Are You And Your Kayak REALLY Connected???

[@ArielPA11]

Muchas Gracias por el vídeo. Saludos desde Buenos Aires Argentina.

[@jeremybevis6441]

I have learnt all my rolls by watching Cheri and Turner’s DVDs. This tip I am sure will make things even better. Excellent.

[@robertbeger4275]

Really like that ability to pull the thigh pad back.

[@csrw29]

Inspired and educated by this video I have just finished shaping a masik from an MMA mat to go in my Rebel Gnarly Dog. It feels good on dry land, now to test it in the water. Can't bring myself yet to go the whole way and remove the seat. THANKS!

[@yru435]

I really appreciate this information. Folks will talk about being connected to your boat, and usually simply mention your knees and the coaming, but there is more than that. Even with a firm knee-hold on your boat, you might still pull yourself right out of your seat, especially if the boat is 'big' for you. Also, the seat: I found that sitting on a bare minimum of padding increased overall stability a surprising amount. Those big cushy seats are not your friend.

[@stefanomoretti3664]

This is an excellent video and I have linked many friend kayakers to it. May I suggest however you lower the background music ? It makes understanding your speech way more difficult, especially for non native english speakers. Best wishes for this new year.

[@dairichards1]

Very much appreciate this vid... amazing how long one can go without challenging some basic "givens" ... (fifty years!!!) - lovely to pick up on something that is, for me, a new approach that makes such simple sense!!

[@mrjohnnywheels]

Hello, the yoga block tip was a great tip for this new to kayaking guy, trying it this afternoon. I already feel like I'm well connected, but I have some extra foam in the shed just in case, thanks again!

[@CJaneTaylorVT]

Since the pandemic, I am much more connected to my kayak. Great tips. Love it!

[@momieale84]

Hi, where can I find this kind of foam to fit my kayak? Thanks for this video, it's very useful ❤❤❤

[@kayakways4473]

We order large blocks, but you can often buy it from kayak shops. Top kayaker in NH I think would have some.

[@FrankLadd]

Wow, Thanks so much for making this and sharing it. I've been cutting out backbands and back rests and adding a pad for a while, but yours look so much better. And I really like your easy seat solution. I'll have to try it.

[@pingkuo7355]

Thank you so much this is so helpful. I went through so many mistakes to learn that a proper fitting kayak makes all the difference in the world yet you laid it all out in a few minutes!

[@kayakways4473]

I am happy that it helped you.

[@lpeters2777]

Very interesting, great info. Working on fitting a new-to-me boat. One question, wondering what you are doing with your legs once fully in the boat. Are you knees bent? Using footpegs of some sort, I assume (though probably shouldn't). Appreciate the video and your insights.

[@JonasAlexanderson]

Perfect. I’ve been looking for how to improve/replace the seat in my Ilaga. Now I know what to do. Thanks!

[@ilan690]

Thanks Cheri! Great tips!

[@qaannat]

So helpful to see how yall assemble the cockpit... T had sent me pics, but it looked like one piece of foam.

[@datapro007]

Great video, the music not so much. Thanks Cheri. Good tips.

[@charlescummins5187]

Thanks Cheri, great info, Happy New Year

[@rogeru73]

Cool. Good tips. Although the music was a bit loud :-)

[@kayakways4473]

Sorry the music was too loud, but I'm glad you liked the content.

[@seoguru5826]

I stumbled across your channel and appreciate this video. As someone who has never rolled a kayak, does the foam pad over the thigh area make exiting the kayak more difficult should the roll fail?

[@kayakways4473]

Yes it does require an extra step when performing a wet exit which should be practiced ahead of time. You will need to push the foam masik forward after pulling the grab loop.

[@justinlewis7028]

Great video. Thanks.

[@cheriperry8555]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@timgraves4209]

Interesting and thanks for the content, Honest Questions. Why is this different than whitewater kayaks? They have very robust seats and thigh braces. Foot pegs or blocks and tight backbands. Their lower bodies stay connected to all of these points. These paddlers roll many times a day using the front deck, back deck, sweep, C to C techniques, and everything in between.

[@kayakways4473]

The techniques Cheri is describing were developed over the course of hundreds of years by generations of greenlandic seal catchers. A completely different track from the more recent lineage of whitewater kayakers. When you boil it off, these two worlds of kayaking have paddled to unique and different destinations.

[@seankearney6915]

Having paddled both and Slalom K1 I think both are aiming to be one with the kayak. I fitted a Sea Boat the same way I did a Whitewater or slalom boat, but it was too uncomfortable for long periods. In the Whitewater boat you are generally in for shorter periods, hopping out to scout ahead etc. Also the shorter boats react quicker so you don't really twist that much in the boat as soon as you twist your body the boat starts moving. The slalom boat is nearer to the sea boat in the back deck is low so allows you to lie back but to protect yourself on rough water you want to be the right way up asap. As I am a lot older now and don't paddle rivers as much as lakes I must admit I have loosened the back band a little to allow me to lay back further. I will try removing the one on my Dagger Stratos and trying the foam though, you are never too old to learn new things. I do have my thigh braces set well back and in though, the modern boats are far better than the early fibreglass ones with two glassed in pieces of wood. We have evolved a lot in the last 40 years. Happy Paddling.

[@88kayak]

Where can I buy and download the DVDs?

[@ovalmarc]

How do I take my seat out of my ilaga? Thank you.

[@doughockin9424]

The music makes it a little hard for me to hear you.

[@asiashin177]

No wonder I couldn't do it with my own kayak, yet... I was able to do it even when I first tried again and again and again with Dympna's skin kayak at Ontario Sea Kayak Centre.

[@cheriperry8555]

If you fit into Dympna’s skin on frame you probably need a small kayak, similar to the Rebel Naja that is shown in this video.

[@kayakways4473]

If you are the right size, and I seem to remember that you are, Dympna's SOF is a splendid example of an excellent and intimate fit!

[@jucasheelholandes2686]

Gracias por el aporte de conocimiento,era para mí.