Kayak lessons with a friend

[Doug SC]

This is from a month and a half ago. Spent yesterday at the sailing club with Rusty who is just getting started with sea kayaking. We have sailed together and camped on his sailboat to watch the start of the Everglades challenge a couple of years ago. I bought my Scamp sailboat from him.

He picked up a used Artic Tern from a couple who had made two for themselves back in the 90s. They didn't build in bulkheads or hatches so I brought a pair of solo canoe float bags, and we installed them in front of the foot pegs and behind the seat. He is free to use them until he does the work on the kayak. He picked up a skirt and had a kayak paddle and PFD.

We started out with doing a wet exit which he easily did with no trepidations. Then I began talking about efficient paddling technique. The paddle box concept and how you want to keep the box shape throughout the paddle stroke. From where the blade enters the water near your foot and is lifted out at the hip. Also how to get the feel of paddling with his core by following the path of the paddle blade with his eyes and head. This works because as you turn your head to follow the paddle blade you also turn at the waist. Which then when lifting the blade at the hip you are set up for the next stroke. You turn your head and watch the blade enter the water at your foot following it once again to the hip. He was to push into the pedal with his foot on the same side as the paddle. This I believe transfers the paddle's energy into the hull. It also keeps blood flow through the legs and feet. And to keep his head over his center of gravity.

I let him use both my Werner Cyprus and my Greenland paddles talking about how the stroke is extended back more and blade angled with Greenland. How on a sweep stroke it can be fully extended. How to edge with the knee and opposite hip to help in turning or compensate for weathercocking. I also had him using the bow rudder stroke to help turn at speed. Both high and low bracing, dinking the head and a hip snap as you do them. He was familiar with sculling.

We paddled out and around an island about 3/4 of a mile out from the ramp did maybe a 1/4 mile around the Island and then headed over to the start line to watch the clubs M C Skow Fleet practice racing. I regretted forgetting my camera and the phone was in the car. We may have paddled about 2.5 miles in distance practicing what had been covered. The wind was up with some strong gusts, and the waves were just shy of white capping. and had lessen some by the time we got back.

When we returned to the beach, we had launched from I demonstrated two basic rescue techniques both the paddle float and the cowboy rescues. I let him use my Shearwater Merganser I built from an Eric Schade kit. We both wore dry suits as the water was 54F and high for the day 64F, and I knew we would be in the water for a good portion of time. To my surprise and chagrin my pee zip was all the way open. The next surprise was that I was still comfortable and not cold. We had burped our drysuits completely before paddling but I had visited the rest room after doing so. I didn't get a suit full of water because there wasn't much air space to displace with the water. What did get in pooled at the feet when I came out of the water. However, I was able to enter the kayak doing first a paddle float reentry and a cowboy reentry next. I came back to shore and stood in waist deep water while instructing him. He did the paddle float reentry on the first try but it took 3 tries to get back in with the cowboy reentry. After which we called it a day. I keep a bag with a change of clothes in the car when I canoe kayak sail or fly fish while wading and was glad to change my cloths. I did have high tech long johns, nylon, and wool under the dry suit and never did get cold.

We did take a few photos of the day once on shore. I had a blast, and we plan on doing this again. I hope I remember to zip up!

Some of the racing boats at the dock and our kayaks
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Me doing a paddle float reentry after flipping the kayak up and over emptying as it is righted.
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Rusty working on a cowboy reentry.
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[Riley Smith]

Cool! I must say I haven't done much kayaking but enjoy it when I do. Not anything nearly so nice as those boats, either. I will ALSO say that entering a yak from the water can be entertaining for SOME folks that aren't trying to get on that unstable board on a pendulum 

[Captain Kidd]

Re-entering a kayak on the water seems like a pretty difficult task to me. Would love to see a video.

My son-in-law has two pretty nice kayaks that he and his son have used. I have an 8' Sun Dolphin but have never been fond of it. I'm seriously thinking about building a plywood kayak. Came across the "24 Hour" kayak plans the other day. There are several others out there as well. It would be fun to build a cedar strip one but not sure I have the time or patience right now. I'm trying to get in more sailing too.

[Brian N.]

We have two kayaks and use them frequently on local rivers and bays on calm days. When my sons were in the Boy Scouts, we also did several kayak trips with the troop. My younger son was a lifeguard on those trips and also an instructor. Getting back on board after a dump is a challenge even for the experienced. During one trip (combined kayak and canoe) we had several boys capsize. My son had his work cut out for him that day. Fortunately the river was not too cold or the current too swift. 

[Doug SC]

I'm seriously thinking about building a plywood kayak.

You might want to consider this site for free Sea Kayak plans. they can be modified to fit the individual. These are considered to be good boats.

[Captain Kidd]

this site

? You lost me.

[Doug SC]

Sorry, I forgot to paste the link.

https://cnckayaks.com/shrike/