Basic Kayaking Skills For the Beginner

Kayaking skills are primarily based upon the techniqueperpendicular position back into the water, one should
and how you approach the specific task within thearch the neck outward, towards the surface of the
activity. Some of these include the flip or roll over oncewater, against the shoulder. In other words, if one is
you have capsized, and even holding the paddle in thetrying to tip the vessel to the right then the paddle
correct fashion.should be out of the right hand side of the kayak and
Starting off with the paddle holding technique, one willthe head and right shoulder tilted towards the right. As
realize that this is one of the most vital skills, as theone pulls the paddle into the perpendicular position
paddle is essentially your propelling and guiding toolcontinue roll through towards the right and pushing into
once out there in the water. The kayak paddle differsthe water with the paddle to the left. One should use
from a canoe paddle, as it has 2 blades attachedthe face of the paddle as a lever to push oneself out
compared to the canoe paddle only having one. Inof the water. You should then follow through with the
developing the necessary kayaking skills, the paddlemomentum, in a rolling fashion to correct your kayak
must be held correctly so that the most power can beand your position in the water, this will include a hip
generated from utilizing the paddle correctly in thesnap which is that gaining momentum you will use to
water. The face of the paddle is the part that you willright yourself.
use to pull yourself through the water, and this part isThe above mentioned are only two of many kayaking
the concave part of the blade. A simple trick in thisskills that would have to be studied, learned and further
area, is if the paddle has writing on the blade, onedeveloped, as one gets more into the kayaking
should keep this the right way up and not upside downexperience. However, these two basic skills are very
to assist in holding it correctly.valuable in terms of this type of activity, as no matter
Another one of the vital and necessary skills is thehow an advanced you become, in a certain situations
rolling over once you have been capsized, whichyou will be capsized, especially in an ocean or white
involves tucking the body in toward the kayak to avoidwater setting, and the quicker you master this skill, the
any potential head injuries. One should then reach outquicker you will be able to right yourself and possibly
with the paddle in hand, to one side of the kayak andprevent any potential injury.
whilst turning the paddle from a horizontal position to a