Flat-water Kayak Techniques

There are a number of kayaks available on the market today, allowing the "driver" to sit on top, or within the cockpit of the kayak. Nevertheless, the principles and techniques involved remain the same. If you are new to kayaking, it is advised to start out under the supervision of a qualified instructor, ensuring that you master the techniques quickly and safely.

  1. Mounting Your Kayak

    • Before you enter your kayak, it is important to check your equipment. Place your paddle in an easy-to-reach position and ensure that your life jacket and spray skirt are fitted correctly. Mounting and dismounting are easiest from a slightly raised jetty. It is important to lower yourself over the midline of the kayak and keep your weight central to prevent it from tipping.

    Keeping Balance

    • Keeping relaxed with your torso perpendicular to the water is the key to remaining balanced and in control. Watching the horizon will also help. Should you lose balance at any time, slapping the water with your blade and shifting your weight quickly in the opposite direction will bring you back to your central balance point.

    Grip

    • The standard flat-water kayaking grip requires your hands to be slightly wider than shoulder width apart. However, you may alter this depending on the demands and your requirements. When you're long-distance kayaking, regularly changing your grip width will place stress across different muscle groups, preventing a quick onset of fatigue. A wider grip creates more power and allows greater control, but requires more effort than a narrower grip.

    Paddling

    • Your stronger arm will act as your control arm, so keep a tight grip on the paddle with this hand. The other hand should grip the paddle lightly, allowing you to pivot the paddle when altering your strokes. Dip one shoulder and let the blade enter the water at right angles to it. Twist your torso and bring the blade arm down and toward your body to perform a stroke. Lift the blade from the water, rotate your torso, passing through the neutral starting position, and repeat this on the opposite side. Keep an upright posture with an open chest for control, power and stability.

    Steering

    • Repeating strokes on the same side will steer the nose of the kayak in the opposite direction while keeping the speed constant. Sharper, slower turns can be made by leaving the blade in the water to act as a rudder. Moving the paddle left or right will turn the nose in that direction.