Whitewater Kayaking E-School

This collection of articles will speed you on your way to having more fun kayaking!

Note to intermediate and advanced whitewater kayak paddlers: Don't miss the sections on Whitewater Safety and Rolling Instruction (see the links at left). Even if you don't need the help, you will find these tips invaluable for teaching your buddy. Also the "Breakthru tips" section is a collection of drills specifically designed to help you make a jump in skills.

Just learning to paddle a whitewater kayak? This book will help you learn, but in addition I highly recommend a few days of lessons to accompany your reading. A few days of lessons will reduce the chance of a bad experience. The first days of trial and error learning can be unnecessarily cold and wet! It's a lot less fun than the sport can be!

Paddling a whitewater kayak is different than other sports because it’s often counter intuitive. To roll you don't pull down on the paddle, and you don't lift your head, and you don't reach way out with the blade. Floating into a rock you lean towards it, not away from it.

Instruction is an Investment!

Three or four days is the ideal length for learning the basics of the sport and making huge progress. In 3 or 4 days, you can develop a solid foundation of skills, far quicker than if you learn piecemeal from friends, or haphazardly by trial and error. Let someone else handle the logistics and pick the river. You just paddle. This book will help you get the most from that instruction if you review it before and after your classes.

As part of the class you get to try different boats, and try different gear, so you will be able to make an educated decision before you spend a thousand dollars on gear. Many schools give you a certificate or discount towards your next purchase. And besides, what use is that thousand dollar surfing machine if you can't get to the wave. A few tips might help!

Best of all, by taking a class you can meet other people from your area who will be about your skill level, so you can continue getting out on the river. Its fun, and you'll probably meet some fascinating, like minded people.

When you are looking for a school, word of mouth rules! The best instructors have glowing reputations, so ask other paddlers, particularly in the local club.

Tempted to try the 'buddy school of instruction?

If you have friends who can be real patient and professional in giving you an introduction to the sport, that might be your best choice. But it can be a gamble. Are they really going to start you with at least half a day of flatwater strokework, then take you on an easy enough section of river, so you can get some comfort with basics before you get gripped?

I have seen too many people get dragged too quickly into whitewater that was not conducive to learning. That bums me out, because some of these people end up quitting the sport.

As for safety instruction, you'll want a set of explanations that are at least more comprehensive than the typical raft trip safety briefing. When was the last time you had this sort of thorough instruction from your friends?

In whitewater there are a lot of hidden hazards that may not be obvious unless pointed out, so you will want to have that instruction given to you methodically. Knowing what is dangerous helps you realize how much is good clean fun. You want someone showing you the difference, so you can really enjoy the fun parts without uncertainty.

On to the collection of articles... Prerequisites, rolling, first strokes, river reading, and whitewater safety are the chapters... pick and choose, or take the tour!

Water Reading

Reading the River

One of the primary skills for paddlers on whitewater is “reading the river”. This enables them to use the power of the river, and not get abused by the power of the river by being in the wrong spot.

Rocks in the River

Rocks can be your friend or your foe. Sometimes they are foe. Sometimes they are your friend. Sometimes they are fun! It is usually no big deal to hit rocks. A friendly rock is one with a rounded upstream face and a pillow of water cushioning it. When you encounter a rock on the river, it is important lean into the rock, lifting your upstream edge. The pillow helps keep your boat off the rock.

The Eddy

One of the most obvious river features are the eddies, or slow water zones, most often found on the sides of the river. A rock or pile of rocks deflects the current, and the water circles back upstream to fill in behind.

Reading the River

One of the primary skills for paddlers on whitewater is “reading the river”. This enables them to use the power of the river, and not get abused by the power of the river by being in the wrong spot.

Rocks in the River

Rocks can be your friend or your foe. Sometimes they are foe. Sometimes they are your friend. Sometimes they are fun! It is usually no big deal to hit rocks. A friendly rock is one with a rounded upstream face and a pillow of water cushioning it. When you encounter a rock on the river, it is important lean into the rock, lifting your upstream edge. The pillow helps keep your boat off the rock.

The Eddy

One of the most obvious river features are the eddies, or slow water zones, most often found on the sides of the river. A rock or pile of rocks deflects the current, and the water circles back upstream to fill in behind.

On your local river, see if you can find eddies with water actually flowing upstream!

Paddlers in any type of competition or just for fun do eddy turns. Eddy turns are the foundation for controlling your descent of the river. You can stop, rest, set up moves. Eddy turns require an approach path that sets you up to get all the way into the eddy. Your bow stops in the calm of the eddy, and the stern is pushed around by the current. Once a paddler enters the eddy they need to tilt their boat to stay balanced, or else water climbs up on their boat, and flips them. > On your local river, count how many eddies you can see that would fit a kayak.

 

Reading the River

But a river has more than eddies behind rocks. The spectrum of features at formed at different water levels is part of what makes whitewater so much fun. As more water covers a rock you get a rock that is barely covered changing to a steep pourover, to pourover to wave hole to a series of waves.

Reading the River

As a tiny bit of water goes over the same rock, you still have a pillow on the upstream side, and an eddy below. As even more water goes over, you get a pourover. With even more water over the same spot, it turns into a wave hole,tall and more wavelike, with white crashing back upstream. With more water you have only a occasionally breaking wave, and a series of waves after. With more water the wave will stop breaking, and you have a series of waves.

Reading Water Concepts

At first glance it looks like the thrill of whitewater is the pure adreniline of crashing down through waves, and big drops. But that is only part of the thrill. Reading the river, figuring out how your boat will react, then picking your line become a rewarding challenge. This skill takes considerable experience, but in most ideal learning situations all that happens from a mis read is you flip, or simply bang up on a rock.

Water Reading

Identifying basic river features is an important part of whitewater paddling. This knowledge helps keep you safe and allows you to understand the basic whitewater maneuvers. Learning to read a river's features will help you know their friendliness.

\B\Sidebar\Reading Water: Scan the road ahead

I remember my first day behind the wheel in drivers' ed. Heading out of the school driveway, I had my eyes riveted on the hood of the car. As the car ran up on the curb, the instructor grabbed the wheel, screaming for me to look down the road. A lengthy lecture on scanning the road followed my mistake.

Learning to paddle whitewater can be a similar experience. Reading the road, and reading the river actually have a lot in common.

The key to reading water is to lift your vision! Don't just look at your bow. Look where you want to go, and at what lies in between.

What should you be looking for? Simply: easily visible rocks, water features formed by rocks under the surface, and hazards.

As you scan the rapid, look far downstream to figure out where the current ends. Does the main flow enter on one side, but finish in a waves bouncing on the other side? You might see some rocks above the water deflecting the current. Figuring out why the current was deflected is the key to reading the rapid.

An instructor can help you learn to identify river hazards, like undercut rocks, or man made things like bridge pilings. Tree branches forming strainers are one of the most dangerous hazards in the sport. Scan for bouncing twigs and unexplained currents that might indicate a strainer. Learn to identify potential danger spots, then concentrate your vision on where you want to go, rather than at what you want to avoid.

Learning to read water takes time and practice, so paddle within your ability and experience and don't just follow other boaters. Instead, explore easy and safe rapids by picking your own line.

Visible Rocks

Beginner paddlers are usually terrified of the rocks in the river. Rocks won't bite, in fact they rarely pose a significant danger. When you paddle you can spot them easily and turn to avoid them. You usually won't plan to hit rocks, but when you do, its important to react properly.

If you find yourself floating sideways towards a rock, lean your body and boat aggressively towards the rock, even putting your hand or paddle on it. The water buffeting off the rock forms a pillow which helps keep your boat off the rock. A round rock tends to be friendlier than one with a sharp, upstream edge. Learn to distinguish between them.

\photo\ leaning towards a rock "love the rock"

Eddies

Just downstream of the rock is a quiet spot, called an eddy. The eddy is a paddler's refuge from the current, and is the most important water feature to know and understand. Paddlers use eddies to stop and rest, to scout an upcoming rapid, and for access to fun play spots.

\photo\paddlers use the eddies as their refuge

Holes

A hole or hyraulic is formed by water flowing over a submerged rock. The resulting water feature is either a hole or a wave, depending on how much water is pouring over.

A little water flowing over the rock leaves a strong, very calm eddy below, and a very shallow hole, often called a hydraulic. More water flowing over the rock generates a hole, a wavelike formation with a white, frothy backwash. Variations are referred to as holes, stoppers, reversals, keepers, pourovers and ledge holes.

To evaluate holes, look downstream and beyond to see clues in the current. Is it wavelike, with water splashing up, implying a sloping entry to a fun play hole? Or is it flat, with a horizon line, suggesting that it rushes to a steep drop and pours over into ledge hole? Watch for water pouring steeply over a rock into a hydraulic and flowing out with the calm look of an eddy. This hole will be less friendly. The amount of water rushing back upstream is a measure of the hole's power.

If you see current downstream, the hole will look more like a wave, indicating deep water. The more a hole resembles a wave, the more friendly it will be. Whitewater dancing up and current or waves just downstream from the hole are friendly characteristics to watch for. If your path takes you into a hole, plan to hit it straight on, perpendicular to the ledge. Reach your strokes over the backwash and dig into the downstream current. Paddle through it!

Horizon Lines

Occasionally, the water will seem to disappear over the edge of a drop. This horizon line indicates a big drop, one that you will probably want to scout from shore. From a safe place, look for the biggest waves in the main flow of current. Generally, those will direct you to a clear channel and the most fun.

Reading the River

Lots of information here, just surf your way through the topics below! Enjoy, and don't forget to send us feedback.

Reading Water: Scan the road ahead

I remember my first day behind the wheel in drivers ed. Heading out of the driveway of school, I had my eyes riveted on the hood of the car. As the car ran up on the curb, the instructor grabbed the wheel, screaming for me to look down the road. A lengthy lecture on scanning the road followed my mistake.

Learning to paddle whitewater can be a similar experience. Reading the road, and reading the river actually have a lot in common. The key to reading water is to lift your vision! Don't just look at your bow. Look where you want to go, and at what lies in between. What should you be looking for? Simply: easily visible rocks, water features formed by rocks under the surface, and hazards.

You can spot rocks above the surface pretty easily, and turn to paddle around them. If you don't quite make the move, and you find yourself floating sideways towards one, it is important to react properly. Lean your body and boat aggressively towards the rock, even putting your hand or paddle on it. The water buffeting off the rock forms a pillow which helps keep your boat off the rock. You should learn to distinguish between a round friendly rock and a more hazardous one with a sharp upstream edge.

As you scan the rapid, look far downstream to figure out where the current ends. Does the main flow enter on one side, but finish in a wave train on the other side? You might see some rocks above the water deflecting the current. Figuring out why the current was deflected is the key to reading the rapid.

Rocks just under the surface have the same effect of deflecting the current. Most of the water flow moves to avoid the barely submerged rock, leaving some water to pour over the rock. The resulting water feature is either a hole or a wave, depending on how much water is pouring over. Little water flowing over leaves a strong eddy below, and a very flat hole, often called a hydraulic. More water generates a hole, a wavelike formation with a white frothy backwash. Study rapids from different points ashore to help you figure out what each feature looks like from varied points of view.

Occasionally, you will not be able to see the water disappear over the edge of a drop. This horizon line indicates a bigger drop, one that you will probably want to scout from shore. Look for the biggest waves in the main flow of current. Generally those will help direct you to a clear channel and the most fun.

An instructor can help you learn to identify river hazards, like undercut rocks, or man made things like bridge pilings. Tree branches forming strainers are one of the most dangerous hazards in the sport. Scan for bouncing twigs and unexplained currents that might indicate a strainer. Learn to identify potential danger spots then concentrate your vision on where you want to go, rather than at what you want to avoid.

Learning to read water takes time and practice, so paddle within your ability and experience and don't just follow other boaters. Instead, explore easy and safer rapids by picking your own line.

Words of Wisdom to Avoid

Kayaking is a counterintuitive sport, so perhaps it should be no surprise that we occasionally offer erroneous advice to people learning the sport. I frequently wince when I encounter students who have developed bad habits, resulting from well meaning words of wisdom. These are some of the classics that should be avoided.

PADDLE! PADDLE! PADDLE! is frequently heard along the river, as beginner paddlers are encouraged down their first rapids. This advice occasionally improves a beginner’s odds of making it through a drop successfully. However, the tip encourages the bad habit of flailing, and taking too many strokes. The neophyte paddler is left unaware of the magic of proper stroke timing and placement.

A better approach is a systematic explanation of the places where speed is useful, like for punching a hole. Or for punching into an eddy once the boat is on the right approach path. In either of those cases, 3 strokes of acceleration is all that is necessary. Speed doesn’t help very much in waves, in fact, rushing to fit in extra strokes often throws a paddler off balance.

So next time you cheer for a friend bouncing through a rapid, try making noise. Pound on your boat, and make a racket. You are more likely to be heard, and less likely to start bad habits!

LEAN DOWNSTREAM is another overused tip, offered to keep beginner paddlers from getting violently flipped as they peel out of an eddy. It is good advice, if explained thoroughly. First, the paddler you are coaching has to understand the different types of leans. There is the beginner’s instinctive lean, which leaves the boat flat, while the paddler leans his body forward and a bit out over the water.

For most whitewater moves you actually want a boat tilt, which is accomplished by curling the body and head up over the boat, jutting out the ribcage. (When washing sideways into rocks or other obstacles the lean is like a bellbuoy, boat and body together.) So understanding and practicing this sort of balance, without the paddle as a crutch, is the first step to less power flips on eddy lines.

Next is the issue of how long to keep the boat tilted when entering the current from an eddy. I have diagnosed an amazing number of self-taught paddlers who have the disability of trying to lean downstream all of the time while on the river. WRONG! Not only wrong, but really hard to do. The proper boat tilt downstream advice only applies to a few moments in the transition from eddy to current, and in a few miscellaneous instants, like floating into a hole sideways.

Imagine for a moment walking in an airport with a moving sidewalk. When you step from solid ground onto the sidewalk you need a few moments of balance, leaning, until you have adapted to the speed of the sidewalk. You would sure look funny leaning forward the entire length of the sidewalk! The river is the same, except the look is tippy and awkward, and not as obvious. You only want to tilt the boat for a few moments as you make a peel out, gradually setting your boat flat as you adapt to the speed of the current.

KEEP THE BOAT STRAIGHT is a third oversimplification that beginning paddlers often hear, and follow to their own demise. It is the correct reaction for heading straight into a breaking ocean wave, but for a variety of reasons, rarely do whitewater paddlers keep the boat straight. A quick glance around at expert boaters will confirm that floating sideways is a valuable part of paddling. You can’t get into eddies, or even avoid rocks, while keeping the boat pointed straight downriver. In fact, many of the best instructors teach spinning circles in current to improve the comfort level of students. The ultimate comfort comes from developing the boat control so it is easy to be perpendicular for curling breaking waves, or for ledges.

So the next time you hear one of these bits of paddling "wisdom", keep in mind it may well meaning advice, oversimplified. Tilt the boat when making the momentary transition across different speed current. And keep the boat straight for more predictability in curling breaking waves. So paddle, paddle, paddle, frequently! But not in a frenzy!

If you Swim

A strong and adept swimmer can often pull off the most efficient rescue of all: an aggressive self rescue. The aggressive self rescue is quick, simple, but tiring. This is often much faster than waiting for a tow to shore.

A strong and adept swimmer can often pull off the most efficient rescue of all: an aggressive self rescue. The aggressive self rescue is quick, simple, but tiring. This is often much faster than waiting for a tow to shore.

When you bail-out, you have to make a quick decision: do you hold onto your boat and gear? In more difficult rapids, or with known hazards present, you’ll want to let go of everything and concentrate on avoiding danger spots and getting yourself to shore.

If you choose to hold onto your boat, don’t get caught between the boat and a rock. Move quickly to the upstream end. Usually you will angle yourself and the boat towards shore and swim for an eddy using a sidestroke. Look for a way to help yourself swimming, don’t wait on a rescue!

At times you can get your boat to shore with a big shove. The idea is to flip the boat real quick, from the end, not allowing water in. Then push it to shore, and swim aggressively for it.

If you’re in big water you’ll probably want to keep hold of your paddle. It’s easiest to manage if you hold it near the blade. If you are near shore or in a smaller river you might toss it ahead into an eddy.

If you are doing an aggressive self rescue, move quickly to the upstream end. Usually you will angle yourself and the boat towards shore and swim for an eddy using a sidestroke.

Help your Buddy

Swimming to shore with gear is not easy, even in mild current, so nearly every kayaker welcomes an assist when they do swim. But it is not always obvious how to help. Understanding your options will help you make the correct choice.

YOUR KAYAKING BUDDY IS SWIMMING

How to help

Swimming to shore with gear is not easy, even in mild current, so nearly every kayaker welcomes an assist when they do swim. But it is not always obvious how to help. Understanding your options will help you make the correct choice.

The first paddler on the scene should approach the swimmer. In the midstof a rapid, the best way to assist is frequently with encouragement or by giving directions for an aggressive self rescue. In the midst of rapids or close to shore clear directions are often the best way to help a swimmer.

"Swim this way, keep those feet up. You got it!"

If the swimmer needs an assist with a longer swim, you will probably approach the swimmer stern-first. Once he has hold, head for shore. The swimmer helps out by kicking.

TIP: Wait until the swimmer has a good grasp. Many newer boats have loops that are very difficult to hold. If the swimmer doesn’t kick, you won’t make much progress, so they will often need a gentle reminder.

 

If you have a long distance to go, and enough size in the stern, you can get a paddler up on the back deck. Back deck towing works best with a long boat and cooperative swimmer.

Other times you’ll find it works best to get the swimmer on the bow. Most small boats handle better this way, plus you can offer face to face reassurance and directions. Many instructors find this works well in deeper water with a panicked swimmer.

CHASING THE GEAR

When someone swims, don’t all crowd around him! As you get into position, look for the job that isn’t being done, then do it. One person gets the swimmer, and the other gets the gear. An efficient rescue can be amazingly quick if everyone is well practiced at the skill.

Sometimes a rescue simply takes longer than expected. If the swimmer starts to drift into a harder rapid, everyone will be safer if you back off. Follow the swimmer and gear through the drop, then try again. Don’t chase gear through a difficult or dangerous drop.

BULLDOZE OR SHOVE?

You can bulldoze a kayak into the shore with your bow. Align the boat so the upstream end is pointed slightly towards shore, and push it in, being careful to maintain the angle. Don’t get in the way by getting between the shore and the boat!

Sometimes, a big shove can get the boat to shore most efficiently. You’ll usually leave the boat upside down for a shove, bulldoze, or tow. Only flip it upright if you are sure you can without getting much water inside.

 

LASSO THE PADDLE

If the swimmer has been taken care of… make sure someone has the paddle. If you have big hands, you can use it together with your regular paddle. More likely you will toss it to an eddy or onto shore. Even if it only gets part way to shore, it slows down and will be easier to find.

 

REVIEW

There are a lot of decisions for a swimmer, and a rescuer, to make. These get easier with experience and practice. Practice in a known rapid that is deep and unobstructed.

Whitewater Safety

Successfully running a difficult river is not always a measure of your improvement. Instead, challenge yourself by making hard moves like ferries and surfing on easy rivers. Racers and all really good boaters develop their skills this way. Knowing your ability and matching it to appropriate rivers is the best way to ensure safe boating.

Preventable Risks in Whitewater Boating

On the first day of a beginner course, I remember standing thigh-deep in Lake Fontana, gazing off at the southern tip of the Smoky Mountains, waiting patiently for the last student in my kayak class to paddle over for rolling instruction. The extra time it took him to drift to me provided clues to his fears. And, as I had guessed, he panicked when he finally let his boat flip upside down."How do you feel?", I queried."Okay", he muttered."What's on your mind?" I asked."Drowning," he admitted.

Gulp. As a professional instructor, I believe in insulating my students from unnecessary worry by teaching skills in a logical, reassuring progression. An outline of the day's activities, closely supervised wet exits, and maintianing a high regard for safety precautions usually serves this purpose. Unfortunately, this whitewater-bound beginner had arrived with fearful mis-conceptions about safety in the sport. His well-meaning friends had sent him off with intimidating comments about his poor,ownerless dog starving. They had made teasing claims to his posthumous bank account. Then, after signing the purposefully graphic course waiver, my student's insecurities had toppled.

"Are you afraid of drowning here on the lake?", I asked."No," he swallowed."On the river then?" I pursued. "Well..." He paused. "How many of the 150,000 people who travel the Nantahala each year do you think drown?" I ask, imagining student's mind racing into the double digits. "Two drownings in twenty years." I explain, "Neither was a kayaker. One wasn't wearing a lifejacket."

Immediately following this incident I described to the whole class the five preventable causes of death that give whitewater sports a risky reputation.

"Number one, alcohol is a common cause of accidents. That is clearly not an issue for us today.""Number two, not wearing a tight fitting PFD. Our class has already discussed this topic.""Number three, no prior education in the sport causes 95% of whitewater accidents. Here we are in class, avoiding that mistake.""Number four, flooded rivers are a frequent killer. Sadly, we are in the midst of a five year drought. Although we would welcome higher water, floods are certainly not a risk to us today.""Number four, hypothermia... Clearly I am in the greatest danger, shivering slightly from 3 hours of roll instructing. You, however, are in no risk, basking in 90 degree temperatures with a wetsuit available. I noticed everyone's shoulders relax as I reviewed whitewater sports' five unnecessary killers. The class closed with smiles on everyone's face.

Dealing with Fear

A common way to aggravate fears is by paddling with groups of different experience and thrill interests than your own. My favorite example of this was actually with a group of drill sergeants who were put up to a raft trip by a commander. The commander wanted guides to take the sergeants on a wild ride, with a lot of risk. Understandably, when the drill sergeants arrived, few of them were looking forward to the trip in any way. The trip was, as a result, more conservative than most.

Sadly, the most common condition for fears is the wife or girlfriend scenario, where the woman is dragged into the sport by an obliviously macho boyfriend. Often in this situation the woman gets poorly fitting, hand me down equipment, and less instruction and say in river destinations. I can report that I have seen men dragged into the sport with the same result. Paddle with people of similar skills and interests!

To deal with your river fears, remember that fear is a deeply ingrained protective mechanism, designed to protect you. The horrible feelings you get are nothing more than extra energy for doing battle. Instead of thinking of yourself as nervous, think of having extra energy. Treat your mind to rerun images of making rapids successfully, rather than dwelling on the worst that can happen.

Fear of whitewater is caused like any fear: confusion, and a lack of specific understanding, allows your mind to manufacture anxiety, ill ease, and fear emotions. Specifically identifying the risks and choosing exactly where you paddle will go along way toward harnessing your fears. Very few hazards are lurking in every rapid. Knowing when not to worry will undoubtedly make most of the sport more pleasant.

Your vision patterns will match the water difficulty you paddle. Beginners tend to look only at the bow, and slightly ahead. Intermediates tend to see eddies along the shore and look well down the rapid. Expert paddlers catch eddies while scanning downstream for hazards and upstream for other boaters. Developing your vision patterns will actually improve your skill level.

Swimming Whitewater

Most whitewater paddlers have heard the rule of thumb: "keep your feet up", which is the cardinal rule for avoiding foot entrapments caused by trying to stand in the river. This defensive swimming strategy is important, but it is not the only thing one should know about swimming whitewater!

Swimming whitewater: Beyond "feet-up"

Most whitewater paddlers have heard the rule of thumb: "keep your feet up", which is the cardinal rule for avoiding foot entrapments caused by trying to stand in the river. This defensive swimming strategy is important, but it is not the only thing one should know about swimming whitewater!

Swimming in whitewater has several different styles every paddler should know: defensive, aggressive, and special techniques for dealing with eddy lines, strainers, holes, drops, and big water.

Defensive Swim- the first thing

The first thing to do after an unexpected swim is get on your back withyour feet pointing downstream. Floating in this defensive swimming position, you can evaluate what lies ahead, and you are well protected.

Keep your body lined up with the current so you can slip by rocks.

While swimming, always keep your feet near the surface, and never try to stand up in water deep enough to float you. If your foot gets caught, the water pushes your body over and can hold you underwater. A foot entrapment is a dangerous, but avoidable situation.

Experienced paddlers can make this mistake. Don’t let embarrassment, frustration, or cold make you hunt for footing. Swim properly unless it is just too shallow to do anything!

From the defensive swimming position, on your back with your feet up, you can evaluate what’s next. When you see a hazard to avoid, or an eddy or shore for safety, angle your body and backstroke to maneuver. You can move around by angling your body in the direction you want to go and backstroking upstream. You will be looking between your feet at what you are avoiding… since you can’t see where you are heading, this position can be disconcerting. Think of aiming the top of your head for your destination!

SWIMMING AGGRESSIVELY

If you need more power, change to an aggressive swimming technique.Roll over on your stomach and use a crawl stroke. Breathe on the downstream side if you can to avoid inhaling water. This style of swim is pretty tiring, so it is best for short, intense bursts. A breast stroke or side stroke will improve your visibility but slow your progress.

Any swimming is exhausting, and you’ll be thankful for a little practice and fitness training. The crawl style aggressive swim is especially important for rivers with deep turbulent water. If you see where you want to be, get there!

SPECIAL SWIMMING TECHNIQUES

BARREL ROLLS ACROSS AN EDDY LINE

When you swim into an eddy, you will find it easiest to break through the eddy line by doing barrel rolls over the eddy line. This technique helps you break through the eddyline, which naturally tries to spin and reject you.

DON'T MISS THE OBVIOUS: GRAB A ROCK

With powerful current you may not be able to swim into eddies, so your best chance may be grabbing for a rock, or even swimming head first up onto a friendly rock. In certain cases this can save you from a long battering swim.

STRAINER SWIM

Swimming over a strainer is done head first. You want to avoid thispredicament, but if you find yourself unavoidably swimming towards a strainer, switch to head first, and kick flat to launch up and over the top. The goal is to keep your head up. The normal feet first position is too passive for strainers! Head first is an important technique to know.

VERTICAL DROPS

Vertical drops have a unique swimming technique. The idea is to ball up,to avoid the possibility of washing into a foot entrapment. This is a concern starting with sheer drops of several feet or more.

 

SWIMMING IN A POUROVER HOLE

Swimming in holes can be big fun with the right wave hole… but in largerpourover holes it is not fun. If you feel stuck in one don’t just swim for the surface! Change your shape to see if this causes the hole to spit you out. The most reliable system is swimming aggressively for the sides where water rushes by or swimming upstream to hook up with current flushing out underneath.

SWIMMING IN BIG WATER

It is best to avoid a swim on long stretches of continuous whitewater, especially in cold, flooded rivers lined with trees and strainers. But if you end up in an unfortunate big water swim, be super aggressive if you see a way to get to safety. You’ll need to watch the currents to decide if you are safer staying with the extra floatation of your boat, or abandoning your boat to allow a super aggressive swim. In big flows you will probably need help getting to shore… and you’ll be thankful if your group has the skills to assist.

REVIEW

So there really are quite a few swimming techniques every paddler should know! Backstroke for orientation and protection, crawl strokes for deep water power, and use special techniques for catching eddies, handling unavoidable strainers and drops, and dealing with holes and big water. Don’t wait until you really need the skill to practice. There is no replacement for on the water training with an instructor.

One More Warning

You end up in the water when you least expect it, usually from anunplanned swim or minor rescue situation. Being prepared to swim starts when you dress for the river. Cold water and hypothermia are an obvious threat on nasty snowy days. But good weather days can be deceptive. If the Air temperature plus the water temperature combined is less than 120 degrees is pretty chilly. Check the water temperature, and dress accordingly.

Tip: Snug, quality helmets and lifevests round out proper preparation for boating. Keep everything streamlined so nothing holds water or can get snagged.

River Hazards

The following river hazards are described briefly which forces the paddler to adapt an inquisitive attitude. The river sense of experienced boaters is based on this approach.

Don't let these descriptions intimidate you. Your purpose is to understand the hazards clearly, enabling you to know when they are a factor to your safety. If you would like further explanation, ask local instructors to point them out on nearby rivers.

A Foot entrapment is simply catching a foot in rocks on the bottom of the river. It is caused by trying to stand up while getting swept downstream in water usually in water mid-thigh to mid-torso deep. Prevention is easy: stay in the safe swimmer's position (on your back, feet up and pointed downstream) unless the water is less than knee deep. Practice swimming and maneuvering through rapids aggressively, on your back, looking between your feet at the side of the river you wish to avoid. In very deep water practice swimming freestyle, on your stomach. River swimming wisdom is to ball up when swimming over a sheer drop of more than 3-4 feet.

Strainers are trees or single branches in the current, with river water flowing through, causing a severe pinning hazard. Strainers are caused by erosion. Trees fall because of old age, floods, and storms. Look for them on wooded riverbanks, along small creeks after high water, often found on the outside of bend, and on less frequented rivers. Assume they are present unless you know otherwise. Use downstream vision to spot bobbing twigs or irregular flow patterns.

Man Made Entrapments Anything manmade in the river is dangerous and are a constant cause of alarm and are inherently more dangerous than most things natural. Keep an eye out for bridge pilings, low head dams, junked cars, any man made junk found commonly in urban riverways, under highway crossings, and at abandonned dam sites. Maintain a habit of visual downstream scanning. Avoid anything suspicious!

Broaches Getting pinned on a rock, either amidship or at the ends. Avoid sharp rocks that can potentially crease a boat or serve as point to be wrapped by your kayak! Develop the instinct to lean into the rock with your boat and body leaning together like a bell buoy. Reach your body out to "Love the rock". Practice this skill with an instructor on gentle, shallow water until it becomes instinct.

Undercut Rocks Undercuts are a water feature where a slab of rock, or rock shape, forces the current flow to go under the surface. Learn to spot them by the dark shadow on the upstream side of the rock, the lack of pillowing action by oncoming water, and by the lack of a predictable eddy on the downstream side. Most dangerous undercuts are well known by locals, and listed in guidebooks.

Entanglement Getting tangled exiting your boat is most likely to be caused by ropes, and loose lines, in your boat. Practice wet exits and critically evaluate your outfitting for entanglement potential. Treat throw ropes as a potential hazard. Keep them neatly bagged, and carry a knife for rescue.

Vertical Pins occur when the bow buries and gets pinned on the bottom after a steep drop. This is not a concern until you are paddling drops of over 3 or 4 feet. Advanced paddlers prevent them by checking the water depth first, and leaning back into a 'boof' move to keep the bow up. Paddling boats with a large volume bow reduces this risk substantially- Thats why creek boats have high volume!

Hydraulics The killer hydraulics have evenly formed backwash, water moving back upstream for four or more feet. Holes with more of a wave shape are intimidating, but typically less hazardous than water flowing smoothly upstream. Dams, and hydraulics that are very regular, and perpendicular to the current are far more dangerous than hydraulics angled with one end downstream.

Long Swims Many people unfamiliar with the sport might expect long swims to be a primary killer. Since most beginner/intermediate rivers have pools between the drops, this is rarely the case. Wearing a tight PFD, matching your ability to an appropriate river, and being dressed for a swim can be excellent defense against a long swim. Of course another great precaution is a competent group of friends with either a shore or boat based rescue plan.

Back to basics: wear a helmet in kayaks, and learn to tuck tight forward to the deck when you flip ...dress appropriately for the water and air temperatures. Drysuits and wetsuits are a must if the combined water and air temperature is under 100 degrees.

The Bad Holes

You spend the first half of your paddling career trying to stay out of holes, and rest of your paddling career trying to stay in them.

How to Read the bad holes

You spend the first half of your paddling career trying to stay out of holes, and rest of your paddling career trying to stay in them.

The expression is a daunting joke to rodeo competitors… but seems to be quite true for most paddlers. The less you know about holes, the more frequently you seem to get stuck and trashed. The more you know, the better you are at picking ones within your ability.

The Basics: Wave Holes And Ledge Holes

Holes with more of a wave shape are intimidating, but typically less hazardous. Very little water is recycling back upstream. Even the huge wave holes will usually just tumble you a time or two before flushing you out.

Ledge holes are not so nice. These go by different names… like pourover, keeper, sticky hole, etc. The water drops down, goes underneath, and some recycles back upstream. This water moving upstream can be tricky, and hold a boat, and in some cases if you swim. Learn how to identify the ugly ones so you can avoid them.

Big Backwash Is Bad

The distance the water in a ledge hole is moving upstream tells you a lot about its danger and power. If the backwash is approaching four feet, there is a greater chance you can get recycled in there if you swim. If the current moves upstream a greater distance, it is getting really nasty and dangerous. A ledge hole with only 2 feet of backwash, might be pretty sticky for a boat sidesurfing, but as soon as you swim it will flush you out pretty quick.

Irregular Is Better

A hole or ledge hole that is irregular is nicer, since there is more likely jets of current breaking through the backwash. Hook up with one of those irregular spots, and you are on your way out. If the backwash is wider, stretching across more of the river, it is worse.

Width Is Worse

The worst examples are low head dams, which often have dangerous hydraulics because they are wide, have several feet of backwash, and no current blowing through. If you look carefully, you can spot the horizon line from upstream. A ledge hole that is only a few feet wide is less dangerous, since it won’t take as much effort to swim out the side.

 

Smiling Or Frowning

Whoever thought of this famous memory trick must have been in a helicopter at the time. Smiling or frowning refers to the view looking upstream from overhead. Basically, if the ends of a hole are angled downstream, it will tend to feed you out the end. A frowning hole has the both ends angled upstream, and is worse, more likely to hold you. This one is smiling.

A hole that is angled relative to the current flow will be more friendly, since it will tend to flush you out the side into the current rushing by.

Rare Exceptions

If the ends of the hole are closed, like angled upstream or against a wall, it can be real sticky and bad.

Another exception is a hole with unusual power moving back upstream. These are rare, but the worst examples have a rock underneath, aiding the backwash. Some low head dams are designed with this feature, making them extra dangerous.

What to do

Smart paddlers don’t ever run drops blindly. When you can’t see clearly downstream, either to the end of a rapid or the next sure eddy, stop and get a better view. Scouting is always a good option, and a good opportunity to share knowledge!

GETTING OUT SWIMMING

Swimming in holes can be big fun with the right wave hole... but in larger pourover holes its no fun. If you feel stuck in one don't just swim for the surface! Simply changing your shape may cause the hole to spit you out.

First, swim aggressively for the sides where water rushes by. You may improve your chances to escape if you swim upstream to hook up with current flushing out underneath.

Rating System

The whitewater river rating system classifies rivers from Class I to Class VI. While the system is often discussed and debated, it is imperfect.

To get an accurate idea of the difficulty of the run you need to get a full description. This will include information about the nature of the rapids. Are they drop pool, or continuous. What is the gradient? How many major rapids, and are they easily portaged. Is the river generally though to be safe, or dangerous? What is the water temperature, and how remote is the river?

This system is not exact; rivers do not easily fit one category, and regional or individual interpretations may cause misunderstandings. Allow an extra margin for safety when the water is cold or if the river is remote.

Class I EASY. Fast moving water with riffles and small waves. Few obstructions, all obvious and missed with little training. Risk to swimmers is slight, self rescue is easy.

ClassII Novice. Straightforward rapids with wide clear channels which are evident without scouting. Occasional maneuvering may be required, but rocks and medium sized waves are easily missed by trained paddlers. Swimmers are seldom injured and group assistance, while helpful is seldom needed.

Class III: Intermediate. Rapids with moderate, irregular waves which may be difficult to avoid and which can swamp an open canoe. Complex maneuvers in fast current, and good boat control in tight passages or around ledges is often required. Large waves or strainers may be present but can be easily avoided. Strong eddies and powerful current effects can be found, particularly on large volume rivers. Scouting is advisable for inexperienced parties. Injuries while swimming are rare; self rescue is usually easy, but group assistance may be required to avoid long swims.

Class IV: Advanced. Intense, powerful but predictable rapids requiring precise boat handling in turbulent water. Depending on the character of the river it may feature large, unavoidable waves and holes or constricted passages demanding fast maneuvers under pressure. A fast reliable eddy turn may be required to initiate maneuvers, scout rapids, or rest. Rapids may require "must" moves before dangerous hazards. Scouting is necessary the first time down. Risk of injury to swimmers is moderate to high, and water conditions make self rescue difficult. Group assistance for rescue is often essential but requires practiced skills. A strong Eskimo roll is highly recommended.

Class V: Expert. Extremely long, obstructed, or very violent rapids which expose a paddler to above average endangerment. Drops may contain large, unavoidable waves and holes or steep congested chutes with complex demanding routes. Rapids may continue for long distances between pools, demanding a high level of fitness. What eddies that may exist may be small, turbulent, and difficult to reach. Scouting is mandatory, but often difficult. Swims are dangerous, and rescue is difficult even for experts. A very reliable eskimo roll, proper equipment, extensive experience, and practiced rescue skills are essential for survival.

Class VI: Extreme. One grade more difficult than class V. These runs often exemplify the extremes of difficulty, unpredictability, and danger. The consequences of errors are severe and rescue may be impossible. For teams of experts only, at favorable water levels, after close inspection and taking all precautions. This class does not include drops thought to be unrunnable, but may include drops only occasionally run.

Whitewater Leans

This scenario is often played out in whitewater canoeing and kayaking classes around the country. Leans, and the resulting good balance, are an important part of learning to paddle, but are rarely described with precision. Leans can be organized into three basic types: the J lean, the Bellbuoys lean, and the body lean.

Instructor: "Lean, Lean, Lean"

Student: "I am leaning"

Students' thoughts: "If I lean any more I know I will flip"

 

This scenario is often played out in whitewater canoeing and kayaking classes around the country. Leans, and the resulting good balance, are an important part of learning to paddle, but are rarely described with precision. Leans can be organized into three basic types: the J lean, the Bellbuoys lean, and the body lean.

The "J" lean, named for the "J" shape of your spine, is a boat lean with your body weight centered over the boat. This lean keeps most of the weight off your blade so you can use it for balance and for strokes. The "Bellbuoy" lean is named for the stiff rocking action of an ocean bellbouy. Navigation bellbuoys are so bottom-heavy that they are self righting. Boats aren't that way! So bellbuoy leans in a canoe or kayak require support from the paddle. As we will see, this makes it a less usable whitewater lean. The final lean, the "body" lean, leaves the boat flat while the body leans. Beginners like this lean since the boat stays securely flat. Of course that usually defeats the purpose. This frequent misunderstanding underscores the importance of describing exactly the type of lean required for each whitewater maneuver.

Probably the most graphic demonstration of the different leans is in sidesurfing. A sidesurf in any boat is exciting, and comfortable surfing requires understanding which lean is correct.

Sidesurfing requires a J- lean to the downstream side. With this lean you can teeter totter your weight over the boat. This allows you to put nearly no force on your paddle blade, so you can use it to move around in the hole or to quiet the bouncing of your boat. Meanwhile you can adjust the exact lean of the boat to try to keep the water from grabbing the upstream edge.

Sometimes beginner paddlers are fooled into thinking they are leaning the boat when in fact they are just leaning their body. This is actually just opposite to the correct J lean, since the boat is flat and the body is leaning out over the water. Instructors refer to this as "I'm leaning, I'm leaning", for the replies students shout when told to lean more.

Even good paddlers fall prey to trying to sidesurf with the bellbuoy lean. The bellbouy does lean the boat, and it satisfies the paddlers' instinct to get the paddle far away from the boat

for more outrigger type support. The flaw to this approach is subtle, but important to understand. The further you reach the blade from the boat, the more you pull your torso out of balance, and the more paddle pressure it takes to maintain. Paddlers sidesurfing with a bellbuoy lean often feel that their paddle is sinking in the water.

A classic whitewater joke speaks of the redneck who takes up sidesurfing his kayak. Before he jumps in to try it he summarizes the three things he knows he will find true.

"First, I know this is going to be really hard"

"Second, I know I need to have a really reach out to get leverage"

"and third, I will have to put a lot of pressure down on the blade."

Of course this is all wrong. Easy sidesurfing requires that you keep the shaft horizontal and slide the blade in close to the boat to make it easy to keep your weight over the boat. The blade should only be used to help you move from side to side in the hole. Typically the high brace position (with elbows down, knuckles up) is rotated slightly to the stern and the blade angle turned to move forward. To move the other direction, use a low brace (elbows up, knuckles down) and move into a reverse stroke with the back face of the blade. If you have trouble moving the paddle around while you are sidesurfing, you probably are in a bellbuoy lean. Move the blade inboard, closer to the boat, to help center your weight over the boat.

Learning and practicing the J- lean is best done on flatwater. First lean your boat, and feel how the weight and pressure changes from both cheeks of your butt to one cheek and the opposite knee. Notice how a good J lean requires that your head be cocked away from the direction of lean. If you can hold that lean for a while, try paddling forward while you maintain a slight J- lean. Your comfort doing this will be directly related to your enjoyment of sidesurfing. Transferring this drill to mild rapids will be even better for developing your whitewater balance.

Canoeists often have a bad habit of riding their braces down rapids. These paddlers use their brace as a crutch, and immobilize the effectiveness of the paddle to do proactive strokes. The irony is that the brace most of these people use is really similar to a bellbuoy lean. True, without the blade in the water they would flip, but that is because they have a bellbuoy lean, not because they have a successful brace. You should be paddling with a minimum of braces, so your weight is balanced over the boat and so your strokes can be effective.

Eddy turns and peelouts are another showcase for proper leaning technique. Practice them without using strokes to adjust the turns. You will learn to feel the hull of the boat smearing across the water, sticking to initiate a good turn. It may feel more dynamic to do a turn with some of your weight riding on a

brace stroke, but in the long run this impairs the effectiveness of corrections you can do with the blade. Duffek and turning strokes should be gently placed to fine tune turns. The paddle shaft should be vertical, so the blade reaches deep into the water rather than with any angle toward horizontal. The more vertical the shaft the better. Even when you use strokes to catch the eddy, avoid depending on them to provide the turn.

Paddlers often develop a misconception about what sorts of leans are required in the middle of a jet of current. To understand correct leaning think of standing on a moving sidewalk in an airport...Do you need to lean while you are moving along? NO...only just when you step on or off the conveyor belt do you need to compensate differently with momentary leans. The same is true for whitewater. You only need to lean when you are in transition from an eddy to the current, or from the current to an eddy.

In small waves, practice floating sideways with no lean so that you are comfortable as you and your boat bob up and down. Your weight should be low in the boat: centered in your butt for kayaks and shared between your knees and butt for canoeists. You can add new twists to this drill by spinning in circles as you drift through standing waves. Only if you encounter holes (that stop the boats momentum) or rocks (remember that bellbuoy lean!) will you need some sort of a lean. Big water open canoeists actually add an upstream J lean to keep tall waves from coming in over the gunwales. To catch eddies gracefully, with a minimum number of strokes, you will need to be somewhat sideways in the current to get the proper approach angle.

Good balance on whitewater is really nothing more than understanding how to keep your body weight centered over the boat with proper leans. When we walk on the moving sidewalk these leans are quite automatic, so we describe them as balance. Work on some of the mentioned balance and leaning exercises, and you will be amazed at the improvement in your paddling.

Sidesurfing

Sidesurfing is a great way to play on the river, and to get an understanding about holes. The goal is to sit sideways in a hydraulic, using the wave shape to hold you in position. You will be free to move if your balance comes from posture and knee lift, rather than a heavily weighted paddle, which will make you feel stuck.

Easy sidesurfing holes resemble waves with shallow entry angle on the upstream side. Even a tall wave can offer a gentle ride if its entry is shallow. Initially, avoid such holes as pourovers in which the water moves smoothly back upstream. Where the water falls steeply, a smooth ride is unlikely. In addition, a steep entry angle requires a strong boat edge resulting in a weighted paddle. The length of the backwash is a factor in evaluating a sidesurfing hole's strength. The longer, the stronger, and the more dangerous.

The best sidesurfing is done with the boat edged, the head and body balanced over the boat. Unfortunately, many paddlers instinctually place the paddle far away from the boat for outrigger type support. The flaw to this approach is that the blade keeps sinking. The more the blade reaches from the boat, the more the head and shoulders move off-center, and the more paddle pressure is needed to stay upright.

Simply find a balance point where pressure on the blade is unnecessary. Use just enough edge to keep the boat from flipping upstream. Stay loose in the hips for the ride. Tight muscles tire quickly, balance is lost. Don't allow tension inside your boat. Your body should feel relaxed and balanced over the boat. Remember to breath! Hand surfing is sometimes easiest, since the paddle in both hands tends to tempt you off balance.!

For safety, your arms should be held low, elbows well below the shoulders and in front of your torso. Shoulder dislocations are infrequent, but the most common injury in kayaking. They are caused during extended arm positions. During torso rotation your elbows should remain in front of your shoulders and close to your body. Be especially careful to avoid upstream braces in shallow holes. Instead, tuck your head tight to the cockpit as you flip. If you feel stuck trying to move the paddle around while sidesurfing, you are probably leaning out over the water, stiff, like a bell buoy. Instead, move the blade closer to the boat to center your weight.

For balance purposes, only use gentle pressure on the paddle. Also try moving forward and backward in the hole. Use the blade in high brace or low brace positions.

GETTING OUT IN A BOAT

Riding a hole sideways is called a sidesurf. To stay upright in a sidesurf, you must keep the upstream edge of your boat clear of the green water falling into the hole. If this edge catches, its an instant flip. However, if you tilt the boat too far downstream, you'll look to the blade for constant support, then you won't be able to maneuver effectively. Steep ledge holes force lots of boat tilt, so it is hard to stay balanced.

Your goal is to find an ideal balanced position, so you can use normal forward, or reverse strokes to move your boat. If you don't have enough balance for pure forward or reverse strokes, you can sacrifice power and incorporate a brace. The high brace combines easily with a small forward sweep to propel you forward. The low brace works nicely with a reverse sweep to move you the other direction.

You've got one more stroke option for moving around in a hole: stationary strokes. These take advantage of the current under the pile to pressure the blade. You'll use a combination of these propulsion strokes to get out of a hole. In a deep hole, you are literally climbing out, so a little momentum will help. Sometimes you have to back up, and get a run at a good exit.

Accelerating Stroke

One important component of a forward stroke is having the blade run right along the side of the boat, pulling you efficiently forward. This paddle position minimizes the boats inherent desire to turn. Too much wag reduces your efficiency dramatically!

...Then Traveling Stroke

One important component of a forward stroke is having the blade run right along the side of the boat, pulling you efficiently forward. This paddle position minimizes the boats inherent desire to turn. Too much wag reduces your efficiency dramatically!

To eliminate wag, the optimum is a vertical stroke with the top hand quite high so the blade is closer to the boat. The vertical stroke label refers to the view from the front of the boat.

This vertical shaft position is ideal for acceleration. However, this position reduces the ease of harnessing power from torso rotation, and takes longer to transition to steering strokes. Once under way, you won't need so much verticality, but you will want your paddle blade in close to the boat.

The practical solution is a low, more horizontal stroke with top hand at shoulder to forehead level. This is more nimble and transitions easily into steering strokes.

Food for thought:

Experiment with a more vertical acceleration stroke and compare with the lower traveling stroke.

1. Which would you want making an attainment, climbing up a jet of current?
2. Which would you want in a real short boat?
3. Which do slalom racers use?
4. Which does a wildwater racer use?
5. What are other benefits of verticality?

Answers
1. Vertical
2. Vertical to accelerate, lower once underway.
3. Typically paddle in more vertical style because they are often accelerating and avoiding slalom poles with their top blade. Once underway they relax to lower style.
4. Wildwater racers typically use a lower stroke because the boat tracks easily and is not predisposed to turning like slalom or recreational boats.
5. Vertical strokes are also used to carve and maintain speed through a turn. Also, vertical strokes such as draws help avoid excessive and unplanned sliding and skidding on the water.

Boat Control Strokes

Knowing how to edge the boat, sit up straight, and hold the paddle correctly are all prerequisites to developing a kayaking finesse. The best boaters are fanatics about their strokes, practicing and fine tuning them on flat, easy water.

I'll start by describing sweep strokes, which turn the boat, and help you control your direction. Draw strokes to move sideways, and reverse paddling will round out our strokes lesson.

Forward Sweep

A well developed forward sweep stroke enables you to reach your paddling potential. Used toturn the boat, forward sweep strokes incorporate three principles: They are powered by large muscle groups of the torso, they follow a full 180 degree arc, and require a solid purchase on the water.

The powerful muscles that connect your torso to the lower body power this stroke, while arm muscles are reserved for small, subtle adjustments. Torso rotation enables you to harness this large muscle group. Do this by turning your torso and extending the blade forward. Straighten the arm near the water and pull your other hand back and below your shoulder. Plant the blade completely in the water, then unwind your torso. As you reach the end of comfortable twist, lift the edge of the boat on the side of your stroke.

During the sweep, the blade should travel in an arc extending about three feet from the boat. In order to do this, both hands should start below shoulder level. Make sure the top of the blade remains submerged throughout the stroke. To maintain your torso rotation, watch your blade sweep all the way to the back. Pay close attention to insure the blade angle stays straight up in the water. Without your adjustment by cocking your wrist, the blade has a tendency to twist at the end of the stroke, reducing its bite on the water.

Note: there is an advanced sweep stroke, where your torso does not follow your sweep. I don't teach this for average recreational boaters learning to surf. This way they can develop better blade control at the back of the boat. For more see Sweep Debate.

Transfer the power into your boat with your legs, by pushing on the sweeping side's footpeg and pulling your hip towards the blade. Practice forward sweep strokes while the boat is flat and while it's on edge.

How you apply power is important as well. Yanking the paddle simply pulls it through the water. A solid hold on the paddle allows it to move effectively. Bubbles or splashes behind the blade are an indication that you are pulling too fast. Notice how well your boat turns when the blade grabs the water securely.

The Stern Draw

The last part of the sweep stroke is so important and frequently botched that instructors oftenisolate it by calling it a stern draw. For the purposes of practice it's important to move your sweep stroke in a full 180 degree arc from bow to stern. But often you will vary the the length of the sweep to provide the turn needed. For instance, the back portion of the sweep is used to pull the stern around without moving the boat forward. This is the stern draw.

A common mistake is to hold the paddle at a lifting angle which simply lifts water, and doesn't move the stern around. I recommend you punch across your body with your top hand, twist your torso with the stroke, and watch the blade as you pull all the way in to the boat.

Reverse Sweep

Occasionally, for a quick turn, you will use a reverse sweep. This is simply the opposite of the forward version. Use the back of the blade, and provide most of the power while your torso unwinds. Linking the two strokes, one on each side, can provide a crisp turn. Practice this turn, and critique how smoothly you are doing the motion. This stroke combination is great for turning around.

In a short whitewater boat you will be able to spin easily, and fast enough to get dizzy. In a sea kayak the turn will be slow, like jockying your car around in a narrow driveway.

The Draw Stroke

Occasionally, you'll want to move sideways. A basic stroke for this is the draw stroke. Turn your torso to place the blade straight out from your hip. With both hands over the water, push out at the top hand as you pull in the blade. Tilt your boat away slightly. Feather the blade 90 degrees for the recovery.

If you are enjoying these basic stroke drills, you might want to skip ahead to the more advanced drills in Breakthru Tips.

 

Reverse Paddling

Important for stopping and maneuvering, reverse paddling complements your other strokes. Without changing your grip, use the back of the blade and the same techniques for forward paddling.

Secret Breakthroughs in Kayak Strokes

So you really want to improve your whitewater paddling? Whitewater paddling is so complex, how could there possibly be one secret you might ask. There is. Think about the methods that champions utilize in virtually every sport. Drills. They aren’t sexy, but they work!

So you really want to improve your whitewater paddling? Whitewater paddling is so complex, how could there possibly be one secret you might ask. There is. Think about the methods that champions utilize in virtually every sport. Drills. They aren’t sexy, but they work!

Think about it. If you go to a coach for nearly any sport, the coach will give you exercises and have you systematically practice drills designed to develop the correct patterns for the game. In soccer you do a 2 on 1 drill, left foot shooting, right foot shooting, heading. To excel in basketball you repeat a similar routine.

This same systematic approach can be applied to your paddling with remarkable results. It's easy and it works! In the long run, it's more fun to be able to place your boat exactly where you want it and make moves more reliably, to catch air more predictably, and to stay upright!

With a few exercises you can eliminate years of trial and error and bad habits, and build a solid foundation of skills. It might help to think of paddling as a culmination of drills in two areas: boat control, and whitewater skills.

But wait! You can’t go directly to the whitewater drills. The coach doesn’t simply let you scrimmage at the start of practice!

So how do you design your drills?

Study this list of broad categories of technique relating to your body, the blade and your boat. Simply messing about in a boat with awareness of these key variables will improve your paddling. But for real improvement, isolate one component at a time, and design a drill for improving your ability in that area.

Body Mechanics

Extension: Reach to place the blade for the longest pull.

Balance: Experiment with different types of leans.

Flexibility: Find your personal weaknesses.

Boat Kinesthetic Sensitivity

Carving: Feel the hull tracking through an arc.

Glide: Avoid bobbing, wagging, or wobbling as you paddle.

Pivot point awareness: Find where the center of rotation is for a spin. How does it change with speed?

Blade Skills

Feathering: Develop the ability to slice the blade through the water.

Sculling: Learn to move your boat sideways with the sculling motion. Maximize movement with fewer strokes.

Varying pressure: Search out resistance with the blade for the maximum stroke quality.

Catch, Power, recovery phases: Develop a quality catch and a quick recovery for the most power.

Vertical paddle strokes: Compare vertical acceleration strokes and lower traveling strokes.

High-level paddlers strive to do an hour of flatwater drills once a week. You can also add several of these drills to your normal warm-up and cool-down routine. Best is to do the drills on flatwater, so you can appreciate the effects of your strokes without the complication of currents.

Easy at first glance, stroke drills are remarkably hard to practice correctly. Improvement comes with deliberate thought and practice. Be smooth, slow, and purposeful. Refining your technique seems to require more effort... in truth your muscles are merely unaccustomed to the motion. Stick with it!

Keep in mind these drills are just a means to an end. Get out on the river and shred it up, putting the drills out of mind. But chances are, you will find new skills creeping into your playboating.

Spin Control

Paddling whitewater can be thought of as paddling in arcs while turning and avoiding obstacles. Rarely does a paddler maintain a perfectly straight course downstream. Turning is essential for paddling whitewater, and is often an under-practiced skill.

STARTING TURNS

The most basic stroke is the active bow draw, which is valuable for startingabrupt turns and for maintaining a squirt turn. The blade starts a comfortable distance out from your feet, with the power face of the blade facing your knees. For power, drive your feet and knees to the blade. Imagine swinging the boat to the blade rather than moving the blade to the boat. Leading the turn with your head and chest rotated in the direction that the boat will pivot is one of the best ways to get a tight turn.

You can get a little boost of forward speed from a bow draw called a C-stroke.It is an active bow draw, with a closed blade angle followed by a minimal forward stroke. With the C stroke you will use the closed blade angle similar in a bow draw. Minimize the forward stroke that follows, because too hard a forward stroke would turn the boat in the wrong direction.

A carving circle is the best way to practice this stroke. Tighten up the circle with the C stroke. If you aren’t at least vertical as seen from the front of the boat, it isn’t worth practicing. Oblique, or with your paddle shaft past vertical, is best!

SPIN CONTROL

Short boats turn so easily that you often have to spend more time controlling the spin, and less time starting the spin. Momentum is precious, so you want to use it to your benefit. You will always control the spin with a stroke on the inside of the turn.

One great way to maintain momentum is with a static draw by your hip. Thisrunning draw by your hip can help you keep momentum.

Taking the blade back helps resist the boats turning. By subtly adjusting your blade placement, forward and back off of your hip, and adjusting the blade angle(open or closed), you can harness and control your spin momentum. It might help to think of this stroke as serving the same purpose as a keel under the middle of your boat. You will find this very difficult if you do not have well refined sculling draws, that stay vertical with little effort.

For a tighter turn that maintains less momentum, plant the blade in front ofyour knee with an open angle to spin with the bow anchored and the stern swinging around. This classic duffek stroke is less frequently used with short boats because it creates such an abrupt sliding turn.

The hip draw will give you a wider turn. As you move the blade forward, you will get a tighter turn, more like a duffek. Opening the blade angle also tightens the turn. Experiment and compare! You will often start with a static draw at the hip and scull it forward towards your feet to get a sharper turn.

There is one more turning option called a sculling bow draw. The blade scullsfrom the hip forward to tighten the turn. Often this subtle sculling will help you current pressures on the blade.

You will be most versatile if you are practiced at all of these draw variations. The draw by the hip, the sculling draw, the static duffek, the active bow draw, and the C stroke. Verticality of the shaft of the paddle is the most important component of these to practice, so it will be natural when you need a crisp turn out there on the river.

Carving Control

For the best boat control in whitewater, you will want to understand how to get the boat to carve by holding it steady on its edge. A sign of good paddling is the ability to carve to carry speed efficiently, rather than sliding into eddies and catching edges with a flat boat.

For the best boat control in whitewater, you will want to understand how to get the boat to carve by holding it steady on its edge. A sign of good paddling is the ability to carve to carry speed efficiently, rather than sliding into eddies and catching edges with a flat boat.

Try it this on flatwater. Compare a carving turn with a skidding turn. Get some forward momentum and then start the boat carving on its edge, stop paddling, keeping it on edge, then set the boat flat and observe what happens. Keep the blade out of the water so you can feel all of the changes.

When the boat is set flat, the bow stops and the stern washes out. This is good when you want the boat to spin easily. However, a sliding turn stalls your forward momentum, and is less precise. Most people keep the boat flat too often, and lack steady edging ability. So if you need momentum and precision, then carving and steady edge control is preferred.

To improve you will want to develop steady edging and carving , AND be able to take strokes when the boat is radically tilted on its edge. The best paddlers can tilt the boat up on edge, and paddle aggressively without relying on their paddle for balance. Steady edging and carving will help you feel confident!!! You will be more dynamic in your boating with less effort.

By working on carving, you will also improve your balance. Without steady edge control, you will get little wobbles. Little wobbles reduce your paddling performance, even if you don’t flip.

DRILL TIME Are you ready to improve? Here are the drills to help you with your carving precision, edging balance, and stroke quality.

The purest form of carving is to hold a steady edge, and paddle on one side. Use a vertical stroke, and extend each stroke up to the bow when planting the blade in the water. To get the boat to co-operate, you will need to first initiate the boat into a turn in the direction you want. Then hold a steady boat tilt while you paddle with the blade on the inside of the circle. Push your top hand out over the water to get the shaft vertical.

Carving is a great way to work on the quality of your catch. Try to keep the paddle shaft vertical as seen from the front of the boat. Practice combining a steady boat tilt with verticality in each stroke. You will find that when you add lots of verticality, it becomes harder to hold a steady boat tilt. So work on tilt and verticality separately, and then ultimately you can combine them together. If you have trouble, it is most likely your blade is not close enough to the boat, or you don’t have a steady enough tilt. Multiple strokes on one side are frequently the best source for propulsion.

You probably know the wobbly, less stable feeling of sliding into eddies. Edging isn’t just for eddies. Carving helps accelerate through an arc while maintaining momentum. Another benefit of being comfortable with your boat on edge is improved surfing. Without edge control, you will frequently bury your bow when surfing, or even bury your bow before even getting onto the wave.

Practice the drill shown above because developing precise form carving and edging will provide your boating will noticeable improvement. Be forewarned, it is harder than it looks!

The best paddlers can tilt the boat up on edge, and paddle aggressively without relying on their paddle for balance.

Pick your sweep

There are three sweep variations an intermediate/advanced paddler should know and practice. The aggressive sweep, the last half of a full sweep(the stern draw), and the full sweep. Let’s look at each type of sweep, and study where and when it is most effective.

Aggressive sweep, Leading with eyes and chest

In the aggressive sweep the key is to focus your eyes and CHEST in thedirection you wish to turn. This anticipation with your eyes, head, and torso is ultimately one of the key elements for powerful and precise boat placement, and is used very frequently in playboating. An ideal use of this ‘preturn’ of the torso and forward sweep is when completing the second half of flat spins.

For doing cartwheels this torso movement is extra important. Your body needs to stay ahead of the boat by leading with your head, torso, and blade. If you get caught with your body behind the boat then typically what happens is that you will lose your balance and fall over.

Aggressive sweeps at the bow are also valuable when heading down a river or arcing down across current. In some of these cases, anything near the stern is wasted effort.

Now let’s work on this forward sweep. Practice leading with your head and chest, so your body finishes in the neutral position. When you start a sweep, start with a push away from the bow. Think of pushing your feet away from the blade. Anchor the blade! Check that the blade gets at least 3 feet from the boat, with a nearly horizontal shaft. Taper off the power on this sweep as you sweep into your hip.

Don’t worry if this aggressive technique is a little different from the sweeps you first learned. It is simply a more advanced technique

STERN DRAW

Sweeps to control the stern of your boat are most important when you are learning to go straight, ferry and surf. For these moves, you will often want sweeps that finish with a stern draw. Follow the blade with your torso and eyes, this will give you good strength for the stroke, and helps insure the blade position of a wide stern draw with the blade anchored.

Even the most advanced paddlers use the stern draw at the back of the boat when they are surfing a steep/fast wave, or when trying to hold their downstream angle when diving across an eddy.

You’ll want to choose the stroke that uses the water. Some of the least effective strokes happen when a paddler tries to correct a ferry with a sweep at the bow. Controlling your boat angle on a ferry or surf is an ideal time for a stern draw.

 

The way you do a sweep stroke depends on your experience in whitewater. Many instructors choose to teach the sweep/ stern draw combination as part of a teaching progression for students who don’t have much shoulder strength, torso rotation, and blade dexterity. This way of learning the stern draw helps emphasize a quality stroke, so that beginning paddlers can maintain a ferry angle easily.

Practice your stern draw. Rotate your torso, and finish with your front hand high in front of your face to insure the blade goes deep in the water at the correct angle to anchor the blade. Practice the stroke watching the blade. Once you always get the blade angle correct, practice looking forward.

A good drill is letting the boat fall off a ferry angle, then correct with a stern draw, squeezing the blade gently in to the stern.

A common mistake is trying to correct a boat angle with a sloppy stroke that lifts water at the end. To correct this problem drop your back elbow, and get the front hand high. Watch the blade for feedback until you always get it right! A stern draw with good technique will make corrections easy!

Full Sweep, Following with head/chest

Now practice a forward sweep following the blade with your eyes, head, and torso. Again, you should take the blade in a wide arc. With this sweep you might take in an arc further to the stern, ending in a stern draw. You will get the best results from a quiet stroke without splashes.

As you practice, do the sweep with your boat flat. Keep it steady without wobbles. Even a small amount of edging or wobbles will reduce the efficiency of the turn.

When you are working on your sweep strokes, think of a rounded off rectangle, rather than a half circle – out from the boat, parallel to the boat, and back into the boat. This will maximize the power in your sweep stroke. This full sweep/ stern draw combo will help you practice anchoring the blade in the water without rushing or splashing. This sweep, combined with a reverse sweep, is most effective to get you straightened out when you get backwards.

Pick your sweep

Most paddlers agree, finesse and quality strokes are important in paddling, but all too often on the river we simply pull harder to turn. If you find yourself in a flurry of correction strokes, the odds are you are trying to out muscle the river. It is important to slow down so you can take higher quality strokes.

Lead a sweep with your head and chest for aggressive, proactive moves like flat spins and cartwheels. Follow the stern draw with your torso, and perhaps eyes when you are reactive, like spinning a full circle, or correcting a ferry, or adjusting a surf.

Whichever type of sweep you use is your choice, as each one has their own benefits. Remember, however, to practice good stroke quality for each type of sweep so that you will get the full benefit from each one.

Sweep Style Debate

A dramatic technique debate is working its way through paddling schools and circles of paddling instructors. At question is the torso motion in the forward sweep.

Torso Rotation... The great debate

A dramatic technique debate is working its way through paddling schools and circles of paddling instructors. At question is the torso motion in the forward sweep.

Traditionally, recreational paddlers have been taught to keep their paddle shaft parallel to their shoulders throughout the sweep. This helps a beginning paddler watch to ensure the blade path remains correct rather than scooping water or abbreviating the last few inches of the sweep. Additionally, the paddlers arms stay in front of the torso, in the strongest position.

However, slalom racers use a different torso action in sweep strokes than recreational paddlers have traditionally used. Here's the deal:

Racers point their head and chest in the direction of their turn from start to finish. This continual wind-up helps force their legs and boat towards their destination, even though this forces the trailing shoulder into a weaker position. The ending position differs distinctly from the recreational paddlers' sweep, and requires excellent shoulder strength and blade dexterity.

Anticipation is a factor in determining technique. Racers, with their carefully calculated paths usually use the first part of the sweep to initiate turns or make subtle corrections. Beginning recreational paddlers, on the other hand, are more often reactive, and often need the last part of a sweep to make a course correction.

So which sweep should you use? Evaluate the condition of your shoulder joints, your flexibility, blade dexterity, general strength, and boat design. If your flexibility is good, your shoulders strong, and your boat light (race boats are 18 pounds), then you have the potential to incorporate this technique into your paddling repertoire.

A few paddling schools use the chest leading system and claim excellent results. An equal number of instructors, on the other hand, use the traditional system, as a teaching trick to maximize strength and maintain the proper blade angle at the end of the sweep. For youngsters with a future in slalom racing, or for agressive playboaters looking to improve I teach the more aggressive sweep system.

Top level rodeo competitors are already using chest/head pre-turns. Gymnasts and platform divers lead with their head and shoulder line to accomplish spectacular moves. What will, or should, be taught to fitter playboaters in light swing weight boats is a great topic for debate.

Catch the Eddy

Eddy turns are the foundation for controlling the speed of your descent down the the river. In the quiet of the eddy, you can look at the rest of the rapid, rest, and line up for your next move or get out to portage. By paddling into the eddy at the correct angle with a bit of speed, and then tilting the boat up on edge, you'll remain right side up and feel secure.

The proper approach into an eddy gets you there, not a magic set of strokes. This requires setting your approach angle well in advance of the rock and its eddy. Take into account that the current usually bounces off rocks just before the eddy line. This changes the water direction and speed, pushing your bow away from the eddy. By watching the current as it hits the rock and is deflected, the eddy line becomes easier to see. Study the size and shape of the rock to anticipate the changing current.

\photo\ paddlers point of view approaching an eddy.

Position the boat slightly sideways to the current, keeping the momentum. Sometimes you will need to pause briefly before accelerating into the eddy. It will look like you are going to hit the rock.

Take whatever strokes are necessary to penetrate deep into the eddy. Sometimes a sweep on the downstream side is needed to compensate for the current deflected off the rock. Othertimes a sweep on the upstream side keeps the boat from turning early. Be sure to allow the bow of the boat to stick into the eddy before initiating a turn.

\illustration\ forces of the current help you turn into the eddy

Upon entering the eddy, tilt the boat in order to stay balanced. Start leaning into the turn when your feet cross the eddy line. Gradually flatten the boat as you turn upstream.

Summary:

Set your ANGLE of approach

Build, (or keep) momentum towards the eddy

Tilt your boat as you cross the eddy line

\illustration\parts of the eddy

Your approach path should land you high in the eddy, and deep, away from the eddy line. This will require an aggressive forward speed. If you finish your turn close to the eddy line, or lower in the eddy, where the eddy is less distinctly formed, you'll risk slipping out the bottom. This will make you feel out of control until you spin, and find another stopping place.

Floating Sideways

On occasion, you will position your boat sideways, at an angle to the rapid while running it. This will allow you to paddle forward to get to one side of the river, and backwards to get to the other. Downstream momentum will be lessened as you remain slightly sideways to the current and the river obstacles won't seem to come at you as quickly. You need to turn straight to avoid the instability of hitting a rock or ledge hole sideways.

Ferry for control and fun!

A ferry is a maneuver that gets you across the river, from an eddy onone side to an eddy on the other side. While this is practical for maneuvering, the ferry is best because it can move you into fun surf waves. You start in the eddy, facing upstream.

A ferry is a maneuver that gets you across the river, from an eddy onone side to an eddy on the other side. While this is practical for maneuvering, the ferry is best because it can move you into fun surf waves. You start in the eddy, facing upstream.

To start a ferry, position yourself nearly parallel to the eddy line. Then establish a slight angle to the oncoming current, and prepare to speed across the eddy line.

This position is often the most important part of the ferry. It requires paddle control and finesse. Backing up, then drawing or sculling may be necessary to move into place. With experience, you will learn to jockey into position.

Once you are positioned close to the eddy line, start looking at the current direction and speed. The current next to the eddy line has usually been deflected by rocks, so it flows in a different direction than the main flow. Establish an upstream angle to move your boat across the current. That angle depends on the speed of the water; The faster the current, the more you'll need to point straight upstream. If you are unsure of the angle, pointing straight upstream is more conservative. The goal is to keep your bow from getting pushed downstream.

Crossing the eddy line is a crucial point in keeping your ferry angle. The bow is in the current, and the stern is in the eddy, so different forces are acting on your boat. Maintaining good forward speed reduces the time these forces have to alter your course.

Stroke timing and placement is important. The instant your feet reach the oncoming current you should be poised for a stern draw correction on the downstream side of your boat, in case your boat turns downstream. Realize the importance of correcting the angle from the stern when ferrying. The end of the forward sweep, the stern draw, works with the current to turn the boat. The first part of a sweep stroke doesn't correct a ferry angle as well since it pushes the bow against the current.

Another option for correcting the boat angle is a rudder stroke, on the upstream side of the kayak. Use good form with the rudder, rotating the blade close to the boat, then pushing away slightly. Set the blade on edge, like a sailboat tiller. This requires rolling your wrists back and a slight counterbalance lean away from the stroke. Don't do an inadvertent braking stroke, when you want the easy turn of a rudder. A sloppy, poorly executed rudder stroke slows the boat and makes it tippy.

Once you have crossed the eddy line with either a rudder or stern draw, you can open up your angle, and paddle directly towards the eddy on the other side of the river. Well controlled ferries give you the feeling of control on the river.

Peelouts

Peelouts are the moves done to leave an eddy and head downstream. Odds are that your first peelout will be by accident, while trying to cross the eddy in a ferry. Your peelouts from the eddy should be fun and precise. The departure path from the eddy is almost identical to a ferry, but done so with just a hair more boat angle, relative to the current and eddy line. Use strokes that position the boat and keep the boat from turning until you've crossed the eddy line.

Peel out of the eddy in the trough of a wave, rather than climbing up the back of a wave. If your boat isn't positioned properly for the exit with enough speed, it will be turned rapidly on the eddy line. This is a wobbly place to be.

You'll be told to lean downstream while crossing the eddy line. This isn't quite true; Your boat should tilt, not you. Lift the upstream knee and ride on one cheek of your bottom. In this position you will be edging the boat just enough to keep from flipping.

Remember, the faster the current, the greater the tilt needed to remain balanced. When finishing the turn, gradually shift your weight onto both cheeks to flatten the boat.

\Tip\"Lean Downstream" is the most common advice given to beginner paddlers. Remember, this only applies to maintaining your stability when leaving an eddy. If you leaned all the time, you'd rarely feel balanced! Think of tilting your boat, rather than leaning your body.

Surfing

To kayak surf in the river, look for a wave that starts right next to an eddy. You'll ferry into position so your boat is acually sliding down the wave. The key to getting on a wave is knowing exactly where to aim when leaving the eddy, and controlling your boat position in the wave trough

To kayak surf, look for a wave that starts right next to an eddy. You'll ferry into position so your boat is acually sliding down the wave. The key to getting on a wave is knowing exactly where to aim when leaving the eddy, and controlling your boat position in the wave trough

First, leave the eddy in a ferry. Aim for the depression on the eddy line, in between the peaks of the waves. This is where the trough of the wave meets the eddy.

Position your boat so you are sitting on the wave, with your feet in the trough. Feel for the sensation of your bow dropping down into the trough. Monitor the distance between the bow and the ramp of oncoming water. Try to skim your the bow of your boatJ along that dark water.

When surfing some waves, the water will pour over several inches of your deck; don't let the bow dig in by applying too much power. The bow stays dry while surfing other waves. The instant the bow rises up, or slips back, take hard forward strokes to stay on the wave. Keep your boat pointed straight into the oncoming current with stern draw or light rudder strokes.

Armchair surfing

Imagine yourself surfing down the trough of a wave. Notice the sensation and view when you slide off the wave. How do you correct it? What do you do when your bow digs in?.. What strokes move your bow to the right?...to the left?....

 

Enders are the spectacular old school air-catching moves of kayaking. Getting air is as simple as driving your bow upstream into water that is dropping down over steep waves or ledges. The old big boats got better air, but didn't do cartwheels.

Enders require very precise surfing skills. Most places for enders have a sweet spot with powerful current to aim the bow. The river power will propel you up into the air.