How to Kayak - Intro to Edge Control

Edge Control. There is likely nothing else in the world of kayaking that affects a paddler more than edge control. From catching eddies, boofing, peeling out, ferrying current, and just running rapids, this one skill will set your kayak free to carve up the rivers more than anything else. Come along for an introduction to the world of edge control.
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[@RobBrown2288]

Lisa, from the kitchen: "Was that a kingfisher in the background?" Me: "No baby, that's Pete laughing!" The River King-fisher! Great video with tons of useful info

[@RiverKingsKayak]

Oh man!! That's perfect!! Lol!!

[@MatthewBrookKayaking]

Such great delivery! The amount of editing effort you put into these is so apparent! Thank you.

[@RiverKingsKayak]

Thanks Mathew!

[@StompedAgain]

Thank you! I now understand how much edging is going on through the rapid in addition to entering eddies and peel outs.

[@RiverKingsKayak]

Thanks StompedAgain! Hope it helps out!

[@jimcarroll5283]

Sure wish I had this edge control today....Thank You Brother!!

[@RiverKingsKayak]

I hear ya Jim!! It will come!

[@timlehman5867]

Awesome Pete! Trying to get back into kayaking after 20 year hiatus. You’re so much more entertaining (and visual!) then my old books. Really appreciate it. Cheers

[@RiverKingsKayak]

Right on Tim! That is what it is all about!

[@peterwhatley4413]

It’s always my Monday night thing ur new video 9 pm there is 2 am here unluckily

[@RiverKingsKayak]

Dang!

[@SouthernYak]

Pete- Well done video and good explanation of edge control...very fundamental aspect many beginners struggle to understand but experience the reality of it almost immediately when in moving current. Good job.

[@RiverKingsKayak]

Thanks Tony! I would also love to see your take on it!

[@SayHeyToShea]

Best whitewater kayaking instructional vids I've seen yet! Keep it up man

[@RiverKingsKayak]

Thanks a ton Shea!

[@socrnjazzz]

Great video Pete! Love the analogy about slamming the back brakes on your bicycle and sliding it around. That’s the natural way I’ve always thought it... butt first!

[@RiverKingsKayak]

Thanks Ben! I think about it the same

[@leegarrett1307]

Great video, the diagrams make it very easy to understand what your talking about 👍

[@RiverKingsKayak]

Thanks Lee!! That is what it is all about@!

[@IceLogger]

Beginners watch this. Good stuff man

[@RiverKingsKayak]

Thanks Ice Logger!

[@shananthompson5904]

I especially love your instructional videos since I just started kayaking last year. I had your words in my head as I braved new things! I’ve shared them with my kayaking crew as well. Can’t wait to get back out there soon!

[@RiverKingsKayak]

Right on Shanan! Stoked to hear they are helping!! Thats what it is all about!

[@followingrj]

Great video Pete.

[@RiverKingsKayak]

Thanks FRJ!

[@adulfdabo898]

I'm still in the "Go with the flow and try not to die!" - stage of beginner paddling. Missing some really moving current in my area, but there's enough calm water to start with the basics. Thanks again for the very good (theoretical) education! Keeping that in mind may avoid some of my upcoming swimming experiences.... 😀

[@RiverKingsKayak]

Oh yeah Adulf! Thanks!

[@huntergipson3447]

Looking forward to it - Hope you got to get the new boat out man!

[@RiverKingsKayak]

Thanks Hunter...sadly, not yet. Soon!

[@stevenmorrison9446]

Thanks, some great explanations there👍

[@RiverKingsKayak]

Thanks Steven!

[@DrewEHall95]

Thank you for creating this helpful video! Very proactive 😉 subscribed!

[@RiverKingsKayak]

Thanks Drew!

[@borissladkov]

Awesome video! Thank you 👍

[@RiverKingsKayak]

Thanks Boris!

[@paulowens4219]

Love your videos! You make things easy to understand. I've been watching a lot during this cold weather, looking to improve my skills as soon as I can get on the water.

[@RiverKingsKayak]

Right on Paul!! Let me know how it goes! I hope the videos can help at least a little! Thanks!

[@PaddleDogC5]

Production and editing was amazing!

[@RiverKingsKayak]

Thanks PaddleDog!

[@ShortyAKALestat]

Edging seem like a lot to think about. Ton of good info, thanks Pete. See you next week.

[@RiverKingsKayak]

It will become second nature!

[@TheTennesseeYankee]

Great video, thank you!

[@RiverKingsKayak]

Thanks Tennessee Yankee!

[@SideTrailAdventures]

Watching this makes me want to get back out there and practice in a hole...honored my flip could lead off the series of shots of what not to do😎

[@RiverKingsKayak]

He he! I closed with my moment...as long as it helps someone!!

[@markosskoulios9759]

Thank you so much Pete. Your videos are incredible. Greetings from Greece

[@RiverKingsKayak]

Thanks Markos !!

[@pilotjt]

Yes! Thx Pete!

[@RiverKingsKayak]

Thank you JT!

[@natestevens2193]

Great video as always. Super helpful to us beginners.

[@RiverKingsKayak]

Thanks Nate! Right on!

[@StefanFuhrmann]

I really love your videos!

[@RiverKingsKayak]

Thanks Stefan!

[@Riverchaser365]

GREAT VIDEO!

[@RiverKingsKayak]

Thanks RC!

[@savageoffroadmowers6199]

What's weird is I watched this video hoping to collect super useful information but part way through I realized that I've been doing this for years instinctively. I joined a FB kayaking group recently and they constantly post yt videos to check out for information, I've watched a lot of y'alls videos through that group

[@RiverKingsKayak]

Right on SORM!! Good stuff!

[@NC4RA]

Thank you Pete! I really learned a lot from this video. Ryan

[@RiverKingsKayak]

Thanks NC4RA! Thats what it is all about!

[@andrew777au]

great info!

[@RiverKingsKayak]

Thanks Andrew!

[@atkinsoutdoors2746]

Good stuff, use the force, be proactive NOT reactive. When upside down and current is on left roll on right side, when current on the right roll on the left, sounds so easy when looking at a screen. Looking forward to gaining that XP achievement on my bucket list.

[@RiverKingsKayak]

Thanks AO! I'm sure it will come!!

[@peterwhatley4413]

Great video I’ve learnt a lot cheers Pete

[@RiverKingsKayak]

Thanks Peter!!

[@mfryer100]

Fantastic video.

[@RiverKingsKayak]

Thanks Martin!

[@PaddleDogC5]

Great video. Even though I am a sea Kayaker.

[@RiverKingsKayak]

Thanks! This works in sea kayaks too!!

[@sergeantcrow]

I need this.... Thank you.. :)

[@RiverKingsKayak]

Right on Sergeant Crow!

[@daniellealise2116]

Incredible winter scenery. What river are you running at the end?

[@RiverKingsKayak]

the last scene where I flip was Wilson Creek. Just before that was The Mayo River

[@toms6841]

So I'm just getting into river kayaking/camping with a Jackson Journey 14. Part of my reason for choosing this hull is versatility for a varying river environments. I'm not going to be out looking for whitewater, but want to be able to navigate Cl II and light-mod Cl III rapids. The skills on this video are what I need to develop. I assume the forces on a longer/larger hull will be that much greater. I know it's just a case of developing the feel and muscle memory. Any other recommendations/suggestions would be more than welcome. Thanks! (liked and subscribed)

[@RiverKingsKayak]

You are all over it Tom!! If you got into whitewater, your long boat skills would be exponentially better. It takes much longer to develop those skills in a long boat. But, yes, all those techniques apply 100%.

[@ericplloyd]

Hey man, if you could give a shout out for some of the rivers you're paddling, that'd be awesome. You do call out some of the rapids, and I'm starting to recognize a few.

[@RiverKingsKayak]

Will do Eric!

[@ericstutts9766]

Good video, I didn't hear anything about hard chines though. Are they going to be harder to deal with? Asking because one of the boats I bought is the Zen3 Large. I've mentioned before I have been away from it a while. I originally had a Dagger Animas back 15 or so years ago. I also have the new Katana 10.4 Hard to find boats for 6'4" 250

[@RiverKingsKayak]

Right on Eric! It will be different yet the same for every boat out there. It will just be a matter of applying the concept to the boat. The subtle differences of how the boat reacts will not affect things as much as not controlling your edges! Lol!

[@bashy2.0]

Hi, at 16:55 matey loses it, right side is up for the incoming flow from the right, why did they lose it?, is it because of the slack water on the left?

[@RiverKingsKayak]

The eddy became the active side (left). Lifting that right edge was opposite of what was needed.

[@bashy2.0]

@@RiverKingsKayak thank you, much appreciated, just starting to learn WW :)

[@cheskybaba4864]

Great videos - What pogies do you use?

[@RiverKingsKayak]

Thanks chesky! I really like the immersion research microwave

[@Truth-Be-Told-USA]

Hmm it's true fear as it starts with fe and fun starts with fu. Hopefully I get over the fear as I knot how to roll I just think I will screw up. I need to conquer the fear!!

[@RiverKingsKayak]

I hear ya Doug!

[@Truth-Be-Told-USA]

@@RiverKingsKayak it went great! I have a lot to learn but it went well 🤫 so fun

[@adrianhubert935]

👍

[@RiverKingsKayak]

thanks Adrian!

[@ChristelVinot]

omg it looks COLD

[@RiverKingsKayak]

some of those runs were very cold indeed!

[@markjbrooks-newkayaker-old9741]

Didn't take this into consideration when sliding/spinning Sun. Got wet doing nothing...

[@RiverKingsKayak]

he he he! Keep your head up Mark!! It gets better and better...soon you wont even think about it!

[@SubParPaddler]

Hey Pete, Bashy here, just watching this old video again (it popped up lol) and i was just wondering, at kzbin.info/www/bejne/haO5eoKLmNqHjMU you hit the buzzer to say ya edge got bit but wasn't that the right way to do it anyway, what i mean is, you turned left and needed left edge up as the flow was from the left yet the back flow from the right bit you, yeah there's a question lol, what should/could you have done differently so as not to get bit from the right without compromising the left side? Great video as always, thank you :) ok, watching it back many times now, i think I see the answer, did you overcook ya left ede, i.e. yalifted it too much?

[@RiverKingsKayak]

Hey Bashy! That quick shot with the black and blue Jefe Grande was actually Kevin. The problem with that sequence started by Kevin allowing himself to get sideways in a hole...lol. He has a habit of looking away in drops so that he does not get water in his eyes where it messes with his contacts. This often causes him to spin into the direction he whips his head. So...after that leftward spin momentum happens, he washes past the seam of the hole (but not past the boil line). This essentially means that there is no longer water engaging his boat on his left edge (moving downstream) which would require keeping the left edge up. All the engagement is coming from the right side in the form of upstream moving water heading back into the hole feature. Dipping that right edge like that is actually opposite of what is needed. There is a fine line there when you are sideways in a hole but just beyond the seam when you are still carrying downstream momentum. Keeping that boat straight through hole features and maintaining downstream momentum and keeping your bow up usually eliminates all of this. Hope that helps!

[@SubParPaddler]

@@RiverKingsKayak Hi Pete, thanks for the explanation, it all makes sense now, I ain't got a clue why I thought it was you lol

[@BestoftheBeast33]

I do this in the little inflatable inner tubes but for some reason this is a bit intimidating. LoL it's gotta be less painful

[@RiverKingsKayak]

He he! Multiple layers of foam and quality plastic under the rump does make it less painful! Lol

[@acousticfixation]

What boat is that red pyranha? (Towards the beginning of the video)

[@RiverKingsKayak]

A pyranha G3

[@RiverKingsKayak]

It's actually about to be for sale...

[@acousticfixation]

I just bought a used h3. It looks similar :) thanks...how much?

[@RiverKingsKayak]

@@acousticfixation 275. Pm me and I will get u the details if interested

[@acousticfixation]

Going to research it now :)

[@sticksstones8498]

Some of that was pretty brutal But I think i have gained from watching. Lol Thanks p4

[@RiverKingsKayak]

Right on S&S!