into the water. Let go of the pole at once. Keep your weight low and central, wear flotation, and do not pole in current stronger than you can hold the boat against. See Safety & Capsizing Recovery if you go in.
What’s Next
- Learn next: Poling Upstream — the stroke, pole and stance
- Combine with: Current Patterns — where the slow water is