How to Properly Use a Kayak Paddle

one of the greatest things about kayaking is that almost anyone can pick up a paddle and start paddling but it's important to develop good technique because good technique will help you paddle more efficiently and it'll help you avoid injury and so in this video we're going to take a good look how to use your paddle properly now first things first you need to decide on the feather of your paddle and feather refers to the angle at which your blades are offset from one another the idea of having your blades offset from each other is that while you're taking a stroke with one blade your other blade can slice through the air or wind more easily on the other hand a nun feather paddle is more intuitive to use and you don't need to twist your paddle and moving from one stroke to the next now whether you use a paddle that's feathered or unfeathered is totally a matter of personal preference what I can tell you is that when I started paddling 25 years ago I started with a 90 degree feathered paddle and then gradually over time I moved to a completely unfettered paddle which is what I use now I find it's easier on my wrist and I don't really have a problem paddling with it in high end wins unless the blends are very high having said all that all of aqua balance paddles come in two pieces and some even come in four piece designs which really makes traveling easy now where the paddles connect in the center of the shaft there's a ferrule and this is where you control the feather of your paddle aqua bound standard three-hole snap barrel lets you use the paddle unfeathered or with a 60-degree feather the next step up is Akwa balance posi lock barrel which not only provides a more secure connection but it lets you adjust your feather in increments of 15 degrees aqua balanced top-of-the-line performance paddles have a third barrel option called the telescoping ferrule this ferrule lets you choose any angle of feather you want and it also lets you lengthen or shorten your paddle by 15 centimeters so let's start by looking at how to use a feathered paddle assuming you're right-handed this means your right hand will be your control end which means it keeps us secure but relaxed grip on your paddle at all times this control hand should grip your paddle anywhere from 6 to 12 inches from the blade and your big knuckles should be aligned with the edge of your paddle blade your other hand should be holding the paddle an equal distance from the other blade an easy way to check to see if your hands are spaced well is to lift your paddle onto your head your elbows should be bent at around 90 degrees now after taking a stroke with the blade by the control hand you'll loosen your other hand so the shaft can rotate within it and that rotation happens between every stroke to accommodate the feather of the paddle this loosening of the greased hand and the rotation of the shaft within it takes place between each stroke if you're using an unfettered paddle you won't need to worry about rotating the shaft between strokes which is why most people find this more natural now something that's worth mentioning is that even though we sometimes refer to the control hand like the blue hand it's important that that control hand has secure but light grip on the paddle a light grip will let you paddle more comfortably for longer and will help you avoid blisters and overuse injuries like tendonitis now that you know how to hold and use your paddle as we're talking about your sitting position in your kayak because this plays a big role in developing good paddling technique simply put when you're paddling you should be sitting upright and not leaning back at all your feet should be resting comfortably and securely against the foot pedals and your legs should be bent and a little splayed out one of the biggest differences between basic hacks and higher-quality kayaks is the quality and comfort of the seat and the back support a good kayak will have a seat that isn't just comfortable to lounge in but a back support that can be tightened to promote an upright sitting position while you're paddling so there you have it a good look at how to use your paddle properly now something else that's worth mentioning is your paddle your connection to the water and so in order to get the most out of your time on the water it's worth investing in the quality paddle which is why highly recommend checking out aquaman paddles you

Channel: PaddleTV

Views: 202,281

Rating: 4.5990605 out of 5

Keywords: kayak, kayaking, paddling, paddle, kayak technique, paddling technique, use a paddle, sea kayak, rec kayak, aquabound, ken whiting

Id: IpvhcT9duzw

Length: 4min 36sec (276 seconds)

Published: Wed Aug 10 2016