Western Hemisphere Canoe-O Guidelines

Canoe orienteering borrows the best features of canoe racing and orienteering. Some events are canoe races with maps; others are orienteering meets with canoes. Meet organizers have considerable latitude to design events that are best for their venue and participants.

Western Hemisphere Affiliation of Canoe and Kayak Orienteers sanctioned meets follow three rules in the interest of fairness and fun:

  1. The Team Finish Rule:

    2. Competitors start and finish with all crewmembers and equipment. One or all teammates may leave the boat during the event, but at the finish line the crew, boat, and all equipment must be back together again.

  2. The Designated Wet or Dry Rule:

    3. Control locations are designated "wet" or "dry" in the control descriptions or clearly on the map. A dry control is approached by land and is on firm ground while a wet control is punched from a boat. Dry controls are found on hilltops, at trail junctions, or other land features, but never in swamps. Overhanging branches, pilings, or buoys are good places to hang wet controls.

    Note to course setters: Some meets ban swimming or wading to controls but this is difficult to monitor. It is better to place wet controls so that swimming or wading will be a disadvantage over using a boat.

  3. The Nothing Yucky or Damaging Rule:

It should never be necessary for a paddler to disembark into mud or unsavory water nor to run a boat up on rocks in order to punch a wet control.

Punches on wet controls should be hung so they can be punched without rising from the center seat of an 18'6" solo cruiser.