All true enough. I had recently heard that the keel actually plays a
smaller role than previously thought, other than providing a convenient
wear-through point, but I abandoned keels long ago so I wouldn't know
much about them. I like to keep it flat when I crash into some sleeper
rock just below the surface.

But even in your solo boat, I bet if you look closely, the seat is
arranged so that, when your arms are extended forward, the PADDLE is at
the midpoint, and your butt is about 8" or a foot behind the midline.
If the seat was at the midline, you'd in effect be dragging the boat
behind you when you paddled rather than pushing it ahead. This might
not be quite so pronounced in a performance playboat, as they expect
the paddler to be doing reverse draws as much as forward strokes.

Even considering the keel, rocker or heeling, the most pronounced thing
that effects a canoes pivoting is how far out you place your blade when
take your stroke. Powerful turning strokes are those sweeping low brace
strokes, which put the blade 3 or 4 feet out from the midline and sweep
it along a radius. Unbeknownst to them, most beginners who keep their
grip hand in front of their face are executing a sweep stroke every
time they think they are paddling forwards. In my case, my grip hand is
actually farther off board than my lower hand, and the blade is beneath
the boat when I am paddling.

As for keeling...next time you are paddling, try an experiment, I know
it will suprise you. Get a good forward head of steam with the hull
flat and level, take the paddle out, then shift your weight quickly to
one side and heel it over. Watch what the boat does...its not what you
expect.

What boat do you have, BTW?

--riverman