Advanced Strokes at the Kayak Centre - July 1, 2023

I spent my birthday at the Just Strokes - Advance class at the Kayak Centre with Ken F.

I did the Essential Kayak Skills class with Ken last summer. That class covered basic strokes - forward sweep, reverse sweep, 360 degree turn, forward stroke, reverse stroke, stopping, stern rudder, stern pry, beam draw and low brace – with an emphasis on shaft angle, (high, medium and low), good torso rotation, and paddle placement. In the Just Strokes - Advance class the emphasis was on edging and boat control. We covered bow and stern rudders, low and high braces, low brace turns, side slips, and sculling draws.

It's funny how some things translate easier from canoe to kayak. Bow/stern rudders, low brace turns, bracing and side slipping all have comparable strokes in the canoe, and I picked those up a little easier. I still struggle with the forward stroke, which looks like a canoe stroke with a very high angle and the blade going parallel to the boat. Ken said it is a powerful stroke, but is all arms and shoulders with limited torso rotation. I need to work on keeping my top hand at about chin level, and allowing my bottom hand to sweep out a little more. The stroke should look like a butterfly wing - definitely not a canoe stroke.

No pictures from today – I forgot to bring my camera.