A bow pivot is done keeping the bow stem close to a single spot and rotating the canoe around that point (the length of the canoe follows a radial line). These can be done as a pair or a group of paddlers forming a large pinwheel.
The clips below starts with an overview of a bow pivot (onside or offside), then there are two different perspectives of the strokes, and then another overall perspective but from the bow.
Onside bow pivot
Try breaking the process for learning a bow pivot into in three steps:
It really helps to move your weight further forward, this allows the stern to move and 'pins' the bow. Once you get the hang of the pivot you can move back again.
Start off making sure you have a good side displacement with sculling draw.
Shift the sculling draw behind you so the back end moves more than the bow - this will make a wide bow pivot, it will cartwheel, and you will also move backward (usually)
Adjust the sculling draw
open the pitch up on the forward paddle section (moving paddle toward the back) of the scull so you are almost paddling forward, at the same time let the paddle move away from the canoe a bit more than usual.
at the end of the scull draw into the canoe behind you (at least past the pivot point)
the recovery portion of the scull (moving paddle toward the front, or reverse paddling section) should be almost a slice.
You will find the canoe tends to move 'backward' when doing a bow pivot so each forward scull should almost be a forward stroke. The canoe is not really moving backward but trying to go in a straight line (sideways) and you need to counteract this tendency. I think about this as if you are swinging a rock around on a string - you need to pull the string or the rock flies off in a radial direction.
Offside Bow Pivot
Try breaking the process for learning a bow pivot into in three steps:
It really helps to move your weight further forward.
Start off making sure you have a good side displacement with sculling pry.
Shift the sculling pry behind you so the back end moves more than the bow - this will make a wide bow pivot, it will cartwheel, and you will also move backward (usually). I find that offside bow pivots are much more difficult to accomplish.
Adjust the sculling pry
open the pitch up on the forward paddle section (moving paddle toward the back) of the scull so you are almost paddling forward, at the same time bring the paddle as close as possible to the canoe. Grip hand should be outside of the canoe. This forward section of the scull is a very weird hand position - your grip hand thumb should almost be pointing into the canoe (lots of pitch).
at the end of the scull pry out from canoe behind you (at least past the pivot point)
the recovery portion of the scull (moving paddle toward the front, or reverse paddling section) should be almost a slice.
You will find the canoe tends to move 'backward' when doing a bow pivot so each forward scull should be almost a forward stroke. The canoe is not moving backward but trying to go in a straight line (sideways), you need to counteract this tendency. I think about this as if you are swinging a rock around on a string - you need to pull the string or the rock flies off in a radial direction.