When going out into the sea, kayakers are subjected to changes in tides and currents, as well as to the powers of wind and wave. Sea kayakers should therefore understand how these indispensable sea features work. Moreover, Sea Kayaking requires careful navigation and chart positioning. Knowing how to use the essential pieces of navigational equipment is important, as well as being familiar with open water Paddling skills. Tidal Variations & Current The gravitational effect of the moon as well as of the sun and planets affects sea conditions. Within a 24-hour period, water levels rise and fall. These occurrences are commonly known…
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Negotiating whitewater rivers requires good Kayaking Skills, river knowledge, and of course, Kayaking protocols. The following articles will provide you with the fundamentals of Whitewater Paddling which will surely make a difference when you are already running whitewater rivers. Eddy Use & Etiquette Eddies are places where paddlers can stop for a while or relax before they start Paddling again. Paddlers can rest, eat, or mingle around with other paddlers in eddies, which generally vary in size. Eddies range from very small ones, which are hardly noticeable to beginners to the very large ones, where a whole group can stop and stay. Since being in…
The best examples of the wide range of designs for inflatable catamarans come from Sea Eagle, a company in the boat business since 1967. Sea Eagle is known for making durable and tough inflatable pontoon fishing boats, and they have really outdone themselves with the design of the new FoldCat. They also make a sailing cat, cleverly named the SailCat, and another exceptional innovation, an inflatable kayak catamaran called the PaddleSki. Here’s a closer look at all three inflatable catamarans: Three Types of Inflatable Catamarans 1. FoldCat The FoldCat is an awarding-winning design among inflatable pontoon boats. The North American Fishing Club tested it and gave it…
When talking about kayaks, one of the most important and essential factors to consider is the space it provides for storage. This becomes even more important during winters when the temperature starts dropping, and you need to store up your kayak for the season so that it is ready when winter subsides and spring sets in. So, here are a few kayaking tips on winter storage solutions that will help you safely tuck your kayak away for the winters: Making Preparations The first and foremost thing that you must do in order to get your boat ready is to prepare…
Transporting a kayak on the roof of your car does not have to be complicated. But sometimes, it does get a bit complicated when your car does not have any rails installed on its roof. If your car does not have any roof already installed on it, don’t feet disappointed because there are hundreds of different varieties of Kayak roof racks for cars without rails available in the market. These kayak racks that can be installed on the roof of your car even when the rails are missing. They are easy to install and does not need you to drill…
People of all ages can try Kayaking because it is easy to learn and you do not really need to know a lot of technical know-how in order to enjoy paddling in the river or sea. What you need to know are some easy skills and techniques that will enable you to steer your Kayak and reach your destination. This section covers some maneuvers that you need to know to go Kayaking: Forward Paddling Stroke The Ultimate Kayak Forward Stroke for All Kayakers Ken Whiting breaks down the technique for an efficient, comfortable and powerful forward stroke. One of the…
Reverse sweep Strokes are easy to learn. Just keep in mind to put safety first every time you try a particular technique and do it the right way. Know the basic maneuvers properly so you will have a good foundation for other skills that you will learn as you gain experience. Reverse Sweep Stroke The Reverse Sweep Stroke is another important and powerful turning technique to learn. Do this for a quick turn, or if you want to head back to the other direction. This technique is used to turn a stationary Kayak. Unlike the Forward Sweep Stroke, it should…
Kayak, whether it is moving forward or at a stop. As the name suggests, this basic turning technique involves making a sweeping motion in the water to turn the boat in one place or drive it in the desired direction. It is also done to correct your course when you cannot keep a straight path. Learn how to do this turning technique in this section: Kayak Technique – Sweep Strokes In this episode of Paddling TV, Ken Whiting explains the correct technique for sweep strokes – the most effective strokes for turning kayaks. This stroke is a turning technique that…
Now that you’ve learned the techniques to move forward and backward, as well as to turn 180 degrees, you will now learn how to move your Kayak sideways in a controlled manner. This is called the Draw Stroke. Just like the other techniques, you need to know how to do this stroke properly as this is one of the basic maneuvers for other techniques that you will learn as you gain experience. Learn how the Draw Stroke is done in this section: Learn how to do the Draw Stroke so you will be able to move laterally to avoid an obstacle, approach…
The Sculling Draw Stroke is another technique that you can do if you want to move sideways. This is similar to the Draw Stroke, only this time, you need to place your Kayaking Paddle blade closer to the Kayak, and push and pull the blade to move the boat sideways. It is especially useful when moving laterally in limited spaces. In this section, learn how to do the Sculling Draw Stroke: Learn how to do the Sculling Draw Stroke so you will be able to move laterally to avoid an obstacle, move closer to a jetty or to another kayaker. With enough practice, you…