learning bow rudders for kayak

Kayak bow rudders are sharp turns. They should be induced by a sweep stroke. Then the paddle is immediately placed on the opposite side - drive face pointing forwards. Its not easy getting the drive face of a paddle to face forwards, you have to bend your wrists right back.

The paddle is placed in the water level with your knee or foot as desired. It acts as a pivot point around which the kayak turns sharply.

The first boat does not do the sweep stroke at all and the turn is not very sharp. The yellow boat then does a good tight turn.

Here a rising tide is creating an eddy behind a large mooring buoy. It is acting for teaching purposes as a rock on a white water river.

The paddler is trying to do a break out, ending up tight in behind the rock facing upstream.

You have to time your paddle strokes to get the sweep stroke and plant to happen just as you pass the obstacle and in very close succession.

You also have to approach at the right angle. The yellow boat does this best, coming in at about 45 degrees. This is pre white water skills practice for our club.

Category:

Sports

Tags:

• kayak
• bow
• rudder
• how
• to