How to make your kayak turn
The cross bow rudder
The cross bow rudder is a powerful by risky stroke. To perform a high cross bow rudder reach forward as if to start a bow rudder, but cross over the kayak to the opposite side and place the blade parallel to the kayak center line about one foot from the hull. Keep the rear hand about head high. Slowly open the blade away from the kayak. Be prepared to let go of the forward hand if the force on the paddle threatens a capsize. Start with slow forward speeds and open the blade face slowly until you develop a feel for this turn.
As you slow during this turn you can increase the angle on the blade and let the paddle move further away from the hull. When you have almost stopped, you can continue turning the kayak by performing a cross bow draw, hop the deck and do a forward sweep or if you wish to continue turning and want to stop, drop the rear hand and do a back sweep. To perform the even riskier low cross bow rudder, perform the same motions as the high cross bow rudder, but keep your rear hand low. The angle of the blade is much harder to adjust in a low cross bow rudder, so start carefully, at low speeds and with the initial placement of the blade close to the hull. With the extra leverage generated by the paddle way out in front of you, this stroke is very hard to control.
All bow rudder strokes are most effective on kayaks with a lot of rocker. These strokes are effective in narrow channels where it is important to guide the bow around a tight curve instead of swinging the stern out into the bank.
The hanging draw
The hanging draw is useful in moving the kayak to the side without turning it, for example when you need to get closer to a pier, shoreline or rock. You are parallel to the feature already and you are still moving forward. To perform the hanging draw, place the stroke side blade in the water near your hip. Bring your upper off-stroke hand to your stroke side shoulder. Again place the blade parallel to the center line of the kayak. Your lower hand will be close to your hip. Open the blade face away from the kayak. The kayak should move out to the stroke side. If the kayak begins to turn toward the stroke side, move the in-water blade farther aft and if the kayak turns away, move it farther forward.
The sculling draw
The sculling draw and standard draw are useful in moving the kayak to the side while not moving forward. Rotate your torso and head to face the direction you wish to go. Extend the stroke side paddle power face away the hull and as far out from the kayak as comfortable. Do not lean to that side. The upper hand should be at or below head level. Angle the blade away from the kayak and move the blade forward through the water parallel to the center line of the kayak.
When you have moved the blade well forward, adjust the angle of the blade so the other edge will be facing away from the kayak and make a long extended vertical sweeping motion. As the blade sweeps through the water at the slight angle it will move away from the kayaking. Resisting the tendency by pulling the paddle shaft toward the kayak will move the kayak toward the paddle shaft. This is called sculling.
The standard draw
The standard draw does not use the sculling motion but a directly pulls the kayak to the side with the paddle blade. Again rotate your torso to look directly out to the side of the kayak. Place the paddle blade into the water out from your hip and as far from the kayak as you can without leaning to that side. Your upper hand should be at head height. Draw (pull) the kayak to the blade.
When the blade reaches the hull, move the in-water blade to the rear and lower your upper hand to remove the blade from the water. Reposition that blade out to the side to make another stroke. This is the standard recovery.
A modification of this stroke is to return the paddle to the starting position without removing it from the water. When the paddle reaches the hull after the draw, rotate the blade perpendicular to the kayak center line. Return the blade to the extended position without removing it from the water. Rotate the blade parallel to the kayak and start the stroke again.
The Lean Turn
Turning strokes are all enhanced by tilting the kayak. Tilting lifts the ends of the kayak out of the water. The more you tilt the kayak, the quicker the turn. Tilting is not the same as leaning. Tilting is the process of rotating the kayak while maintaining the center of gravity (mostly you) over the kayak's center of support (the kayak). With practice you'll find you can lean the kayak over quite far (dipping the coaming - edge of the cockpit - in the water) by adding some bracing component to your strokes.
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