Paddling tips, tricks, news and gear reviews from an Unsponsored point of view

Tag: Break out

Eddy Turns – S Turns

I was thinking about S-Turns the other day and thought I would share my thoughts with you.

Successful entry into the attainment on the far side of the river depends upon your tactical approach to the exit from the original eddy.

To begin with forward speed needs to be generated in the eddy with good power generation and transfer. This could only offer you the oportunity for one power stroke!

By carrying this speed across the eddy-line with some stern-heavy trim to maintain directional stability (keeping a straighter line), the boat moves into the flow with more of a ferry-glide angle. This is so positioning across to the other side of the river can be begun early in the sequence.

Here we see the result of acceleration out of the eddy. However, the trim is now being moved forward and neutral to promote turning:

P1030260_zpsafe2e7fc Continue reading

How To Kayak – Catching An Eddy

Another great video from JezJez. This one shows how to break out into an eddy. This is a super important skill that all boaters should master.

How to Kayak – Catching an Eddy from Jez Jez on Vimeo.

Stern Dip/Stern Squirt Ver 2

First off, this will be next to impossible without the right boat (next to impossible, a friend of mine can squirt a polo boat right up). Get yourself a squirt boat, or small newish playboat.

A squirt is a very quick complete 180 degree or more turn on the long axis of your boat, front to back. In simple terms, what happens is when you complete a stern squirt textbook fashion, your stern will sink down, the boat will go completely or near enough to vertical, and you can spin on the long axis. Try to keep it spinning, or then if you start falling down, smash the bow down to go cartwheeling.

Once you get it going, it can be nice and slow and graceful, involving hardly any effort. Starting off though, it’ll probably involve a lot of splashing, capsizing, and swearing. Continue reading

© 2024 Unsponsored

Theme by Anders NorénUp ↑