White Water Canoeing: Mastering the S-Turn

[@ryotayamada]

Thanks I could see nice paddling technics.

[@RayGoodwinCanoe]

Thank you.

[@brianj9635]

oh to have that silky smoothness... I guess practice practice practice!!! thank you for these instructionals.

[@RayGoodwinCanoe]

And then even more practise. I always enjoyed the challenge and outcomes of practise to really got stuck in over many years and even then it felt more like play.

[@richardbisset8323]

Your control of the canoe is amazing to watch Ray

[@RayGoodwinCanoe]

That is kind of you. Thanks

[@mrjacklowe]

A great couple of days, Ray...thank you!

[@RayGoodwinCanoe]

Yes it was! Good to paddle with you both. Great conversations and paddling.

[@kevinbungles]

Brilliant and expertly demonstrated

[@RayGoodwinCanoe]

Thank you

[@lizc1355]

Another excellent video - like the fact you pause it at key points and add lines and arrows to show flow and eddy lines.

[@RayGoodwinCanoe]

Yep planning on using that pause and diagrammatic annotation in a number of future videos. I want to do one on eddy turns.

[@lizc1355]

@@RayGoodwinCanoe Good to hear. We find all your videos really useful. Stuart and I just need to get to Wales more often to put into practice!

[@MrMjt888]

@@RayGoodwinCanoe yep. The last set of models that you had for eddy turns didn’t work out so well. They just seemed to argue and did a better job of demonstrating passive aggression 😂 shhh

[@RayGoodwinCanoe]

@@MrMjt888 Hmm. 😂 what ever 😂

[@CanadianSledDog]

I always appreciate these clear and concise instructionals.

[@RayGoodwinCanoe]

Thank you for you kind comment. I really work on trying to keep the steps simple. Thanks

[@stuartriches9028]

Another great video. I find the annotations and arrows useful in helping to explain what I'm looking at. Keep them coming 😀

[@stuartriches9028]

Also good to see a tandem in the video, especially as I've invested in a tandem with Liz so any tips that avoid a messy divorce are much appreciated 🤣🤣

[@RayGoodwinCanoe]

Yep it becomes a little more interesting two up. Will do some specific tandem stuff at some point. Anyway glad to know you find the annotations and arrows useful. Thanks.

[@CyndiLH]

Amazing video!

[@RayGoodwinCanoe]

You are so kind. Thanks

[@MrMjt888]

Really good Ray. Could have done with this when I first started.

[@RayGoodwinCanoe]

Thank you. I am working hard on these so appreciated.

[@Str8OuttaCronton]

This looks like where you stopped us for dinner during training 😃 hope you’re well, love the video. John

[@RayGoodwinCanoe]

Yes it was. One of my favourite training spots in low water. Many thanks and keep well, Ray

[@suetadman3530]

Another excellent video to add to the collection Ray, thank you. Is there any prospect of one on reverse ferrying? That's my real bugbear!

[@philschaefer4651]

I'll second that request. I always seem to end up sideways during back ferries.

[@RayGoodwinCanoe]

Sue: I will try to do a bit of work on that when we meet up for the Menai Straits. Yep Phil and Sue: It is one I need to do and now waiting on water arriving this autumn. It has been on my list for some time so I will do my best to get it done in next months.

[@MrMjt888]

@@RayGoodwinCanoe I was going to ask the same thing. Doubles and solo please. Love this vid.

[@davidmersiovsky]

Awesome, and thanks! You make it look so easy... I'd be curious to hear your thoughts on paddle styles (materials, shape, blade size, handle type, length, when to use, etc). I don't think you have one of those yet.

[@RayGoodwinCanoe]

Great suggestion! I did do a section on paddles in the J-Stroke video but yep I think a dedicated video of its own would be good. Another to add to a long list of to do things.

[@davidmersiovsky]

@@RayGoodwinCanoe No worries, any video you put out is very welcome! Thanks as always.

[@robertcanning2410]

Another great video Ray, any chance you could do a video on your camera set up for your videos?

[@RayGoodwinCanoe]

Yes, soon. Well I have been meaning to do that for ages. Will try to get around to it v soon.

[@LadiaBlaha]

The current is nice on you 🙂 Fun starts when the edge of edy is notably tall 🙂.

[@RayGoodwinCanoe]

Always choose your eddy wisely. But yep I will look for some more exciting ones to include in another video.

[@JimKayaker]

Very good video on crosses. Something that intrigues me as I struggle to learn to paddle lefty (primarily in my slalom C1, but it will be useful in my OC1 and trad boat too) is how other people alter things paddling on different sides. In respect of your weight shifts, I think you use more of a weight shift when coming back river right to river left, than when you paddle across river left to river right, where you seem to control more by altering knee pressure without moving your CG further out. The latter is obviously how I paddle a C1 (because there isn't much backup stability if you go too far with your weight), but it makes me wonder if you use pressure more than wieght shift on one side, and weight shift more than pressure on the other, perhaps this is something I do and part of why I feel so flippin ungainly when I paddle on the left... Something to check next time I get out on flat water for a left paddling session.

[@RayGoodwinCanoe]

Really good observations. However I think it more to do with the angle I am hitting the fast water. From river left I have quite a shallow angle as I hit the strong current so need relatively little edge. Coming from river right I am much more across the current as I hit the full speed and so need a lot more edge immediately. But I will look again to see if there is a non conscious element to it and I do lean more on one than the other. Great observation and it has made me think.

[@JimKayaker]

That is quite possible, you have explained the topological differences between the eddies in the video...

[@RayGoodwinCanoe]

@@JimKayaker The main thing is you have got me thinking

[@unclejohnthezef]

Your videos are wonderful ray! How is that canoe set up? Are you just sitting/kneeling on a little bar or thwart? Is that so your knees don’t bend too much?

[@RayGoodwinCanoe]

I am using a kneeling thwart. I have a couple of videos showing how to fit them but probably the best explanation is in my J-stroke video on the channel.

[@lucassmith2332]

Great work . How do you practice control when leaning your weight. I can lean left , but my right side gets away from me " even on dry land".

[@RayGoodwinCanoe]

So a number of questions: are you kneeling, what boat do you paddle and do you swap hands at times? If my knees are spread I push my weight down into one knee to achieve the lean/edge. My body weight remains within the canoe but shifts over the weighted knee. To change edge I shift the weight from one knee to the other. Hope that helps but let me have more information.

[@lucassmith2332]

I don't kneel very much. I find it very uncomfortable only kneel when I hit rapids on level a 1 to 2 rivers. It's mostly sitting. Have not tried leaning through the rapids just in the calmer water. Not that comfortable with it yet.

[@RayGoodwinCanoe]

@@lucassmith2332 : on long journeys I also sit most of the time and am happy to go through simple rapids in that position. Seated I will only cross gentle eddy lines as I cannot addiquately control the edge or drop it more than a little. It is only in crossing eddy lines that I will be leaning the boat running down a rapid I will be keeping the boat pretty well flat. Hope that helps