How to Sea Kayak : Sea Kayaking: The Forward Stroke

Sea kayaking can be a very dangerous sport that not everyone is made for. Learn how to do a forward stroke and how to be safe while doing it.

Expert: Jean Totz
Bio: President of Sweetwater Kayaks, Jean is also the Director of the Florida Gulf Coast International Sea Kayak Symposium at Sweetwater Kayaks.
Filmmaker: Bob Hunt

Category:

Sports

Tags:

• water
• sports
• fishing
• surfing
• ocean
• kayak
• extreme
• waves
• river
• sea

[fzburk]

There is NO torso rotation in this video. He is all arms.

Watch Brent Reitz 'Forward Stroke Video' to get a real good idea of what torso rotation and proper form are all about.

[aquaskye]

russell is definitely a bottom.....

[eriecanalboatcompany]

If you insist on making kayak videos, please review the video first.  When teaching strokes demonstrate correctly. The 3 P's, Proper Paddling Posture, 3 T's, Toes To Torso, and fzburk is right ROTATION in every stroke.

[dmuirwatson]

if you go too far you just push water into the side of the boat. you can go a little farther than in the demonstration

[golddang]

I think its very cruel that big man is holding little young guy back. He looks like he is all geared up and wants to go but big man wont let him. I dont like whats going on in this :(

[Wraitchel]

It's a kayaking jacket or dry top. It has rubber cuffs and collar and is made of gore-tex. It is lighter weight than a dry suit, but keeps you almost entirely dry (as long as you use a spray skirt, too) when you paddle.

[rhurbarb]

Surely pushing the paddle forward gives it more power ?

[tomfrh]

He stops too early. It's the hand that is supposed to stop at the hip, not the blade.

[stinkingdog101]

I wonder what the jacket is for...it is apparantly not cold there. Is that a special kayaking jacket?

[privateerc]

when you continue past the hip you pull water towards the back of the kayak, like the back third of a sweep stroke. This causes the boat to fishtail and means the paddler has to always correct their boat direction.

[flyingvert]

I'd get tired and stiff after awhile of doing that same thing for a long distance. I noticed he finally loosened up after about half way around the circle letting his paddle "go past his hip"!