This video is provided by the excellent Outdoor Activity publisher Pesda Press and designed to be used in conjunction with the highly recommended book Sea Kayak Handling by Doug Cooper (reviewed here). It features a nice top down view of the Doug performing a bow rudder in flat water conditions.
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Technique: Scoop Rescue
The scoop rescue is used to aid an exhausted or injured paddler back into a sea kayak when they are unable to assist the rescuer in the process. It involves holding the sea kayaking on its side, half full of water and then having the paddler in the water ‘float’ into the kayak. Once their [...]
Fitting Yakima Footrests
Over the let 12 months or so I have had a handful of occasions where the left hand, plastic adjustable footrests in my P&H Cetus has popped off the rail. To replace it requires the whole footrest to be removed so the footrest can be slid back into place. I’d also noticed a certain amount [...]
Removing Kayak Seat For Cleaning And Maintenance
The jobs list for my Kayak has been growing steadily over recent weeks. Lots of little bits needed tweaking or fixing. Nothing major but a couple with the potential to grow into more significant issues. I managed to grab a couple of hours this week to give the boat some much needed TLC. One job [...]
Technique: Forward Paddling – Sean Morley
This video has been around for a while and I came it across it thanks to the UK Rivers Guidebook Forum. The video features Sean Morley taking the viewer through a very detailed look at ‘power paddling’ – a highly efficient forward paddling stroke to maximise forward speed. There are some nice dry land as [...]
Balance Exercises
I’m spending a bit of time at the end of each training session playing with balance exercises before I get stuck into self rescue and rolling drills. Last Sunday I shot a bit of footage using my iPhone which I thought I would share. The balance exercises are great for increasing confidence and stability in [...]
4* Sea Assessment – Lessons Learnt
It’s done. Several months of practice and planning (and one aborted assessment due to candidates dropping out) and I’ve passed my BCU 4* Sea Assessment. Whilst in the grand scheme of things the 4* leaders award is not perhaps the hugest achievement in the world, when you are head down and focused preparing for an [...]
Keel Strips
When I got hold of my Cetus, I was lucky in that it came fitted with a keel strip in place as it was originally destined to be a demo boat. For those paddler’s ordering a new boat, a keel strip is usually an optional extra that can be specified at the time of ordering. [...]
Quick Release Contact Tow System
I recently wrote a brief article on one version of a Cross Over Contact Tow system. Although it has some real positive points, one negative aspect of the Crossover System is the lack of quick release. This article provides a look at an alternative contact tow set-up that is solves the quick release issue. Thanks [...]
4* Sea Leaders Kit List
Paddling kit is a source of endless discussion, tinkering at the best of times. When preparing for some form of assessment it can border on the obsessional. As part of my preparation for assessment with the BCU 4* Leaders award, I spent a long time thinking through the kit I was going to carry and [...]
