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Stroke Techniques
Forward
Paddling
- Sit up straight (relax)
- With an extended, but slightly flexed lower
arm, reach well forward and place the blade
into the water close to the boat's side. Your
trunk should be upright and fully rotated
and your top arm contracted at shoulder height
- Pull the blade through the water close to
the boat until it reaches hip level. (Your
top arm drives forward at approximately eye
height, with a loose gripping top hand
- Slice the blade out from the water at hip
level to continue the sequence
- The wrists must be straight when executing
the power stroke
Twisting your shoulders as you pull the blade
through the water will give you extra reach
and added power. Good trunk rotation allows
you to use the large and powerful muscles of
the back and shoulders, rather than the smaller
muscles of your arms. Utilising these larger
muscles is less tiring, which allows you to
paddle harder for a longer period. To increase
power in your stroke, it is important to push
the leg (on the same side as your pulling arm)
against the footrest and the same time.
Whatever type of boat is being
paddled, the basic principles of forward paddling
are the same. However, there are technique variations
that can be used effectively on boats with different
characteristics. For example, when paddling
a long kayak with directional stability, emphasis
is placed on a high paddling action and keeping
the paddle close to the boat. A boat which characteristically
veers off to the left or right, may require
a lower, wider, paddling action to counteract
this directional instability (eg a short boat
or a boat with a severe rocker).
Reverse
Paddling
Although there is usually less need to paddle
in reverse it should not be neglected. It is
important for overall manoeuvring and for Reverse
Ferry Gliding in white water.
- Use the back of your blade
- Rotate your trunk, and with slightly bent
arms place the blade flat on the water behind
your hips and close to the side of the boat
- Drive the blade deep into the water towards
the bow, extending your lower arm as it is
pushed down and forward
- Rotate your trunk as you extend your lower
arm
- Lift the blade out of the water approximately
parallel to your knee
- Rotate your trunk and commence the sequence
again on the other side. Remember to look
over one shoulder on alternate strokes to
see where the boat is heading
- Keep your arms slightly flexed throughout
the stroke and bend your top arm at the conclusion
of each stroke cycle
When control and steering are necessary, change
your technique from driving the blade close
to the boat, to using a wider stroke similar
to a reverse sweep stroke. A wider stroke may
be needed more often when paddling a short boat
under four metres long.
Good trunk rotation is important to ensure
that you can start the stroke well behind your
hips, thus giving you maximum reverse power.
Emergency
Stop
An Emergency Stop is an essential stroke, especially
while learning in a group situation. It is used
to prevent your canoe from ramming other boats
and from hitting rocks, trees, and other obstacles.
In addition, an Emergency Stop combined with
Reverse paddling can prevent you from travelling
down a rapid inadvertently. Practise your Emergency
Stop regularly.
- Use the back of your blade when stopping,
as you would for reverse paddling
- Paddle forward quickly
- When stopping push down on the paddle (just
behind the hips) using two or more short,
sharp reverse strokes (on alternate sides)
- Short strokes are used on each side of the
kayak to minimise any turning effect which
may occur
Forward
Sweep Stroke
The Forward Sweep Stroke is primarily used
to turn the boat in a new direction. The full
effects of the Forward Sweep Stroke can be experienced
if a paddler sweeps several times on the same
side the boat will turn in circles. After practising
in a still position, try the sweep strokes while
you are moving, as this is when it will be used
the most.
- Forward Sweep Stroke
- Rotate your trunk and extend your lower
(sweeping) arm forward
- Immerse the blade so that it is just fully
covered. (Near your feet.)
- With your sweeping arm straight, sweep the
paddle in a wide arc (180 degrees) towards
the rear of the boat while rotating your body
trunk. The nose of the boat will move away
from your paddle blade
- Keep the paddle low and horizontal
- Slice the paddle out the water before it
hits the rear side of your kayak
- Do not neglect the latter part of the Sweep
Stroke, as it is a very effective
- Push against the footrest for added power.
Do not rush the Sweep Stroke, make sure it
is controlled and powerful
At first novice paddlers should follow the
blade with their eyes as they perform the Sweep
Stroke. This will assist with trunk rotation
and help check that the sweeping arm is kept
straight and the paddle low. Once the stroke
is perfected, it is then necessary to face forward
as the stroke is performed.
The Sweep Stroke is used much more frequently
on the move especially when playing canoe polo,
slalom paddling and when executing white water
manoeuvres. Practise your Sweeps on the move
by paddling forwards a few metres then executing
a powerful Sweep on one side. Continue to practise
on the move, both on left and right.
A Sweep Stroke is useful if you experience
difficulties keeping your kayak straight while
paddling forward. If you start to veer to one
side, lower your paddle a little. Then correct
for the turning effect by completing a sweep
stroke on the side to which the boat is turning.
The amount of power you apply to the Forward
Sweep Stroke will depend on how far the boat
has gone off course. It is therefore more economical
to make the correction using small sweep strokes
as soon as the kayak starts to stray.
When paddling in white water, you will on occasions
need to lean the boat away from the Forward
Sweep. Practise leaning towards and away from
the Sweep on flat water to become proficient.
Reverse
Sweep Stroke
The same principles apply for the Reverse Sweep
Stroke as for the Forward Sweep Stroke.
- With your lower (sweeping) arm extended,
rotate your body and place your paddle in
the water towards the rear of the kayak
- Immerse the blade so that it is just covered
- Using the back of the blade, sweep the paddle
forward in a wide arc towards the bow of the
boat
- Ensure your sweeping arm is flexed slightly,
your paddle remains low and that you rotate
your body during the stroke
- Practise this stroke several times on both
sides of your kayak as with the Forward Sweep,
to ensure proficiency.
You can also perform a combination of Forward
and Reverse Sweep Strokes on the spot. This
has the capacity to turn a slalom boat within
its own length.
Draw
Stroke (Pulling)
The Draw Stroke (pulling) and Sculling Draw
Stroke, mentioned later, are used to move the
kayak sideways, and are particularly useful
for side?slipping towards the bank. They can
also be used to line up the kayak in rapids
and to avoid boulders and obstacles.
- Sit up straight and rotate your body slightly
in the direction you wish to side-slip towards
- Raise your top arm (the arm that is furthest
away from the direction you intend to draw
towards) so that it frames your face. Keep
your forearm no lower than your forehead and
your top hand should remain steady over the
side of the boat you are drawing towards
- Reach away from your hips with your lower
arm extended and plant the blade deep into
the water
- With the blade face parallel to your kayak,
pull the paddle towards your body between
your hips and mid-thigh. The kayak will then
side-slip towards the blade as you pull on
the paddle
- It is important to keep your top arm high
and framing your face until the entire stroke
has been completed. Your top hand should remain
steady over the side of the boat and only
move on the Recovery Stroke. Ensure the paddle
remains as vertical as possible to produce
the maximum amount of power
- Before your blade hits the side of the kayak,
pause, turn the blade through 90 degrees by
rolling your wrist inwards, and slice the
blade away from the boat to its original starting
position
An alternative method of returning the blade,
is to slice the blade fully out of the water
and replace it in the starting position.
Water should pass under the hull and not run
onto the deck as the boat slips sideways. To
achieve this, keep the boat level or raise the
boat's leading edge very slightly by lifting
it with your knee and thigh.
Common problems
1.The paddle is too horizontal, causing
the water to spill off the bottom of the blade
and resulting in a loss of power.
Solution: Keep the top hand high so that the
paddle remains vertical.
2. A curve shaped paddle does not slice
back to its original starting position in
a straight line.
Solution: Slice the blade back in a slightly
forward arc motion, keeping the drive side
(face) of the blade facing the stern.
3.The boat side slips to and fro without
moving sideways. This is due to the blade
being pulled and returned at the same pulling
angle (ie parallel to the side of the boat).
Solution: Ensure that the blade is sliced
away from the boat on the recovery.
4. The boat's bow or stern swings sideways
instead of remaining parallel to the paddle.
Solution: Ensure the paddle blade is pulled
directly (at 90 degrees) towards your body
between your hips and mid?thigh.
5. The wind and current causes the
boat to swing off course.
Solution: Adjust your stroke by drawing towards
the bow or stern, depending upon which way
the boat is turning. If the bow is turning
towards the drawing side, try drawing the
paddle slightly towards the stern; if the
stern is turning towards the drawing side,
try drawing slightly towards the bow.
The
Sculling Draw
The Sculling Draw is a very effective stroke
which provides a continuous side-slip movement.
The paddle blade (drive side) is moved to and
fro along the side of the boat at a slight angle.
As the water is being deflected off the blade,
the boat will side slip sideways.
- Sit up straight and rotate your body slightly
in the direction you wish to side-slip
- Raise your top arm (the arm that is furthest
away from the direction you intend to draw
towards) so that it frames your face. Keep
your forearm no lower than your forehead and
your top hand steady over the side of the
boat. Keep the paddle vertical and blade deep
- Angle the drive face of the blade about
a 30 - 45 degree angle from the keel line
by cocking the wrists back. The leading edge
of the blade is turned away from the boat
- Move the paddle towards the bow parallel
to the keel line, keeping the drive side of
the blade angled and facing the boat
- At the end of the stroke, turn the blade
so that the opposite edge of the blade is
leading and the face of the blade is facing
towards you. Then move the paddle towards
the stern. Turn the blade and repeat the sequence
- Scull the face of the blade backwards and
forwards in a slight figure eight motion repeatedly
to gain continuous side slip movement. Establish
a smooth rhythm
- The blade angle is established by wrist
movements. Therefore, it can be changed subtly
as required throughout the stroke
- Novices have a tendency to angle their blade
too much whilst sculling, therefore their
boat tends to move back and forth with little
of the required side slip movement
Support/Brace
Strokes
Support Strokes are also called Brace Strokes
or Recovery Strokes. An efficient Support Stroke
can prevent a capsize, especially in rough water.
Before attempting a Support Stroke, brace yourself
inside the cockpit and rock the boat from side
to side to familiarize yourself with the feeling
of knee lift and the flicking of your hips.
Be careful not to tilt too far and overbalance.
Low
Support Stroke
- This is the simplest of support/brace strokes
- Ensure your knees are braced
- Use the back of your blade
- Keep your paddle low and horizontal, with
your elbow at near right angles above the
shaft
- Maintain your controlling hand in its usual
grip on the paddle
- Over-balance your craft (as for a capsize)
and drive the back side of your blade onto
the water surface as far from the boat as
is comfortably possible (without losing the
correct position of the elbow). This slap
support halts the capsize movement and provides
support, however, you will need to use knee
lift and hip flick to bring the boat upright
- Have your working blade hit the water just
slightly behind your hips for maximum support
- Hold your non-working hand low and fairly
close to the deck
- When your paddle blade sinks below the surface,
roll your wrists (moving your knuckles upwards)
and slice it back to the surface
- To practise, overbalance slightly at first,
then increase your lean when you feel more
confident
- Just keep practising.
High
Support Stroke
When paddling white water, the surf or during
canoe polo, the Low Support Stroke may not be
sufficient to prevent you from capsizing, and
at such times, the High Support Stroke may be
required.
- Use the face or drive side of the blade
- Hold your paddle at shoulder height with
your elbows beneath the shaft
- Overbalance as if you are about to capsize
- When the drive face of the blade hits the
water surface, drive the boat upwards by using
the support of your paddle and applying knee
lift and hip flick. Your paddle blade should
be in line with your hips
- Keep your non-working top hand close to
your face to avoid dislocating your shoulde
Low
Brace Turn
The Low Brace Turn is a wide turning stroke,
which requires the boat to have forward momentum
to be effective. It is particularly useful for
eddy turns in white water.
- Accelerate the boat forward
- On the turning side, place the paddle blade
almost flat on the water surface just behind
your hips and out from the boat. Ensure that
the leading edge of the paddle blade is slightly
raised, so that the water can pass beneath
it. Leaning on the flat paddle blade will
provide support and cause a braking effect,
therefore the boat will veer to the side that
the stroke has been executed
- Keep your elbow at approximately 90 degrees
above the paddle shaft
- Edge your boat into the turn by lifting
your knee and thigh on the opposite side to
your intended direction
Dragging the paddle blade across the water
will eventually slow your boat and create instability.
To alleviate this problem, you may need to sweep
the blade forward in a wide arc.
Stern
Rudder
The Stern Rudder is a steering stroke which
is used extensively in surf kayaking, for crossing
waves in white water and for manoeuvring through
tight sections of tea trees. Again, the boat
must be moving forward to execute this stroke
effectively.
- Paddle forward quickly in a straight line
- Rotate your trunk by twisting your shoulders.
Place the paddle blade in the water well to
the rear of the boat. Keep the paddle shaft
in a near horizontal position. Trail the blade
edgewise in the water
- Ensure the blade remains close to the boat
and just below the water surface to permit
it to act as a rudder
- If you push the blade away from the stern,
the boat will veer towards that same side
- If you pull the blade towards the stern,
the boat will veer away from the paddling
side
- If you trail the blade without pushing or
pulling, the boat will simply run a straight
course
- Use a wrist roll to alter the pitch of the
blade and assist with steering
- The stroke is more powerful when you push
away; therefore, if you want to change direction,
choose the side of the boat which permits
you to push for maximum stroke efficiency
- Practise on both sides of the boat until
the technique is fully mastered
Bow/Draw
Rudder
A novice may find the Bow Draw the most difficult
basic stroke to master. It becomes easier to
perform when the paddler has a sound understanding
of the stroke sequence.
The Bow Draw is the fastest and most efficient
of turning strokes. It can be used to slow the
boat's forward speed and can act as a rudder
(Bow Rudder) as the boat carves into a turn.
The Bow Draw is similar to the Draw Stroke,
except that the blade is placed in the water
opposite or just forward of knee level and approximately
at 45 degrees.
Before the Bow Draw Stroke can be executed,
the boat must first veer towards the side you
plan to turn. This often requires a Forward
Sweep Stroke on the opposite side to the turn.
- Start by accelerating the boat forward
- Initiate the turn by executing a Forward
Sweep on the opposite side to the turn
- Rotate your trunk and face your chosen destination
- Place the arm that initiated the Sweep Stroke
across and in front of your forehead. (No
lower than your forehead.)
- With your lower arm extended but slightly
bent, place the paddle blade fully into the
water opposite or just forward of your knees
and approximately at 45 degrees. The paddle
should be near vertical
- Cock your wrists back to open the blade
angle and form a narrow `V' with the side
of the boat. The face of the blade should
face towards your feet. The amount of blade
angle will vary. (In white water the blade
angle will vary depending upon the approach
angle of your boat to the eddy and strength
of the water.)
- With a controlled pull, exert pulling pressure
on the paddle shaft and pull towards your
shins. This will draw the boat around the
paddle blade
- Trunk rotation is needed to help with a
powerful turn. Also grip the boat with your
hips, knees and feet to help drive the boat
around the turn
- Before the blade strikes the boat's side,
convert the stroke into a normal Forward Stroke
- When you start the forward pull your wrists
should automatically unroll, giving you the
correct wrist position for the forward power
stroke
Check Your Tequnique
Loss of power and little turning effect will
arise if the paddle is pulled quickly towards
the boat, if the blade is not inserted deep
enough or if there is not enough blade angle.
Ensure your top arm remains high and framing
your face (across and in front of your forehead).
Hold the paddle as vertical as it is naturally
possible.
With a controlled pull (your muscles should
be bulging) hang onto the stroke and let the
boat turn around the paddle.
Bow
Rudder
The Bow Rudder Stroke is an effective turning
stroke which needs forward momentum. It is very
similar to the Bow Draw. It is used extensively
in white water and is achieved by inserting
the paddle blade as for the Bow Draw Stroke
and holding it still in one position. By opening
the blade angle, the momentum of the boat will
assist it to veer around the paddle blade.
Sculling
for Support
If you are a white water enthusiast and plan
to side-surf big stoppers, it is advisable to
practise `sculling for support' on flat water
first. The objective of `sculling for support'
is to stay balanced by maintaining the blade's
movement across the water surface, while edging
the kayak towards the sculling side.
- Use the face (front) side of the blade
- Overbalance your boat towards the nominated
sculling side
- With the leading edge of the blade raised
slightly, scull across the water surface to
and fro. Use your wrists to adjust the blade
angle. The raised leading edge is helpful
in assisting the paddle to track the surface
and preventing the blade from slicing too
far downwards
- Use your wrists alternately to lift the
leading edge of the blade as it sculls backwards
and forwards
- The paddle shaft should be held low to guarantee
a flat sculling blade and maximum contact
with the water
The kayak is essentially controlled by knee
lift. The knee opposite the sculling side usually
supplies the lift. However, when you use sculling
to resist a capsize, lift should come from the
knee nearest to the sculling blade.
Linking
Strokes
Accurate boat positioning and control can only
be established if strokes are linked. So once
you have practised the basic strokes, it is
time to link them all together. This can be
accomplished by practising slalom manoeuvres
on flat water, or playing canoe polo. If you
cannot participate in these formal sports, construct
your own obstacle course. A coach and formal
slalom training will help to improve your skill
and accuracy. It is important to spend time
on stroke technique as it will be of great benefit
when moving into white water.
Leaning
and Edging
A good paddler (especially white water paddlers)
will use leaning and edging to maximise boat
control. Tilting the kayak by leaning and edging
will change the water?line shape and length
of the boat, which will assist with turning
and steering. As it is useful in both flat and
white water, developing proficiency in this
skill is essential.
It is most important that you are snug inside
the kayak. This requires that the knees and
thighs are firmly gripped under the thigh braces,
with your feet pressed against the footrest.
A backrest will also ensure minimum movement.
Down river paddlers use leaning and edging for
turning, especially for tight turns around marker
buoys, tea trees, and in rapids. It is also
used when strong winds blow the boat off course.
Paddlers with good control over their boats,
make less mistakes and have a noticeable advantage
over other paddlers in white water.
Leaning and edging should be continually practised,
especially in white water to refine and develop
the technique.
Leaning
When you lean the kayak, your whole upper body
should move as one with the kayak, similar to
that of a cyclist turning a corner. Leaning
is constantly used in white water, especially
when crossing the current and breaking in and
out of a swift current.
Edging
In flat water, edging is used to help the boat
turn. Edging the boat on the left side will
force it to move to the right and vice versa,
especially when sweep (or stronger) strokes
are used on the opposite side.
To turn right, keep your body upright and lift
the right side of the kayak with your knee and
thigh (right buttock and hip raised and left
buttock depressed). As a result, your boat will
tilt on its left edge and veer to the right.
By paddling stronger, or sweeping on the left
side will ensure a superior turn. To turn left,
reverse the process.
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