Tips and Tricks: How to Launch a Kayak at a Boat Ramp

In this video, I show you a way to portage from/to a concrete boat ramp that will help minimize damaging your kayak. You can always push the kayak even further, and you may have to depending on how shallow or deep your kayak sits in the water.
In this video, I am using a Ck1 Venture from Crescent Kayaks and a Bending Branches Navigator Angler Paddle.
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Please let us know if you have any questions/comments below.

[@MrSpeedyNYC]

Thank you for your videos. I am brand new to kayaking and I find them very informative and helpful. :)

[@kayakflyfishingschool]

You re very welcome! I am glad that I can help you learn a bit as you begin your journey into this wonderful sport. That is the whole purpose of the school is to provide some education and instruction where I can and help get people out on the water safely. Please let me know if you have any questions on anything, we all began like you at one point, including me, so I am glad to help where I can. Tight Lines and Safe Paddle.

[@mechadebzilla]

Also very relaxing

[@alardon1126]

Thank you for this video. Very helpful, as I am new to kayaking. Safe paddling.

[@kayakflyfishingschool]

You’re welcome and thank you for watching and the kind words. As you go forward into this sport, don’t be afraid to ask questions. I will be glad to help where I can. Tight lines and safe paddles

[@BigJoon2000]

Great tips!

[@kayakflyfishingschool]

Thank you

[@chrismichels4616]

I have been kayaking for many years but recently suffered a stroke and now have poor balance, so I am reviewing and in some cases relearning everything I do in a boat. Stepping in to the kayak and then sitting down is not going to work for me. To get in, why can’t you just do the opposite of how you got out at 2:50 in the video? That would be: be parallel to the ramp, hold on to the paddle and the back of the seat for balance, sit down then swing your feet in. I’ll try that next time I am out (when the weather warms up). To do that in my sit in kayaks, I am going to have to stay pretty flexible. 😊 Thanks for the videos, they are helpful.

[@kayakflyfishingschool]

Sorry to hear about your stroke, but I am glad to see you are not letting it stop you from kayaking. You can do just as you described, I talk about that way of entering and exiting the kayak in a different video. kzbin.info/www/bejne/Z2bKqXymZp2Kr9k

[@chrismichels4616]

@@kayakflyfishingschool Thanks. That shows the kayak perpendicular to shore, but parallel should work fine. I’ll try it on dry land first.

[@lordenoch0]

One thing to be careful of is how slippery the ramp can get from algae where the water is shallow. I slipped and fell in after stepping out of my boat one time and it was the devil trying to get my footing again on the slippery slope.

[@kayakflyfishingschool]

That’s a good and valid point!!

[@TylerGoesFishing]

thanks for the info

[@kayakflyfishingschool]

You’re welcome, let me know if you have any questions or concerns on anything. Thank you for watching!

[@patricksmith7642]

It seems like sitting into the kayak is safer in general than stepping in.

[@kayakflyfishingschool]

It can be safer and easier for some, this is just one way to get in. I have other videos that show how to sit in the kayak to get in as well.

[@Mr_Damion_Scott]

Thank you for the video, Im buying one soon.

[@kayakflyfishingschool]

You’re very welcome, thank you for watching. I wish you safe paddles in your new kayak! What brand and model are you getting, if you have decided of course?

[@Mr_Damion_Scott]

@@kayakflyfishingschool not sure yet, do you have any recommendations?

[@kayakflyfishingschool]

@@Mr_Damion_Scott my biggest and first recommendation is to go to a store that allows you to try out the kayaks before you buy them. Many local smaller shops can accommodate either in store/on site, or by renting different kayaks. There are so many factors to take into consideration when choosing a kayak, and a lot of those deal with personal preference and feel and fit. Once you decide on a sit on top of a sit in kayak, then you can figure out length, weight, price, and other factors.

[@Mr_Damion_Scott]

@@kayakflyfishingschool awesome thanks for the advice.

[@roy-nk4vq]

Quick question: What do you recommend to go with the CK1? Low angle of high angle paddle? Probably won't be using a seat riser. Thanks

[@roy-nk4vq]

or

[@kayakflyfishingschool]

Roy1795 your paddle stroke may be determined by a few factors like paddle length, gear on the kayak, comfort, width of kayak versus how high your paddle sits in normal paddle position. For me I find that I blend a bit between the high angle and the low angle paddle stroke style. I do tend to lean more towards the low angle without the riser and a higher angle with the riser.

[@roy-nk4vq]

Thanks. Bending Branches is having a sale.

[@roy-nk4vq]

Got the low angle :-)

[@kayakflyfishingschool]

@@roy-nk4vq awesome!!!! Great time of the year for a new paddle!!

[@slideryt]

…lemon squeezy. (Gotta have that part too!)

[@kayakflyfishingschool]

I knew I forgot something!!! :)

[@jax9224]

It’s also just way safer and easier to parallel entry and exiting no matter what surface you are using

[@kayakflyfishingschool]

Very true!! Safer for sure, but parallel entry and exit isn’t always possible. I have been in places that have so much tree cover, rocks, steep cuts at back, out other environmental things that don’t allow the length of a kayak, so sometimes you have to nose it in and out.

[@martin.feuchtwanger]

Avoid scratching your heavy-duty plastic kayak, but, go ahead and abuse your fragile paddle. Ha ha.

[@kayakflyfishingschool]

It isn’t fragile at all, that thing has pushed me off many Oyster beds, rocks, trees, and even swatted a few snakes that got to close. I don’t care about scratches in the kayak, they are going to happen, but there are those out there that sweat over every little scratch…not me, those are battle scars. Been doing this over 15 years, just can’t see the need to buy any of those hull protectors, but I can see why others would want them, big investment to protect a best they can

[@paulbunyun-xi9by]

yeah good point he was just sharping it

[@paulbunyun-xi9by]

why not use the dock and tie it up than get your truck i dont want to get my feet wet

[@martin.feuchtwanger]

Do not try this method when there are waves!

[@kayakflyfishingschool]

Good point, I should have made that statement in the video. There are other methods I show that would work for launching in waves.