Level Up Your Kayaking #6: Maintaining Speed

LEVEL UP IS BACK: This week I am talking about using (or not using) back strokes to keep your boat flowing, making kayaking easier and helping you level up.

[shawhi]

Having been a raft paddle captain back in my youth, I have been hounded by my paddling buddies to STOP using my paddle as a rudder. I've greatly improved on that bad habit, but now I've found myself taking my paddle toward the stern with an open face and bringing the paddle back up into a bow sweep/draw stroke to turn my bow...I'm gathering from this that I am just developing another bad habit as that motion of bringing my sweep from the stern back toward the bow is slowing my speed. ??? By taking this stroke, I'm also way on edge, which someone told me was a bad habit because I'm now not centered over my boat and more likely to flip if I hit a submerged rock...which I admit is generally why I find myself upside down. 😂

[paksaokayaking]

It’s like you watched me paddle last weekend 😂
I recently got the same advice from some friends on the river! Oya, no ruddering either 😋

[PALSRide]

I’ll be counting and this should be interesting

[jamielewis]

That really helped. I'll try next time.

[fredsfurrypaws]

Hay Seth, Great video, absolutely agree, got a ripper a while back and it wasnt long breaking the habit,
on another note, i see you have a VE paddle, recently switched to one myself and love it, what do you think?

[billyb]

Is this where river running playboats solely can hurt your paddling? You can turn them on a dime, but you don't get the locked in or gliding sensations of a longer boat?