sea kayak tips for beginners | don't use rudders

[@zvonmarinic8524]

Thanks Paulo. I really needed to know how to discern the use of the rudder.

[@robertkerner4833]

Good stuff here. Once you learn to edge---that you can get pretty tilted over without capsizing--you can make the boat go wherever you want without the rudder. It took me a while to feel confident enough to edge aggressively. It was about the time I realized I wasn't sitting in the boat, so much as wearing it, as you mention in another video. Good work.

[@tranquility9325]

This man is so wise

[@khelben1979]

This might be one of your most important videos! Thank you very much for the advice! I've never used a kayak with rudder, but my new one will have this, so I'll try to be wise and not use it if there's waves that's a bit higher than I'm used to. I have very limited kayaking experience, but I've learned a lot from videos, so I'm better prepared during the upcoming summer.

[@buddhalaBaka]

Im in the middle of a 378 km trip Both my rudder and skeg got broken I will continue ty for the video Just gonna kayak close to the shoreline

[@haourss]

Good job mate.

[@josephinebennington7247]

Easier to counter weather cocking with the skeg partially or fully down and, when necessary, raise it to make fast edging turns. Edging is far better as your hull shape is shorter on the rocker when you do edge. Rudders will maintain the same waterline length and cause drag from both ends. Ive never, ever tried a rudder, and never, ever wished I had one.

[@jujujay]

Hi, great films and full of details, where can one buy those paddles.? Thanks

[@paulhillsdon7163]

I like this video but the title is dangerous. From your direct words, I can share a video with you, while relying on my paddle the first time out in these conditions (beginner too) this video got me in a lot of trouble. I understand from your view-point as a professional. looking back. But as a beginner who can self-rescue, I can say your video forced me to quickly learn the self-rescue using my knowledge of instructional self-rescue videos. A beginner in the kind of swell you're in, I was in, for a beginner to attempt without a rudder is giving them hope before they've learned to master evrything without a rudder, before even attempting a small swell with wind. You have to be at a much higher level, when you're one with your kayak and every action is a reaction by using your body, paddle and kayak that only has come with time, practice, experience. Not for a beginner. But I'm subscribed, thank you for teaching me so much, especially the culture and the Greenland Paddle. I DO understand the feelings, style etc you describe kayaking to be, rather than the action packed "modern is the best way" approach. Holding a Euro feels like I'm holding a tin broomstick.

[@Master-di4di]

Over 30knots side wind my rudder broke on a nearly 5 m kayak. The only way to go forward was to paddle on one side only. It was hard, lucky I only had one kilometer to go. Long distance kayakers use wing paddles most the time as Olympians. Just learn to use your favourite paddle.

[@seanohoare7006]

awesome vids,where is this filmed?

[@michelbaudoinca]

This case occurred to me exactly as described here. I am a first level kayak practitioner and it was very windy with big waves. I used my rudder thinking it would help me but on the contrary it forced my kayak to turn downwind. even though I tried to stay facing the waves and the wind.....as my Kayak was turning downward the next wave pushed me up and I capsized. I went back in my kayak and decided to go to the shore. Again, another wave took the whole kayak and pushed me again under the water. Not a funny situation. As I am diabetic, I also was on hypoglycemia.......Lucky, I had my lifeJ acket (Of course)......I would have drown because I was loosing my strength rapidly. Since then, every time I go Kayaking, I am anxious of capsizing......I force myself to go but I lost my confidence because of that It's the first time someone explains to me what happened. Now I understand.....at that time I thought it was because I was not strong enough or did a bad maneuver with the rudder....I could not explain clearly the cause. Thank you !

[@mortschubert3909]

Be extra cautious every time you go out! Anything can happen when you are out there on a boat like that.

[@DancingWithTheSea]

You are very welcome. Thanks for sharing, I always wondered why I never hear anyone talking about this. Your experience confirms my suspicion that a lot of people are probably having that happen but don't know why.

[@michelbaudoinca]

@@DancingWithTheSea The others were having kayaks without rudders...but they were also more experimented than me...level 2 and 3. Because of me and the wind that was very strong they decided to not trying to cross the cape from were the wing was coming (St-Lawrence river in Quebec - Near Montreal). So I was feeling bad because of that....

[@kayakgirlcentralcoast3721]

I capsized on my 2nd waves last Saturday n swam to shore. Once kayak came to share I was trying to pull it away and out of surf but it was so strong n I went under and over it many times, kayak hit my head and I’m still bruised up from it. So weak and exhausted very much a nightmare. Kayak eventually filled with water and got beached until my hubby and friend came to share and helped me. Very scary. Still having mixed feelings about kayaking. Got a trip planned Sunday. Will be avoiding waves. I’m in nsw Australia. Thank you for sharing.

[@superwag634]

Thanks, that’s great. How to learn edging the kayak more confidently?

[@DancingWithTheSea]

I'll make a video on that next week.

[@mortschubert3909]

You do seem to know everything about kayaking; are you out there, on the water, every day? If so, do you take hourly or daily paddling rounds or longer ones every time you go out?

[@DancingWithTheSea]

I wouldn't say I know everything. I'm still discovering new helpful ways to be more competent even after doing this for 20 years. I prefer to stay open and try things out, and when I find something that works well I share it. I try to get out paddling for a few hours a few times a week on average. Plus some overnight trips.

[@mortschubert3909]

@@DancingWithTheSea, thank you for sharing your findings! You are most fortunate to be able to go out like that! I can only hope I will be able to do that one day myself! Keep up the good work!

[@miguelalonsoperez5609]

What an absurd, with lateral winds all kayaks will turn because of the high pressure anchoring effect of the bow, when paddling forward. The boat “pivots” around the bow, is just physics. The skeg just provides another anchoring (lateral, not frontal) point at the stern, and one can regulate with high precision the balance between the two pivotal effects deploying more or less skeg surface. Constant wind compensation lead to asymmetric posture and forces, unnecessary with a retractable skeg. Greenland traditional kayaks didn’t have the mechanism because insufficient technology but I’m pretty sure that ancient Eskimo people would appreciate this advantage.

[@jakebrakebill]

Another Great Video........