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Great so now you
know how to go. Kayaks don't have brakes. How do
you stop? How do you go backwards? Essentially,
by doing a forward stroke in reverse.
- To perform a
backward power stroke, rotate the torso to the
stroke side and look back to the stern of the
kayak. You need to be able to see where you are
going anyway so you might as well turn and take
a look!
- Place the back
side of the paddle into the water behind the
cockpit and close to the side of the kayak and
with a high shaft angle. This will provide more
power with less turn than placing the blade
further out from the side of the kayak
- Rotate the
torso back to the neutral position while
bringing the stroke side forward along the side
of the cockpit.
- The off-stroke
hand moves back toward your head at about eye
level. The power of the stroke is transferred to
the kayak through back of the kayak seat. The
legs again play a role in bracing against the
torso rotation, but to a lesser extent.
- Keep the upper
body slightly bent forward in order to keep the
lower spine straight. This will reduce the
strain placed on the lower back.
When you wish to
stop your kayak, utilize a moderated form of the
backward power stroke. Because your kayak will
have considerable forward momentum and you do
not need to see in back of your kayak you can
reduce your head turn and moderate your torso
rotation. Place the backside of the blade in the
water slightly behind your seat with you stroke
side elbow in tight against and hold the paddle
motionless as the kayak drags it through the
water. It is not really necessary to move the
paddle blade forward through the water. The
kayak will turn slightly to the stroke side.
Repeat on the other side. It should be possible
to come to a complete stop from your highest
forward speed in two or three strokes.
Note:
- Most kayaks
go backwards as easily as forwards, but some
are very difficult to keep straight going
backwards. Tilt the kayak to control
direction by lifting the knee on the side
you need to turn towards. Also placement of
the paddle closer or farther away from the
side of the kayak will help control the
direction.
- Don't
forget to turn far enough to see where you
are going.
>> More Kayaking
tips
•
Types of kayak: Sit-on-top
kayak, Inflatable
kayak, Folding
kayak, Solo
Versus Tandem kayak
•
Kayaking in Vietnam
• How
to get in and out of your kayak
•
How to make your kayak go
•
How to make your kayak stop
•
How to make your kayak turn
•
How to keep your kayak from capsizing
•
What to do after a capsize - wet exiting
•
Basic paddle and arm signals for sea kayakers |
