With regard to the watercraft, paddling is the process of moving on a small boat by steering it forward or backward with the help of paddle which is generally double sided or sometimes single sided as well. I must really tell you that rowing is different in the way that in order to row the boat it uses the oar whereas in case of paddling the paddle is used.
You should know that the paddle being used requires lots of muscle power in order to paddle your boat. The more will be the power in your arms the better you will perform. I must really say that paddling really requires lots of power in your shoulders. In one way you can really say that you will not be able to paddle your small boat if your shoulders are not as powerful.
I must also tell you that this is a sport which is a part of Olympics. Hence you really want to use your hand in this sport then I must tell you that that you should really go for it because it has lots of potential and you will definitely love this sport.
I would now like to present some of the differences between the rowing and the paddling.
1. Paddling is indigenous to boaters in Africa, the Americas, Australasia and Asia. Rowing has an ancient history in the Mediterranean, Scandinavia and in Egypt (which is in northern Africa.).
2. Generally, rowers face towards the back or aft end of their craft, whereas paddlers always face towards the front or bow of their craft.
3. Another main distinction between paddling and rowing is that a person holding only a single blade paddle can propel or paddle a boat forward in a straight line without switching paddling side (and backward and sideward) whereas there generally must be a pair of oars or sculls (held by either one or a pair of persons) in order to move the boat forward in a straight line efficiently.
These are some of the differences between the paddling and rowing. However I must tell you that there is a vast difference between the paddling and the rowing when we move from continent to continent. You will find somewhere the double sided oar where as some where you will find the single sided oar. It is quiet sure that you will find a totally different kind of paddling technique then you will find it in the US.
There are also double oar rigs used in Asia where the blades are controlled and powered by the legs alone, leaving the hands and arms of the rower free.
Double bladed paddles were developed to propel kayaks in Alaska, Canadian Arctic region and Greenland.
These all the information about the paddling and rowing clearly explains one point and that it is really a very interesting procedure you will enjoy moving your boat like this.

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