Because the kayak is already moving I find myself unwinding – irresistibly! ;-(  before catch. Apart from visualizing spearing a salmon, do you have other advice, tips, tricks, dry/ wet exercises etc to catch before unwinding?

A: When I do video analysis of students a common error is unwinding before the catch, or in other words, starting to apply power before the paddle is completely buried. This is a common power leak.

If you are “pulling” before the paddle is planted, not only is your stroke shortened (giving you less time to generate power), but the catch is often poor too (drawing air into the water — ventilation, and creating turbulence and making noise — “plop!”).

How short is a “model” stroke? For a wing you should be starting your exit when the blade reaches your knees and the blade should exit when your hand reaches your hip.  Since the stroke is so short, you can’t afford to waste any of it. A Greenland paddle also exits when your hand is at your hip, but the blades are long, and will exit behind you.

The long blades of a Greenland paddle mean that your catch needs to be quick and precise, otherwise the stroke will be almost over before you have fully buried the blade, especially if you prefer a vertical stroke for speed.

Trying to “unlearn” existing muscle memory can be frustrating, but it can be done, so be persistent. When learning a new “choreography”, start slowly and deliberately until if feels natural. Being aware of what you are doing is half the battle. When you find yourself falling back into old habits (and you will), just bring your new-found awareness back to your technique, or go back to the drills.

Sequencing Drill — Wind-up and Catch: (kayak moving very slowly or stationary):

• Fully wind up (spear the salmon position)
• Quickly bury the paddle blade into the water  ONLY (no other movement)
• Remove the paddle, fully wind-up and perform on the opposite side.

Wind-up & Pause Drill: (kayak can be moving at speed)

• Fully wind up (spear the salmon position)
• PAUSE FOR A FULL SECOND (in the air)
• Plant the paddle blade completely into the water
• Feel your stroke-side foot engage the footbrace and apply power.

These drills will help isolate each movement, improve your catch, prevent applying power too soon, and are also good for working on your balance.  Even on a normal stroke when I’m not doing a drill, I pause very briefly after winding up to prepare for a good catch.

A kayak ergometer is a very useful tool for working on these drills. You can perform them either very slowly or at speed, without worry about balancing and capsizing.

When you plant the paddle, do so fully. Wrap a piece of bright tape around the shaft where it meets the blade (Euro or Wing). You should bury the paddle to this tape mark, and no more, no less. Strive to keep the blade at this depth throughout your stroke.  For a Greenland paddle you plant the blade almost up to the pinky finger of your pulling (lower) hand.
You can help keep the paddle at a constant depth by allowing the paddle to flare naturally away from the hull during the stroke, while maintaining good posture. This is only possible if your mechanics are sound and the paddle length is correct. Too long a paddle makes it easier to get the blade in the water for the catch, but the paddle may go too deep at the exit.  A paddle that is too short is just the opposite.

The website below has some good coaching tips, excellent images of the different phases of a stroke, and some additional drills that you might wish to try: http://members.westnet.com.au/dshunter/Good%20Technique.htm

My latest DIY project was to create a full footboard to replace the skimpy original on my K1 (right).

This was a  relatively quick and inexpensive project.  First task was to make a cardboard pattern to determine the size and fit.  For the construction I used 1/2″ (12.7mm) thick birch plywood, but it’s stronger than it needs to be, 3/8″ (9.5mm)  thickness would be fine, and would save a little weight.

The only challenging part of the operation was to cut the slot for the tiller bar (rudder control) as this needs to be cut at the same angle as the slope of the footboard or the tiller will stick. My approach was to drill two holes at each end of the slot using an old-fashioned bit-brace (hand drill) with a bit the same diameter as the intended slot. To get the angle right, I placed a sliding T bevel set at 60 degrees on the stock and just eyeballed it as I drilled. A sabre saw with an adjustable base (set to 60 degrees) made quick work of cutting the waste from the slot.

Why a 60 degree angle? Both my SpeedStroke erg (indoor kayak trainer)  and Epic V12 ski have 60 degree footboards and  they’re very comfortable. I chose the same angle for training consistency, when moving from erg to boat to boat. Obviously a vertical plate is not ergonomic (although vertical bulkheads are sometimes used as a footrest by sea kayakers).  Angles of 45 degrees or less may result in your feet sliding up the footboard under pressure. In the end it’s up to your personal preference.

To improve traction, I originally covered the footboard with non-slip tape  (intended for stairs) found at most hardware stores. It works but looks and feels like sandpaper and can be too abrasive against wet, bare feet. The image above shows the footboard covered with this material.  I replaced it with Hydro-turf traction pad strips – grippy, firm, and comfortable — a big improvement.

Now to finally replace that ratty foot-strap. After looking at various pull-bars I decided on the Nelo Carbon Pull-bar.  It’s light, ergonomic and highly adjustable (depth and angle). It arrived in less than a week from Portugal.

The original footrest wasn’t horrible, at least it had a much larger surface area than the tiny Yakima-style pegs that most sea kayakers put-up with, and the plate allowed micro-adjustments to the angle for comfort.  I prefer to push with my stroke side heel, rather than the balls of my feet, so I find a full footboard to be not only more comfortable but permits a more efficient stroke as well.

[Warning - vaguely related rant commencing]
What is amazing to me is that racing kayaks have, by far, the best ergonomics, even though some races are finished in less than two minutes! Sea kayaks generally have poor ergonomics even though sea kayakers are often in their boats for many hours.  The longest that I have been in a kayak was 22 grueling hours during one very long crossing in Iceland when the weather didn’t cooperate. Change will have to come through sea kayakers demanding better ergonomics.  Ironically, the original skin-on-frame kayaks usually offer very good foot support, with a deck beam that gives full-width support for the balls of your feet, and a rib placement just forward of your heel to provide a comfortable angle.
[Sermon over. OK, I feel better now...]

So how did the footboard upgrade work? I’m happy to report that it transformed my entire sense of security and control in the K1.  Although I still have the occasional misstep and resulting brace, the K1 has been largely tamed, and I can now paddle it aggressively, instead of  defensively.  The pull bar makes a huge difference.  It gives you something solid to help control the kayak, to aid  balance,  and enables some sense of being a part of the kayak (rather than just loosely sitting on top of it).  I’m guessing that with time and practice it won’t be as necessary. It’s probably just like rolling when at first you need a very snug, secure fit, in order to transmit your meager attempts to the kayak, and later on you can roll almost anything so long as you don’t fall out of it first. As a safety note, with any gear that you add to your kayak, ensure that it doesn’t affect your ability to exit the kayak in case of a capsize.

A drawback of the pull bar is that it restricts lateral movement with your feet, so the tiller (rudder) can only accept small corrections.  More than once I have found myself heading straight toward a buoy or hazard, with the tiller hard over, shouting , ”Turn Dammit, Turn!”,  imploring the kayak to turn. Eventually the kayak listens and responds but not with any haste.  This K1 has a  tiny rudder, designed for minute course corrections (and low drag), and response is much more sluggish as compared to the rudder on my V12 surfski.  For a more rapid turn you can lean the kayak and pull a foot out of the pull-strap to give the tiller more room to move, but I’d rather keep my feet in the pull-bar, if possible.

Technique

Not surprisingly there are some strong differences of opinion on using a pull-bar or strap. Some coaches teach that you use the pull-bar to actively push with one leg and pull with the other. Other coaches state that you push with the heel of the pushing (stroke-side) foot, and the foot-bar simply provides  support to aid balance as your non-stroke-side knee rises and the non-stroke-side foot moves upward into the bar to smooth out any wobbles. I will explore this more in-depth in the future, along with some ideas from Hungarian coach Imre Kemecsey.

Here’s another blog post on pull-pars that you might find informative.

A: Tom, thanks for the question.

Before going into specific techniques, here are some technique bullet points to ponder (there is a lot of condensed information here, you may have to read this more than once):

1. Move the boat through the water, not the paddle. This is a huge mental change for most paddlers. Think of your paddle as an anchor that you plant into solid ground and then lever your boat forward using strong legwork and body rotation. When done properly you should be able to feel your paddle “load-up” with tension – it feels somewhat like you are suspended from the paddle, like hanging from a bar.
2. Chain reaction — your stroke is only as good as the weakest link. Like a golf swing or a dance step, once you get off track it’s all downhill from there. The catch is perhaps the most important phase. If it is poor, so will the remainder of your stroke. You need to bury the paddle blade completely — up to your lower hand with a GP.  This must happen quickly and cleanly (no noise, air or splash) BEFORE you begin to unwind your body.
3. Don’t dally at the catch.  Each paddle stroke is  fairly short. If your catch is poor your stroke can be almost over before your paddle blade has even gotten fully wet . This is a common error and results in a loss of power. As a mental aid, imagine that there is a tasty fish at your bow, and “spear the salmon” as your paddle enters the water. In other words thrust the paddle quickly into the water with both hands. This will feel abrupt and choppy at first, but smooths out over time. Keep your wrists relaxed to extend your reach.
4. Eliminate the “scratch”.  Ventilation happens when you drag air into the water at the catch. With a GP it’s announced by a “scratching” noise, similar to the sound of dragging your fingernails over rough nylon fabric. This prevents a strong connection between the paddle and water. Fix this by “spearing the salmon” and ensuring that the paddle blade is  buried before you add power. In some cases ventilation can also be caused by having a fat, blocky paddle tip. If that is the case thin it down so that it is “sharpened” to the same radius as the blade edges. A good catch is silent; a poor catch makes a loud “plop”.  Technique can help here too, the canted blade technique with a GP can make a big difference (more on this below).
5. Push the kayak forward with your legs. Racers push hard with the heel of their stroke-side foot.  The stroke-side leg extends, and the opposite knee rises — a mini bicycling effect. This is what powers your body rotation. When you do this correctly if feels like you are moving the kayak with the power of your legs hips and core, not your arms.  Imagine that you are trying to open a heavy, rusty-hinged church door. Plant your feet firmly and rotate your torso. Imagine that your arms are simply ropes (linkages) between your shoulder joint and the door handle.
   Note – In an ultra low-volume skin-on-frame (SOF) kayak you may feel the most force on the opposite knee/thigh as it rises against the low masik (curved beam above your thighs), rather than your stroke-side leg. If that’s the case, make this the foundation of your stroke.
6. Try the crab walk. To understand how your hips help to drive your kayak forward, sit on the floor with your feet straight out in front of you and move forward by “walking” your pelvis forward (thrusting one leg forward at a time) akin to the way a Penguin walks. This simple drill can greatly increase your understanding of what you’re trying to do with your lower body.
7. Full body rotation. Many kayakers only move their shoulders and think they are really rotating. A powerful torso rotation is one that starts all the way down to your butt on the seat. A racing kayak is setup to emphasize torso rotation and leg drive –feet are centered together on a large, comfortably angled footrest and the cockpit is open to allow leg action. Note that this position maximizes rotation but minimizes stability and the ability to brace. Realize that most touring kayaks are maximized for stabilty with your feet and knees splayed out toward the sides.  Ideally your kayak will allow for both positions to have the best of both worlds.  Understand these different positions and exploit both of them if your kayak allows for it. If I cannot rotate fully, then I will use techniques such as the “crunch technique” to compensate (more on this later).
8. Use your big muscle groups. Your leg, back and abdominal muscles are larger and stronger than your arms. While you can’t move them as fast in a very short sprint, they don’t tire as easily.
9. Bent arms can be a power leak.  For a wing-style stroke your arms shouldn’t bend more than 90 degrees, and most of this bend happens as the blade exits the water.  A good image by Imre Kemecsey (Hungarian K1 coach) is to imagine that you have a sheet of saran wrap taped from the paddle shaft to the outside of your arms. Try to paddle without creasing this membrane. You don’t want to be stiff like Frankenstein, but you don’t want bend your arms too much either.  If you tend to bend your lower arm as soon as the paddle enters the water, you are “arm paddling”, rather than using your core, legs and body rotation.
10. Keep the stroke out in front of you.  I see many kayakers using a GP where their paddle is held very close to their chest. While this can be a low-energy way to paddle it results in a weak stroke. Imagine that you have a beach-ball in your lap and shift your entire stroke more forward.
11. Exit when your hand reaches your hip. Remove the paddle blade from the water when your lower hand reaches your hip (not the paddle tip). With a GP this means that the blade tip will be behind you when you exit because the blades are long. The stroke will feel longer because of this.
12. Paddle attributes. Paddle dimensions must fit you, your kayak, and the conditions you are kayaking in.  Too long or too short will require technique or postural compensations. A GP with sharper edges and tip is preferred by many for increased power (but may be more uncomfortable to hold and is more prone to damage).
13. Posture Matters. You cannot rotate your torso effectively if you are not sitting tall (a slight forward lean is OK).  I see many kayakers using a GP that is too short for them. To compensate they often slump forward in attempt to catch the water, resulting in a weak stroke.  Your shoulders also function much better when you use good posture. Try this drill, while sitting up straight, lift your arms over your head. Now try the same drill while you slump forward. The difference is striking.  Some therapists believe that slumping forward might cause shoulder impingement, so it not only looks bad, it costs you power, and possibly shoulder health.

Technique

There are many technique variations for using a GP.  To over-generalize you can lump them into two main stroke variants – the “crunch stroke” (as popularized by Maligiaq Padilla) and the “wing stroke” (very similar to a typical stroke using a wing paddle).

Note that both of the following techniques are often (but not always) performed using a canted blade with a GP. While this may sound contrived and uncomfortable it is a very natural way to hold the paddle. When you hold a Greenland paddle you don’t place all of your fingers on the paddle shaft. Instead you place only the thumb and forefinger of each hand on the shaft, with your other fingers draped over the roots of the blades. When you hold the paddle this way the blades will naturally tilt forward because the palm of your hand is tilted forward when your wrist is straight and relaxed.  For a visual reference, hold your arm out in front of you and open your hand, with your wrist straight. The paddle will have the same angle as your palm.

Crunch Stroke

The crunch stroke is a popular technique in Greenland.
Visually there is little torso rotation, but torso rotation does play a key role.  What dominates is a strong abdominal crunch, and a strong leg work (like the crab-walk drill discussed above).  You drive the kayak forward by this “crunch” (large muscle groups) your legs working against the masik (curved deck beam), while your upper shoulder drives your top hand downward toward the deck.  Arms remain bent. Remember doing sit-ups in gym-class while someone held your legs? That’s what it feels like  If the kayak starts to bounce, it will only slow you down.  Note that by pushing the hands down, the stroke is shortened and the working paddle blade rises. While this is considered taboo for a “Euro” paddle or wing, it works well with a Greenland paddle because the canted blade generates forward thrust as it is lifted upward.

Often a lot of upper body/shoulder power is used. Maligiaq does upward to 500 pushups a day. I think that part of his success with this technique is due to his impressive strength and ability to retain a high stroke rate.  I often use this stroke for a change of pace but I am faster with “torso rotation” techniques. Your experience may diffier.

For more information view John Heath’s article for Sea Kayaker Magazine,  and my article for Anorak magazine (Greenland Paddling from the Source). For more detail, I have an entire chapter devoted to this stroke, ‘Using Greenland Paddles”, in the book Eastern Arctic Kayaks.
Please see the video clips of Maligiaq Padilla’s stroke on the Qajaq USA website. I also explain this stroke in  volume 5 of Nigel Foster’s Sea Kayaking Series DVD.

Canted Wing-Stroke

A lateral wing-type stroke (blade sweeping away from the bow, rather than straight back) is not new. A GP is the “original wing paddle”. In some areas of Greenland that I visited children were taught to allow the paddle to flare away from the hull, following the bow waves. This technique (and wing paddles) dominates competitive kayaking.  The shape of the stroke is very natural if you plant the blade near the bow and then drive the paddle with body rotation. This will cause the blade to flare away from the hull so that it will be approximately 12-18” away from the hull at the exit.  An excellent reference is the the forward stroke video by Greg Barton and Oscar Chalupsky.   Although this video is produced for use with a conventional wing paddle, most of the information applies to using a GP as well, the main difference that your hands are held much closer with a GP.

A: Dave,  For full disclosure, I’m a Snapdragon team paddler but I bought Snapdragon before I was sponsored, they make a great product.

I have multiple skirts that I choose depending on my activity/conditions.  The most bombproof skirts are full neoprene, they are dry but also warm (not an advantage in the Florida heat).

If your priority is a solid seal (good for surf, rolling practice, rough water play, etc), then I recommend the Ocean Tour EXP Reinforced skirt;  this neoprene skirt is dry and tough enough for heavy surf zones. If I had to pick only one skirt, it would be this one. I used this skirt for paddling around Iceland where it withstood the nasty dumping waves of the South Coast without imploding. It works equally as well with the dumpers we have at Canaveral on the East coast.  If you don’t need the heavy-duty rim guard and other extreme durability features then the Ocean Trek is a good choice, it’s just as dry.

For touring in the Florida heat and in areas where heavy surf play is not expected, I prefer a skirt that can be adjusted for ventilation.  I recommend the Glacier EXP Breathable Reinforced skirt. This skirt has an adjustable, breathable top tube (cooler in the Florida heat), and a neoprene deck (stays in place). I keep the top tube slightly loose and snug it down when conditions deteriorate.  A fabric tunnel will not seal quite as effectively as neoprene for rolling practice but will be fine for the occasional roll.  I find an adjustable top tube is also an advantage on trips lasting many days or months to help prevent skin irritations.  This skirt was my choice on my Newfoundland circumnavigation.

For warm-weather paddlers in less demanding conditions, there are other options, including all nylon skirts.  These are cooler, making them nice for touring, but aren’t as secure on the cockpit rim and might “pop” if you roll.

While not a Snapdragon product, if you get heavy into Greenland rolling, consider a Brooks tuilik (traditional jacket/skirt combo). This is a very warm garment that is comfortable for Florida in Winter for rolling practice, however it’s much too hot to use in Florida for touring.  A tuilik offers extreme freedom of movement.

You can find my new Ask Greg page among the options at the top of the screen. Please keep it in mind the next time you have a question or want to browse.

I look forward to helping you with any kayaking questions you might have.

A: Hello “Confused”. Greenland paddle sizing is usually done using anthropometric measurements. This type of measurement takes into account body sizing, and can be done directly, without a tape measure.

For the measurements below, an “armspan” refers to the full reach of your outstretched arms, from the extended fingertips of one hand, to the other.

• The most commonly-used method for touring is one armspan , plus a cubit (the distance from your elbow to your extended fingertips).
• For competition rolling, and kayaking in very windy areas, you may want a slightly shorter paddle — a common length is an armspan plus the distance from your wrist to your fingertips. A shorter paddle is easier to maneuver both underwater and in a strong wind.
• For a very short paddle used with a sliding stroke (often called a “storm paddle”), the length is short  -  one armspan, with the loom only two or three fists wide.

The key is to treat these guidelines as a ballpark estimate ONLY and experiment freely. Your ideal paddle may be several inches longer or shorter than these guidelines  There is no “official/traditional” formula that will be perfect for all users. Don’t get too caught up in what is the “proper” or traditional sizing or what your friends use. By all means try many different sizes but what is important is that the paddle fits you, accommodates the dimensions of your kayak, and the type of paddling that you do.

Paddle length is affected by many things, including your torso height, arm length, kayak width and foredeck volume, height of your seat, and other factors, including your posture and technique.

If your paddle-length is not optimal you will have to compensate with technique, and your posture may be negatively affected.  A good instructor can observe you and quickly determine if  your paddle length looks good and if your posture and technique are sound.

Tip – if you make your own paddle, consider making your first one with the length slightly longer than what you think is “ideal”, and make the loom (paddle shaft) slightly shorter than what you think is “ideal”. This gives you room to experiment. After using the paddle, you can modify it as needed — by taking off some of the length or making the loom longer.  It’s easy to remove wood but not so easy to put it back on!

For additional information please see the sizing information that I posted at Qajaq USA.

I’m happy to report that my fragile male ego wasn’t bruised too badly, first time in a K1   At least  I didn’t unintentionally swim but my bracing and sculling skills were heavily tested.  My girlfriend, Pauline Besson, did very well, and managed to stay upright, but did have a capsize or two. Most other friends who tried it went about fifteen feet, the boat flopped to its side, and into the drink they went.

“You’ve got to be kidding me!”

For the first few minutes Pauline stabilized the K1 while I simply got accustomed to the feel.  My first thought was, “You’ve got to be kidding me”!  I was (over) confident that it would be a piece of cake, however the initial stability, or rather the lack of it, was much different to anything I have been in before, and that includes some very narrow V-hulled boats.

I knew the key was to relax,  but  my hip-flexors went into overdrive trying to balance. Nervous waves radiated quickly away from the kayak.  “Stop IT!”, I barked to myself and the quivering boat. I’m sure that any gator nearby thought that a large, tasty fish was in violent death throes (not a comforting thought).  After a few minutes I finally relaxed and could balance by using the buoyancy of the paddle and by gently sculling. I used a Greenland paddle for this due to its familiarity, buoyancy and ease of sculling and bracing.

I repeated the same  exercise with a wing paddle.  Finally, Pauline gave the kayak a gentle shove from shore.  The initial feeling is that you are balancing on a knife-edge because you don’t know when, or if, the secondary stability will kick in.  Also, unlike a sea kayak, surf or whitewater kayak, the K1 has no thigh braces, featuring a large open cockpit instead (to allow unencumbered, full leg drive).  I struggled to find something to press against. You simply sit atop a fairly flat seat with no back support, with your feet resting on a comfortably angled footrest and optionally under a pull-bar. The initial sensation is like to stacking a phone book on the back deck of your touring kayak,and sitting on that as you paddle away (not an exaggeration).  Even a surf ski, a true sit-on-top, offers much more contact with the boat, due to the depth of the bucket-seat and leg contact with the “hump” under your knees.

A good solid catch and stroke provides strong support, and is a major key in stability. Unfortunately, while you are first learning, your stroke will be defensive and weak. That’s why it would be best to start in a stable K1 trainer, if available, and work up to less stable boats, so that you don’t add defensive compensations to your stroke. For my first strokes I had to finish each one  in a low brace for stability.

I was determined to get wet, one way or another, so I attempted a roll close to shore. Yes, some people can roll a K1.  I held myself inside the cockpit with an arm wrapped around the hull as I tried to find some way to lock my knees inside the boat. Eventually I simply fell out.  Although not designed for rolling, some K1′s permit limited purchase with your legs near the coaming. I’m sure that with some straps it would not be difficult to roll and at least might save a swim while training.

Pauline is all smiles as she gives the K1 a try.

I find it worthwhile to keep a training log. Following are some excerpts from my first few sessions with the K1 that might be useful to kayakers considering learning a K1, and provoke some memories for those who are proficient.

Session 1

Winter Park chain of lakes. Calm.Took awhile to relax. Waves shooting out from cockpit and boat shaking like a newbie balancing on a taut-line.  Much less stability than I imagined.

Took a few minutes trying to figure out how to best get into kayak from beach. Understern rudder and layup precludes starting on beach. Dock would work but was busy. At this point I just straddled the cockpit and plunked my butt down.  The kayak is deep –learning to get in fast, such as required for marathons will take some practice.
Great feeling of insecurity – feels like you may go over any second. Paddle and brace, paddle and brace.
Tiller steering felt very, very weird. First had to figure which way bar needed to go, but with the footstrap in place there is very little room laterally to move feet!
Roll did not work. Cowboy scramble did not work. There must be something better than swimming the boat to shore.

 Session 2

Started at Winter Park chain, too exposed and windy with small breaking waves on shore, move to Lake Destiny. Windy, small chop but some protected water.
Takes a few moments to get over initial stability.
Kayaked in  protected canal.
Wow, what a leaf catcher – and even the smallest leaf throws up a torrent of water! A bit tenuous when stop and reverse to shed bow leaves.
A bit shaky when turning at the end of the canal, but OK.On lake, getting more comfortable.
Able to link more strokes. Legs/abs/core very tired, very quickly — tried different seat/footrest positions.
Shoulders starting to feel the effect of  all the bracing.
Went to downwind side of lake, amazingly fast downwind, and was lucky to turnaround there without capsizing. Plan was to go around lake at windy side, but waves and wind gusts too much.

 Session 3

Lake Destiny, smooth.
Getting acquainted still.
Landed on sand beach and tried to find a  “fast way” to enter kayak. Didn’t go too well. Kayak is deep,  and once it falls to one side you can’t recover. Incredible that marathon paddlers jump in like getting on a skimboard. Left that for another day.
Paddling farther and faster but still feels pretty precarious. Would not want to try this yet in the backcountry near gators!
Tired quickly – like learning to kayak all over again.

 Session 4

Lake Destiny, calm.
Still takes a few minutes to get over initial stability.
Still getting tired very quickly as core struggles to keep balance.
Practiced leaning hard from one side of kayak to the other, testing the secondary while sculling/bracing with wing.  This helped greatly. First time that actually started to paddle and feel a rhythm. Linking many more strokes and bracing less.
Tiller steering getting better, but feet are awfully cramped. I’d love a full footplate to push all the way down to my heel.

 Session 5

Lake Destiny, calm.
Still takes a few minutes to get accustomed to stability, but now able to link stokes without bracing.Torso rotation is still slightly impacted due to a “defensive” stroke, but working on taking a full stroke, balancing on the “air stroke” and taking another. Expect to have full-power, full rotation stroke soon.
Paddling is still a workout — hip flexors and stabilizers are still working overtime to balance — so muscles never get a rest — but getting better.

What is needed at this time is simply more”butt time” in the cockpit!

… Only tippy paddlers.

At least that’s what I used to tell students …. before I tried a K1 sprint kayak.

So why a K1?  I’m working with computers again — great for cash flow and rebuilding bank accounts, but not so great for long trips and expeditions. However the silver lining is that there is plenty of time to train and complete in the local races, grow stronger, and learn some new skills. Also, my interest was piqued by what I have heard about these slender hulls.  Surf the web and you will discover comments such as “the K1 is the formula 1 of the kayaking world”,  “separates the men from the boys” , and “if you can paddle a K1 you can paddle anything!”.   While it’s best to treat what you read on the internet with healthy skepticism, that sounds like a challenge if I ever heard one!

I always find it rewarding to branch out into other aspects  of the diverse world of kayak-sport. Being a “beginner” again in a new discipline is humbling, keeps you grounded and you experience the thrill of rapidly learning and improving. That’s great fun if you have been doing something for years or if you feel your skills have plateaued.

I’m comfortable in 19″ width Greenland skin-on-frame kayaks, a tippy waveski, and train on a balance board. How much more difficult could it be?

As it turns out –  more than I imagined!

Unlike Europe, the K1 scene is not very developed in the states. I have paddled for over 20 years, with many groups and in many disciplines and have only seen a handful of K1′s in that time here. Sprint kayaking is regulated by the International Canoe Federation (ICF). An ICF K1 must be 5.2m (17.06 feet) long and weigh 12kg (26.4 pounds).  The kayaks  are usually built much lighter than this and have precise weight added to meet the requirements.  In 2003 the ICF Congress abolished the minimum beam requirement and designs quickly changed.  The kayak shown here is an “old rules” kayak with “wings” (diamond shape) to satisfy the obsolete beam requirement.

K1 hulls vary in stability, they are given a stability rating from 1 – 10.  At the lowest level are the Olympic sprint kayaks (part your hair the wrong way and you have a problem).  The higher stability ranges overlap with sea kayaks.

I was looking for an Epic Legacy or Nelo Vintage, but the waiting period was long. Fortunately, my good friend Russell Farrow at Sweetwater kayaks had an old K1 that was left behind in Florida after spring training by a European team. South Florida, especially the Pines resort in Melbourne, hosts a number of Olympic hopefuls each year, looking to escape the Winter cold (snowbirds in the local lingo), to train.

The boat is a Bootsbau Berlin K1, year of manufacture unknown. Its condition was a little rough, but after some gelcoat patching and elbow grease it cleaned up pretty good and the hull is sound. I didn’t want to complicate an already challenging process with a leaking kayak!

Coming from a sea kayak background where I prefer a skeg, rather than a rudder, another different aspect to learn is the steering. Unlike “gas-pedal” rudder controls on a surfski, or some sea kayaks, a K1 (usually) employs tiller steering. Paddling barefoot, the idea is to cradle the tiller bar between your feet. You gently nudge the bar right to go right and vice-versa. Although this setup does let you push hard on the footboard without activating the rudder, it takes some getting used to as there is precious little room and your feet are (optionally) secured by a pull-bar or strap.

Tiller steering takes some getting used to. I prefer to push with my heels so will be modifying the footbrace to a full footboard system. I’ll post some pics when done.

So had did the maiden paddle go?  Did it involve some  unintentional “swimming practice” or did I keep the bottom side down?

Please check back soon to find out!

I’ll be including some technique tips in the future as well, including some coaching techniques popularized by the great Imre Kemecsey.

I’m in the process of updating this blog to a new version of WordPress.

During this time the site may be down or incomplete. Please check back soon.

Best,

Greg Stamer

My A/C has been out for weeks and it doesn’t cool down much at night in the Florida mid-summer. I have been testing myself to see how long I can keep at this game (and the energy savings have been huge). Temps inside my house have been creeping steadily upward and currently the house is a toasty 87F (30.55 C) and it’s midnight. Funny thing is, I’m heat-adapted and perfectly fine sleeping with just a pair of box fans to keep the air moving. However, the heat and humidity is finally taking a toll. My tents, jackets, and other expensive gear have started to delaminate and fail due to heat and humidity, so I’m off to get a new A/C compressor fan motor tomorrow.

So, to put this into perspective, I’ll again be providing an expensive climate-controlled environment so that my inanimate stuff is happy and comfortable. Is that crazy or what?