Paddling technique

Ferry (traverse)

Also: ferrying, ferry, ferry angle

With a ferry you cross a river without drifting downstream. The bow points at an angle into the current.

123
Ferrying across the river
  1. 1Current
  2. 2Bow angled into the current
  3. 3Destination on the opposite bank

Wikibooks describes it as crossing the current from one side to the other. The stronger the current, the more steeply you point the boat into it. The angle to the current is called the ferry angle. It also works backwards (back ferry), which is handy for moving sideways in front of an obstacle.

Sources and further reading

Research as of 13 Nov 2026. We have marked manufacturer information as such.

WhatsApp