Techniques & Safety
I have to admit that one of the skills I have high on my favorites list is the low brace turn while on…
There are many different ways to turn your kayak when it is moving. If you do not want to lose momentum…
Using a brace is an essential part of kayaking if you wish to stay upright. A well executed brace will…
Bracing, it keeps your head in a gaseous oxygen environment. The low-brace is your primary defense…
If you followed our piece on the low brace, you now know that it is your first line of defense…
There are times when we need and want a reliable continuous brace. For a brace to be continuous it needs…
If you know how to tread water you know how to scull. If you have ever played airplane with your hand…
Hey, sometimes you just don't want to go straight! Sweeps are used for turning and as a component stroke…
When we perform a normal sweep stroke some of our energy is lost as a result of our blade moving through…
A sweep stroke is one that is primarily used for turning a kayak. If we do a forward sweep stroke on the…
Due to the instability usually experienced when stopping, having a stopping stroke that provides support…
It propels us in a straight line. Although it may be the stroke we do 95% of the time to get around, it…
I have met recreational paddlers who express to me that they already know how to paddle, have never…
Now I'll try and describe how to do the strokes you need to make your boat go where you want to take it.…
By Tom WatsonAs I watched the National Weather Channel the other night, I scanned the coasts and…
At the outset, I should make it clear that when winter comes to my northern Wisconsin home, I don't go…
By Tom Watson Living within 600 miles of the Arctic Circle on an island in the North Pacific…
There are many different ways to drain water from a kayak. The original methods of modern kayaking had…
As an instructor I have been fascinated by the length of time it takes many kayakers to get from one…
The most frequently used solo recovery after wet exiting is the paddle float recovery. The paddle float…
I heard a joke many years ago. When the judge came home his wife confronted him with her dilemma. She…
As a professional educator and a kayaking instructor I must begin this article by saying: I believe…
Whatever type of river you're running, you've got to be comfortable with your paddling group. Too often,…
The "Hand of God" is a very useful rescue technique for dealing with beginner or novice paddlers who are…