March 5, 2005

Turning

Going through some old emails to add a bit to this section. Here is one on turning:

One of the two most common mistakes I see folks make is trying to turn the 'bow' by sweeping from the front of the kayak. As a kayak moves forward, the bow builds up pressure against the water and effectively becomes anchored in place. The stern on the other hand, is in a low pressure area, and slides easily from left to right. When your bow 'turns into the wind' it is actually your stern slipping down wind easier, pointing your bow into the wind.

Novice paddlers will often resort to a stern rudder to turn down wind after trying unsuccessfully to sweep. The reason this is so effective is that it is easier to move the stern than it is the bow. Put your energies into the last half of your sweep stroke unless you are turning in place.

The second item to pay attention to is the tilt or lean of your boat. To turn downwind, edge your boat to the windward side. To facilitate turning, edge to the outside of the turn. Think of the underwater profile of your boat as you do this. If you edge toward the outside of your turn, your stern will 'dig in' if the wind tries to push it around, piling up water against the stern.

You can leverage this edging when paddling slightly up wind, down wind, or beam on to the wind. To paddle slightly into the wind, edge your boat away from the wind. This will allow your stern to easily slip and turn you into the wind. Edge toward the wind to cause your stern to dig in and you will find it easier to paddle beam on the wind or partially down wind.

Depending on your boat, you may need a bit of a skeg in the rear. This anchors your stern a little more, causing it to slip less. But a little edging may be all you need.