Kayaking Lesson 7/18-7/19/09
Hello all of you great kayakers!!!
I hope that everyone has recovered wonderfully from your amazing weekend and I hope that no one is to sore.
So attached you will find all of the information that we covered in our class. I hope that you are feeling allot more confident in your skills because you all rocked it. So please I cant stress it enough the longer you spend out of a boat the harder that it gets, so get back into a boat post haste.
Thank you all for being such a great class and hangin out with us all weekend!!!
Hope to see you all soon,
Marcus and Christine
Renaissance Adventure Guides Full Day Lake Lesson Overview
1) The five Essentials for kayaking don’t go on the water without any of these:
a) Helmet
b) PFD (Personal Floatation Device)
c) Skirt
d) Wet suit and or appropriate clothing for your adventure “Dress for the swim!!!”
· We also talked about making sure that someone in your group has a first aid kit and knows how to use it.
· Some form of communication incase something should happen a cell phone in a dry box works great.
2) Safety:
a) Never paddle alone.
b) Always check the conditions before you go. Including weather, flows, and logistics.
c) Know the group you are paddling with.
d) Become a first responder or get at the least basic first aid skills.
3) The boats:
· Different types of boats Creek boats (What Christine and I had), River Runner boats (what you used), Play boats (the very short boats that you see at the whitewater parks), and rec. boats (the ones with the keel and very large cock pit.
· Parts of the boats – Bow, Stern, Cockpit, Coaming of the Cockpit, Hull (Displacement and Planing), bulk head (what your feet press into) and the Chines (the angles for stability along the sides of the boat).
4) In the water:
· Proper fitting of your gear- you PFD should be tightened down with a full breath don’t tighten your PFD without a full breath or you will not be able to fill your lungs completely when you need to.
· When swimming out of your kayak you should always be floating face up with your feet pointed down stream, toes up.
5) Wet Exit:
*Remember that one of the very important aspects of kayaking is to be comfortable underwater.*
· Know with out a doubt that your grab loop is out.
· Nose to the deck, keep yourself tucked at all times.
· Pull your grab loop.
· Place your hand on the sides of the cockpit and summersault forward out of the boat.
6) Kayak Paddle:
· Parts- Shaft and Blades, remember that the “Spine of the blade is always away from you.”
· Fit- Place the center of the paddle on top of your head and form 90 degree angles with your elbows.
Your dominant hand is your control hand, that hand is “Super glued to the paddle.”
Your knuckles of your dominant hand are always aligned with the top of the paddle blade on your
dominant side. Or the first knuckles of your dominant hand are aligned with the spine of the blade.
7) Kayak Strokes:
· Forward Stroke-
a) Proper English posture, ergonomically correct, slightly forward and sitting up straight.
b) Purchase at the toes, paddle enters that water at the toes.
c) Rotate at the waist; turn the upper torso to get your power.
d) Paddle blade exits at the waist.
e) Paddle is vertical (this is best), at the least 45 degrees but more is better.
· Forward Sweep Stroke-
a) Proper English posture, ergonomically correct, slightly forward and sitting up straight.
b) Purchase at the toes, paddle enters that water at the toes.
c) Rotate at the waist; turn the upper torso to get your power.
d) Paddle travels from the bow to the stern, the head leads the stroke. “Where the head leads the body will follow.”
e) Low paddle angle, horizontal with the water.
· Reverse or Back Sweep Stroke-
a) Proper English posture, ergonomically correct, slightly forward and sitting up straight.
b) Purchase at the stern, paddle enters that water at the stern.
c) Rotate at the waist; turn the upper torso to get your power.
d) Paddle travels from the stern to the bow, the head leads the stroke. “Where the head leads the body will follow.”
e) Low paddle angle, horizontal with the water.
· Draw Stroke-
a) Proper English posture, ergonomically correct, slightly forward and sitting up straight.
b) Turn your body the direction that you want to go.
c) Purchase your paddle blade, don’t reach too far.
d) Draw your paddle blade in towards your boat.
e) Stop when your elbow hits your torso.
f) Rotate.
g) Slice out.
h) Repeat.
(Your paddle should be vertical or close to vertical during this stroke. Your dry hand or the hand furthest from the water should have little to no motion. Your paddle blade should not leave the water.)
8) T-Rescue:
a) Only works with a partner.
b) Smack your boat hard three times, and then sweep your hands as far as you can reach up and down the sides of your boat until your partner positions their boat for you to reach the bow.
c) Grab the bow of your partners’ boat and bring both hands together on their bow.
d) Place your hands on the bow of your partners’ boat.
e) Rest your head on your hands.
f) Hip snap your boat up and let your head follow up last.
9) J-Lean/Boat Tilt (Degrees of Lean/Tilt):
a) 1st Degree- Apply a little more weight to one rump cheek.
b) 2nd Degree- Instigate some lift with the opposite knee.
c) 3rd Degree- Stick out your ribs toward the side that you are leaning/tilting.
d) 4th Degree- To far, you are upside down please see T-Rescue.
(Very, very important key to success here is to make absolutely sure that your head stay above your waist.)
10) High Brace:
a) Wrists above elbows all the time.
b) All 4 degrees of Lean/Tilt.
c) Smack the water.
d) Rotate (wrist rotates forward).
e) Slice out.
f) Head comes up last. Think limp noodle or bobble head.
11) Low Brace:
a) Wrists below elbows all the time. Like a bull dog.
b) All 4 degrees of Lean/Tilt.
c) Smack the water.
d) Rotate (wrist rotates backward).
e) Slice out.
f) Head comes up last. Think limp noodle or bobble head.
12) Information and Resources:
a) Flows and Forums- www.mountainbuzz.com
b) Instructional Videos- www.youtube.com search for Kayak Instruction.
c) Books- Whitewater Kayaking: The Ultimate Guide by Ken Whiting and Kevin Varette (Paperback - Jun 1, 2008)
13) Where to go next and what to do next:
a) Renaissance on the River- Every Wednesday night check the website for times and location www.raguides.com, great place to practice your skills get some help from instructors and have lots of fun.
b) Roll Class- Get to spend the entire time mastering the kayak roll.
c) River Class- Time to take all of the skills that you learned on the lake and apply them to fun moving water. Local classes and the great Glenwood trip are all available for your learning venues.
14) Last but not least:
a) Remember that if you do not use your skills you will loose them.
b) Never paddle alone.
c) Have fun.
d) Most importantly BE SAFE at all times.
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