Techniques & Safety
The 3 Golden Rules of whitewater paddling are a set of rules that all paddlers need to apply, regardless…
Aside from being much shorter in length, the biggest difference between whitewater and sea kayaks is the…
Emptying a swamped whitewater kayak is slightly different from emptying a swamped sea kayak because the…
I always tell my students "when nature calls, answer!" If you are in your kayak and out on the water how…
The more I lecture and give clinics in how to negotiate the surf zone in a sea kayak, the more I am…
Landing your kayak through a surf zone can be fun or terrifying. Fun if you know how to do it and…
Over the years I have found a number of kayakers that don't like having their backs to the incoming…
There may come a time when someone in your group will not feel comfortable to land their kayak through…
Ask someone not yet savvy to all the nuances of handling a touring/recreational kayak what a rudder…
So, you've learned and practiced all the basic strokes: the forward, the sweep, the stern rudder, the…
Lagging behind on a twilight paddle, I didn't notice whether my kayaking colleagues had continued down…
In order to be visible while kayaking, you must stand out. But many bright colors don't have the…
Getting through a surf zone can be challenging. Having an understanding of the forces in the surf zone…
Summertime is here and the masses head for the water. Some of those masses are us kayakers. By electing…
Eddy turns are the foundation for paddling in current, enabling you to enter and exit river and tidal…
One of the lowest-risk and most effective techniques for reaching a victim is by use of a throw rope. In…
If you've ever been to a sea kayaking symposium, you've probably run into one of those folks armed with…
There are many different methods for towing an injured, sick or fatigued paddler. Contact towing may be…
"Clip in for a tow." It is such a simple phrase yet the implications, concerns and challenges are…
There are many different reasons where a paddler needs to be towed. A few of the reasons can be injury,…
This is the most straightforward rescue, beyond simply righting the boat and pumping it dry. Approach…
I tell everyone that kayaking on the sea is a dry sport - and, unless you are involved in surfing or…
A wet exit is a mandatory skill for any modern day kayaker to learn. As an instructor it is one of the…