How to Kayak in Rough Water!

[@PaddleTV]

Check out my new KZbin channel! www.youtube.com/@KenWhitingAdventures is now the place to find all my paddling adventure videos, while PaddleTV will focus on Instruction and Gear Reviews.

[@Rottingboards]

Thanks Ken! Your videos are awesome. I hope your arm is improving. We all care about our favorite paddler.

[@ALFarrell-kv6ok]

Useful video. Thank you. Large lakes and bays can certainly be too rough. I take a sit-on-top fishing kayak out on a bay. Before going: 1. I repeatedly check multiple sites for wind direction, wind strength, and any forecasted changes. 2. I check for wave height and tide times. 3. I check for water temperature. 4. Besides a PFD with an attached whistle, I also wear a wetsuit and a 'windbreaker' jacket. 5. I have a dive mask, snorkel, and dive fins close at hand on the boat. Why? I could swim to shore far more powerfully and faster against a tide or current with the fins. Easier also to breathe in wavy conditions with a snorkel. 6. I have attached inflatable stabilizers to my kayak to turn it into an outrigger for great stability. 7. I stay within swimming distance of the shore. 8. I have a few emergency apps and numbers on my phone, and a fully-charged battery. The phone is in a waterproof case. 9. I have a paddle leash to ensure that the paddles never get away from me. Separation from your paddles is a bad situation. 10. I carry a first-aid kit for any minor scrapes or cuts. 11. I notify people of my launch and return times. 12. I carry a compass. Darkness, fog or mist can roll in and cut visibility all too soon. 14. I cancel trips far more often than I go out. I hope these tips can help even one person out there to stay safe. I wrote them up after seeing reports of two kayakers getting in dire trouble recently. Happier kayaking!

[@PaddleTV]

Great info! Thanks for sharing.

[@slowridephotographyadventu6850]

I've yet to master the roll. I'll be 60 next season and this old dog really needs to learn a new trick. With a loaded boat and a deck bag and spare paddle strapped to the deck, I wonder if I could even pull one off. Georgian Bay can get pretty angry so I always keep a keen eye on the wind forecast. I got real uncomfortable paddling out to Hawk Island. I'm the most stressed with following seas and offshore winds got me that day! I would love to see you do a video on the proper technique to deal with following seas. Looking forward to part 2 of your Superior trip 👍😎👍

[@PaddleTV]

:) You got it! Rolling a loaded boat isn't much different than an empty boat, because the weight doesn't have much impact on your center of gravity. The more gear you load on top of the kayak, the more you raise the center of gravity, and that can make it more challenging. Things like a deck bag and spare paddle aren't a problem. Big bags can make it a little harder. In general, touring/sea kayaks are one of the easier boats to roll because they're narrow and your center of gravity is low because you sit low inside them.

[@slowridephotographyadventu6850]

@@PaddleTV Here is an idea for an episode! You teaching me how to roll 😃 That ought to get you a handful of views 👍

[@deaninchina01]

Thoroughly recommend “online sea Kayaking” as a training resource for all things kayaking especially rolling. Breaks it down into simple steps which mean you are not trying to do too much at once. Was in a group last weekend which used that to have people including an 82 year old and a person 2 months into the sea kayak career to have them rolling in about three hours. Buy a nose clip, will make it way more enjoyable. I like no mask, it helps you concentrate on the feel of the paddle position. Enjoy rolling!!

[@slowridephotographyadventu6850]

@@deaninchina01 I'll take a look, thanks 👍

[@deaninchina01]

Nice vid Ken. I reckon more important than anything you spoke about is your judgement. There is always a time to say “not today”. Also rough water means your planning of where you can go to if it is too rough, shelter to get out of the weather if needed and a very good idea of the weather forecast through the day, or trip. Now I almost always paddle on the ocean, the most awesome playground there is! Only other thing I’d mention is bracing skills.

[@PaddleTV]

All great points! Thanks!

[@werewolf2003002]

I've been eyeing up the Dagger Stratos 14.5L for a while now, especially after seeing your review of it. I'm excited to be able to outfit myself enough to go take some proper lessons, I live near the coast of Lake Michigan and there's so much more that I could explore if I had some training....

[@charles-mr4oz]

I have been paddling a Stratos for eight years on the coast of West Wales in the UK. It has been a fabulous boat that has been good for rock hopping and some longer paddles. I got a couple of days tuition and then joined a group. I've paddled 40km in a day in my Stratos and lots of overnight camping trips. I have bought a longer boat now which is designed more for expeditions but I have loved my Stratos and will be keeping it for visitors etc.

[@D3f1anCE]

Get one, you wont be disappointed :)

[@PaddleTV]

The Stratos is a solid choice! Great value. It's awesome to hear you're getting set up for some lessons. You'll be exploring all sorts of new places in no time!

[@kevinharding2099]

The only time I paddled in really rough conditions I was using a sit on top kayak and the seas just broke over the boat with no problem. I may be wrong, but I alway thought a sit on top provided an extra measure of safety because you were not going to take on water and if you fell out of the boat it was no problem to climb back on. I now use a 14.5 canoe with outriggers while paddling in the ocean, but I’m careful to avoid rough conditions. When you get to be 75 you should probably avoid really rough water!

[@PaddleTV]

You're absolutely right. I should have been more clear. I was looking at this from a 'tripping' perspective - covering water with all your camp gear. A sit-on-top isn't a good option for this type of trip, when dealing with rough water, because a lot of your gear needs to be piled on top of the kayak, which raises the center of gravity (making it tippier) and increasing its profile for the wind to mess with. That being said... for playing around in rough water, a sit-on-top is a great option for the reasons you describe.

[@robertnissenbaum]

Sadly few sea kayaks have thigh hooks or properly fit most paddlers. That alone means a lack of control over the kayak which makes handling rough water harder (especially rolls) and leads to more capsizes. I learned to paddle in those conditions - and much bigger than what you showed - without a roll. Knowing you can rescue and having multiple rescues was more than enough for me to be confident. For me, having the rescue and not wanting to exit the kayak meant working more on techniques to stay upright. My top 3 for paddling in rough water (in no particular order): 1) Rescue skills - never paddle in conditions where you don't have a reliable rescue (even with a roll since they can fail) 2) Solid, reflective low brace - the key to not needing a rescue or roll - is to not need one. 3) Loose hips. You mentioned this while paddling and it's critical. It's also counter-intuitive as we tend to tense under pressure but loose allows the kayak to do what its designed to do. If you think about it, the kayak in the conditions you showed was very unlikely to have capsized if it was empty. Our higher center of gravity combined with fighting the natural yaw and pitch tendencies of the hull lead to capsizes. The right outfitting and fit make the above 3 far easier (roll at least as part of the rescues) and the right gear just means we're prepared and safe.

[@yru435]

I like all that you have written but I encourage paddlers, as does Ken, to learn to master the roll technique. Perhaps you have a reason for not being able to roll, but that condition is not a feature, it is a deficit. You have done much to address this, but in many folks' minds a roll is the foremost rescue measure. As you noted, a paddler needs a full range of safety measures and techniques beyond the roll--just in case.

[@robertnissenbaum]

​@@yru435 I have 4 or 5 rolls I can do on both sides. I have a solid combat roll in every condition I paddle, surf included. It's not that I cannot roil. it's that aside from surf or making a mistake, it's rare I need to roll. I roll in those conditions (including in 35 knots of wind and 4' seas) to keep it reliable. I agree a roll is a great skill and the best rescue one can have - and in big conditions it is far easier and safer than any other rescue. My point was more that having the skills to not need the roll is my priority. One issue with a roll in those conditions - unless you can practice in it, are you sure it will work in it? I'm fortunate that I get to paddle in bug conditions quite often in the winter here by choice to practice.

[@THE-RIVER-RAT]

Great information Ken as always. After watching part 1 of your paddle on Lake Superior I was so shocked at how big it was so I had to do some research. Did you know It's about 250 miles to the International Space Station. However, if you paddled all around the edge of Lake Superior it's about 980 miles. Wow just goes to shows how Big that lake is.

[@PaddleTV]

Ha! That's an interesting thought!

[@tranquility9325]

It's massive. I saw it when I was in Minnesota. The part that I was at, you couldn't see land on the other side. It's massive. I have seen ppl surf on it due to crazy waves.

[@THE-RIVER-RAT]

@tranquility9325 Definitely on the bucket list.

[@kennethsilvestri5874]

Don't estimate fitness, I've had to paddle through 30-40 mph headwinds and every time you stop, you lose a lot of progress. Also, got stuck in a wave whirlpool on a big windy lake and it took everything I had to get out of it. Always paddle and face into the waves too and not get turned sideways.

[@LetsGoPaddling]

I recently found myself in such conditions. When paddling on English Channel near Seaton (Devon), the sea turned from rough to dangerous in no time. Just like you said, skills, and preparation allowed me to get back from my trip, which I had to abort mid-way. Swells were so high I couldn't see roofs of houses when I was in the trough. It was a proper workout, with quite a few strong low braces, but also some cool surf now and then. Great experience in the end.

[@PaddleTV]

Yikes! Sometimes the best lessons are learned the hard way... as long as they end well. :)

[@LetsGoPaddling]

@@PaddleTV Skills, a Greenland paddle, and a high-end inflatable kayak (Gumotex Rush1) made me safe on the water but I was outside of my comfort zone. The highest swells you showed in the 1st episode of Lake Superior would also be uncomfortable. 50-70cm swells are not a problem, though. 😅

[@cieljek]

Been wanting a video like this! Got caught on a lake when winds kicked up myself... Luckily where i needed to go was exactly the direction the wind was blowing. Were it a crosswind I'm not sure i would've made it.

[@robertblack8334]

Very good, l watched the first half l am looking forward to the 2nd part. How do you stay so calm in those conditions. Impressive.

[@PaddleTV]

Cheers! Paddling whitewater has been a great way to learn to 'go with the flow' and get comfortable in the rough stuff.

[@tranquility9325]

He did an excellent job keeping his cool.

[@cowmancheese]

Awesome video!

[@PaddleTV]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@BushKayakersCampingAustralia]

Nice one Ken . How much more difficult is it to roll a kayak loaded up with camping gear . I am yet to perfect my roll even without camping gear

[@PaddleTV]

Rolling a kayak loaded with gear isn't much different at all, because it doesn't impact your center of gravity. If you load larger bags on top of the kayak, that can make it harder.

[@BushKayakersCampingAustralia]

@@PaddleTV I thought that but I thought I would ask the expert 👍

[@Kayaking_to_escape_family]

I do love the nice flat water in that vid, where do I get some? In the English channel sit on kayaks are normaly used. Kayaks like perception triumph 13 or swell watercraft scupper 14 or a wave ski. I mainly I use my pyranha fusion sot kayak. No one rolls these kayaks and swamping is never an issue. There much safer to use in high seas and more stable in 4ft waves and over. If you fall out or roll over, you get back in by moving to the front, pushing the nose down and letting the waves wash you back on the kayak. Just make sure everything is locked down and use a paddle lesh.

[@PaddleTV]

It's a great point... sit-on-top kayaks are one of the other good rough water boats. In particular, they're great for 'playing around'. I had 'tripping' in mind when doing this video, and sit-on-tops aren't great in rough water loaded with gear, or when trying to cover significant distances. I should have been more clear about that. Thanks for pointing this out!

[@Kayaking_to_escape_family]

​@@PaddleTV Outside north America, you cant just camp on a beach. They issue fines for that in the UK.

[@jayburne6825]

Great video thx

[@PaddleTV]

Thanks Jay!

[@JonDZ_Adventuring]

This is just the video I’ve been looking for. I’ve been lurking around the channel for a good 3 months now, I’m someone that dabbled into open top flat water kayaking 8 years ago, and just recently got back into it. In this video you say you only recommend 2 types of kayaks for rough waters, a touring kayak or a sea kayak. I was in a “rough” (to me) waters in a Sea Eagle Paddle ski 437 with 14” pontoons, paddling back into a head wind, slowly crawling back to shore at around 0.5mph net mph. We had 3 foot waves and the large paddle craft was getting swamped. It was a very scary situation for the Wife and I, especially since we were on an alkaline lake that’s 3.5x saltier than the ocean (the place called Mono Lake). The question I have is: can you do a video or do you have an old video you can link me that shows a kayak getting swamped? I’ve searched all over KZbin and can’t find a proper video showing this scary situation. We went ahead and bought the sea eagle Fast track 385, which only has a 9” tube diameter. It seems very susceptible to getting swamped. Actually having a rear seating position tipped the rear end enough to take on water and slowed us down to a crawl. Configuring the seat forward helped with that, but I’d imagine in white capped conditions, things can go bad. I bought a hand bilge pump, I figure this will help, but any tips or maybe even a dedicated future video would be much appreciated. There just isn’t a quality video to reference.

[@PaddleTV]

Something I didn't clarify in this video is that I was talking about boats designed for rough water when tripping - covering real distance with a substantial amount of gear (camping gear). There are other good rough water boats. Inflatable kayaks that are self-bailing and sit-on-top kayaks (which are self-bailing) are both great for playing around in rough water. They aren't great for tripping in rough conditions, because they're slow, highly impacted by wind, and you gear goes on top of the boat, which raises your center of gravity (makes it a little tippier). The Fast Track 385 is self-bailing, but it only has 2 drain holes. This means, the water won't drain out very fast. To compare, the Explorer 380x has 16 drain holes so that the water can drain very fast. This makes it much more rough water friendly. I've never tried the Paddleski, but I'm guessing it's the same issue... it's designed to drain water, but not very fast. A bilge pump will help, but the problem is that you'll spend all your time bilging instead of paddling. If you want to paddle in waves that big, you really need an inflatable kayak that self-bails much more quickly, a sit-on-top kayak with lots of scupper holes (drain holes), or a touring/sea kayak that uses a skirt (but you need instruction for this type of boat). Hope that helps!

[@bikesnrovers]

Ken, we had a discussion on Facebooks Solo Kayaking about what is used for wind forecasting. I was using windy for wind and but find it accuracy questionable. What do you use to plan? Maybe you can do a video on helpful apps!

[@PaddleTV]

Good question. I use the 'Windy' app myself, and find it as accurate as I expect to get from a forecast. When I'm on trip, and don't have cell service, I use the weather/wind forecast that I get from the Zoleo satellite communicator that I bring. I generally check it once in the morning and once at night.

[@KennyShell-eb2on]

Where you going Ken ? The Cape at Gargantua is famous for reflection waves

[@josephlandsittel4927]

Thanks for the video. I live near Lake Michigan (which I think is similar to Lake Superior), and instead of a touring or sea kayak, I'm thinking of getting a white water packraft, because of the ease of transport. I don't have a way of storing or transporting a larger boat, but I'd like to be able to get out on the Lake some days. Do you think this makes sense?

[@PaddleTV]

I actually wouldn't go the packraft route. They're very slow! I think you're looking in the right direction though... an inflatable kayak is a great option when you have issues storing or transporting a full size kayak. I suggest watching the video I did this year about 'Choosing the right inflatable kayak'. kzbin.info/www/bejne/m5irYp-Xd65mi8U It talks about Sea Eagle kayaks in particular, because they have so many different 'styles' of inflatable kayak. But that information is applicable if you are looking at a different brand. The problem with packrafts is that you're getting a boat that prioritizes making it easy to carry long distances into the backcountry. It doesn't sound as though that's what you need. It sounds more like you need a good lake kayak, that is easy to transport and store. Hope this helps!

[@josephlandsittel4927]

@@PaddleTV Hey Ken, thanks for the reply. Just a quick follow up question: would the sea eagle explorer be faster than a packraft? I worry the faster sea eagle models wouldn't be ideal for rough conditions on the lake.

[@cdnskiiertracker1058]

That lake is cold. Even in summer. If I was by myself Id be wearing some kind of wetsuit. Id stay close to shore as well. Wouldnt take long to suffer hypothermia in that lake.

[@PaddleTV]

Great discussion points! Yes, the lake is cold, and both your ideas are good. I wasn't wearing a wetsuit or drysuit because the air temperature was so hot. I was much more concerned about getting heat stroke than hypothermia. But that's also because I have so much experience in rough water, and because I have a bomber roll from 30 years of whitewater kayaking. If I didn't have that level of confidence that I could stay in my boat, then I would need to wear clothing that would let me survive an extended swim in the lake. This is one of the many things that makes Lake Superior a challenging environment! As for staying close to shore... the problem with doing that in rough conditions, is that the water is roughest and least predictable close to shore. Staying close to shore isn't always the safest thing to do, BUT, if you aren't very confident in your ability to roll a kayak, or your ability to reenter a kayak from the water in the case of a capsize, you need to stay close enough to shore so that you can swim to shore if you swim. What that means is that a person shouldn't be paddling in these types of conditions unless they're very confident in their ability to roll a kayak, or their ability to reenter a kayak from the water in the case of a capsize. Thanks for bringing it up! Cheers

[@walter9236]

Great advice, explained very well. I just recently came in rough seas that trew me in no time to a "next level" 😂 Some idiots just ignore the Bura warnings in the croatian seas 🙈 Since it went all well it was a good experiance and a strong motivation to finally learn my roll 🤣

[@PaddleTV]

Glad the scary experience ended well!

[@boatman222345]

Ah the infamous "Eskimo Roll To The Rescue" dream. Let me assure you that practicing and executing the roll in a swimming pool is a very different situation than attempting it in rough seas, along a hostile coast where takeouts are few and far between, and the capsize is completely unexpected. As I used to tell my students as we pulled away from the shore the secret to safe sea kayaking is "Don't tip over!" I paddled many thousands of miles under a wide variety of wind and sea conditions and I never tipped over. Good technique is a far more reliable strategy than even the best eskimo roll.

[@PaddleTV]

I absolutely agree that good technique should be the priority, but I think it's important to encourage people to develop a strong roll. I consider the roll to be similar to a seat belt in a vehicle. It's a safety net in case something goes wrong. But, a big bonus with having a strong roll, is that it dramatically improves a paddlers comfort and confidence in rough conditions, because they know there's a backup plan in place, even if they never have to use it.

[@boatman222345]

@@PaddleTV I taught sea kayaking for years and the very first thing students wanted me to do was teach them the Eskimo roll. Why? Because they operated under the foolish conclusion that having once learned the roll they would be bombproof and could repeatedly make risky decisions with no danger of having to pay for them. Nothing could be further from the truth as the eskimo roll is anything but bomb proof when used by anyone other than experts. It's one thing to perform a roll in a warm swimming pool quite another to attempt it 5 miles offshore in 52F sea water. Teaching beginning paddlers the roll and allowing then to believe it's a dependable means of surviving their mistakes is far more than misguided it's criminally negligent! As my old friend John Dowd once yelled from a dock overlooking self rescue demonstrations, "I'd bloody well like to see you try that in real storm conditions!"

[@PaddleTV]

@@boatman222345 Not sure where you got the idea that I promote teaching beginners to roll and then letting them believe it's a ticket to avoid learning good technique, safety, other water rescues, etc... That couldn't be further from the truth. I go back to my seat belt analogy... you wouldn't teach someone that if you wear a seat belt, you don't need to learn good driving techniques, the rules of the road, and safety. Not sure what you're so fired up about....

[@TimBee100]

I've canoed a fair bit but yesterday, I tried an inflatable kayak. The water was low due to lack of rain. What I found was you are very low and water was leaking in a lot. Of course, I didn't blow up all of the air chambers but I still found it very wet. Is that normal compared to a canoe? ( I had an Advanced Elements AdvancedFrame kayak).

[@PaddleTV]

Can I assume you meant to say 'I did blow up all of the air chamber'? Assuming you did (because if you didn't, that is probably the problem) it could be that the boat is too small for you? It shouldn't leak at all, but you do have a lot less freeboard (the amount of space between your cockpit and the waterline), and so waves can splash into the boat more easily, and water can get in if you tilt the boat too much. It shouldn't leak though.

[@TimBee100]

@@PaddleTV I blew up the main 2 bladders and the floor. It has 7 bladders, including 2 for the combing and 2 to hold up the bow and stern fabric. I weigh 180ish and that is way below the threshold. My fear is to over-inflate it and cause it to leak. Incidentally, you reviewed this exact kayak.

[@rerolley]

I noticed you were not flying your drone on day 2. Saving the drone shots for day 3?

[@PaddleTV]

:) I couldn't find anywhere calm enough to launch and land the drone except at the start of the day! I wasn't allowed to launch or land from shore, because it's Provincial Park land. I had to launch and land from the water, which is extremely difficult in windy conditions.

[@phil5888]

Would you be happy in something like a Gomotex Seashine in that kind of water?

[@PaddleTV]

It wouldn't be ideal, mostly because the Seashine has a high profile on the water, which makes it very susceptible to being pushed around by wind (and waves). It's not that the Seashine isn't rough water worthy, it's just that it would be a lot more effort to paddle and control than a sea kayak!

[@MrNategeo]

Michigan lakes 💯👌👌👌

[@gadgetman_nz4092]

OK, Ken, get out of my head. I've just been contemplating just this training. Found a fella that reckons he can teach this old cripple to roll, but I thinks I'll jump right on in and do his full white water course. I did do a full course about 35-40 years ago but my lung capacity way too large for the rolling session; by the time I was half way through my lungful upside down they rolled me back upright and announced the class was over. Now while you're in my head just mind what you poke into; I have other paddlecraft on my watchlist.

[@PaddleTV]

Ha! I'll try to stay out of your head. :) Good luck with the course! I think you'll have a blast!

[@robertbloch1063]

Regarding fitness - adrenaline helps a lot. It is amazing what one can do under bit of healthy stress. Best thing about rough water paddling, mind is completely focused on here and now. No time to think about nonsense like "oh I am so tired" ;)

[@PaddleTV]

You sure feel tired afterwards though! :)

[@robertbloch1063]

@@PaddleTV Totally knackered most of the time. But so very satisfied :)

[@BoomVang]

Other issues: 1) I think an unfeathered paddle was used, which I strongly prefer when big waves may catch the blade when you aren't done twisting. 2) If not in a hurry, a sit on top whitewater kayak (eg. inflatable) can give a super forgiving and fun rough ocean ride. 3) You can more easily plow a stable sit-on-top thru big waves with a pedal kayak. While fine into the waves, it can have tendency for wild yaws with following or side waves. I'll experiment with countering this with paddling while pedaling. 4) Leash your darn paddle to the kayak, and clench it if falling overboard. Some local lost his paddle in typical offshore blow, and the rescue prompted media threats of needless regulation and certification.

[@PaddleTV]

Great points. I also should have clarified that I was looking at rough water paddling from the perspective of tripping. For playing around in rough water, sit-on-tops are awesome. Not as good for covering large distances with a full load of camp gear.

[@dimatraveler]

Бродяга на каяке, реально выживаю на необитаемых и тропических островах Привет из Индонезии от канала Dima traveler 👋🙂🏝

[@PaddleTV]

:)

[@dimatraveler]

@@PaddleTV 👋🙂🌊🛶

[@boatman222345]

I don't wish to seem mean spirited but if you consider that "rough water" you had better stay away from the ocean. Here in Maine the term "rough water" means waves are breaking over your boat...sometimes over your body! And your advice is good the place to discover that you aren't up to the challenge is while sitting on the shore not while caught in conditions way beyond your abilities!

[@deaninchina01]

It’s an intro video, rough water paddling is a joy, don’t want to terrify people at the start.

[@PaddleTV]

Ha! I guess I'm just not ready for the ocean! :)

[@johndeignan6023]

Like when Ken plays around in this?: kzbin.info/www/bejne/qqnGYYqIaNyEkKc

[@boatman222345]

Terms like "rough water" mean very different things to many different people. My comment was not meant as a judgement of this particular paddler's ability but rather was aimed at an overly loose use of the term "Rough Water." Years ago an expert British sea kayaker and I were presenting talks at a sea kayaking symposium and we tried repeatedly to get another speaker to understand the importance of accurately describing paddling conditions encountered. This guy was fond of exaggerating conditions encountered which led others to believe that if he could paddle in 30 kt winds then they could too. Rough water paddling can be enjoyable for those with the requisite skills, deadly for those without. And the vast majority of sea kayakers fall within the "without" category!

[@tranquility9325]

He's an expert on anything water related and he's an instructor on water safety. He's also a member of the ACA. Let's put it this way, if I had to face conditions like that, Ken is the person I would need to help me through it.

[@georgewilliamssr5230]

Looks like a normal calm day paddling on the north coast of California.

[@PaddleTV]

:) Video rarely does justice to things like this... especially now that cameras are sooo good at stabilizing footage, and making it look as smooth as possible. It wasn't huge... but I can tell you that it was bigger and rougher than it looks.

[@walter9236]

@@PaddleTV I try since long to make a film sequence of rough water, but it always look harmless afterwards. The best way to show a bit of what is going on, i fiund to film a kayak in front or beside of you, so you see it moving around in the waves 😊

[@JakkeLehtonen-Jagster]

Most of europeans uses m/s instead of km/h - so when wind is 30 km = 8 m/s

[@PaddleTV]

Damn... now I need a third conversion. :)

[@yru435]

I hope this comment can be helpful and hopeful for less experienced paddlers who find rough conditions troubling. Your comments about *_staying loose in the hips_* made me recall a moment I had on a white water river. I was in a confused, pushy rapid and my boat was rocking violently side-to-side. In a flash of insight, I recognized that my hips were loose and adapting instantly to the upsets, beyond my intentional control. What had previously caused me to brace or capsize was being absorbed somewhat comfortably. Moral of the story: as you gain experience you will intellectually learn *_how_* to paddle better and more safely, and your body will *_subconsciously adopt reflexes_* and actions that will make you more comfortable in challenging conditions. Do not worry about being unable to consciously use your hips for stability, your body learns these things. I hope that makes sense to people. I agree with you about white water training. Except for massive, towering waves (which I avoid), the sea has been managed (mostly) by my river paddling skills.

[@PaddleTV]

Thanks for sharing!