One of the essentials of beginner kayaking is learning how to efficiently and effectively rotate your craft, giving you complete control while you’re out on the water. Turning your boat, a seemingly simple maneuver, can take some time to master. Start practicing on calm, open water, such as a lake, before taking on rivers and oceans.
Step 1
Determine which direction you want your bow, or the front of your boat, to end up facing (for this example, you’ll try to turn your boat to the left).
Step 2
Hold the paddle firmly in front of you with your palms facing away from your body. Your hands should be gripping the middle of the paddle, roughly 2 ft. apart from each other.
Step 3
Push your right arm forward, straightening your right elbow while simultaneously pulling your left arm toward your body. The right blade of the paddle should now be substantially farther forward than the left blade.
Step 4
Dip the right blade into the water as close to the bow as you can reach.
Step 5
Pull the blade all the way back to the stern, or the rear of your boat, in a broad, sweeping stroke, keeping the flat face of the blade perpendicular to the kayak; you should feel the kayak begin to turn. Raise the blade out of the water once you complete the stroke.
Step 6
Repeat the preceding steps, without dipping the left blade into the water, until your kayak is pointing in the desired direction.
Step 7
Dip the left blade into the water and make a short stroke to stop your kayak from turning any more.
Tips & Warnings
- Bring a friend experienced in kayaking along or take a kayak training class before venturing out alone for the first time.
- Twist your torso as you make each stroke to give it more power and to maintain control.
