How to Improve your Kayaking Paddle Technique

When it comes to answering the question of how to paddle a kayak for beginners, it all starts with the basics. Your posture is vital to get right, as the rest will follow from there. When getting ready to paddle your kayak, you should:

• Sit upright
• Rest your feet comfortably against the foot pedals
• Flex feet without straining
• Splay out your legs

Most importantly, paddling should engage and stabilise your abdominal muscles as you push the paddle away from the body (at the shoulder) and pull it back towards your body using most of your upper body (core, chest, back and arms).

This will ensure you don’t fatigue too quickly or overburden the wrong muscles. Instead, you can spread the work across larger muscle groups to keep you going longer and minimise the risk of injury.

Paddles can be feathered or unfeathered, depending on how you adjust the ferrule. The ferrule is where the two pieces of the paddle come together in the middle of the shaft. Whether you feather your paddle is ultimately up to your preference, but there are a few advantages to consider as feathered paddles tend to be:

• Better for rougher weather and wind
• Place less burden on your wrists
• Gives a slight edge in speed and efficiency

Feathered paddles mean that the blades are at an angle to each other rather than set straight, while unfeathered paddle blades are angled straight. This means that feathered paddles can better slice through the air and wind when you take a forward stroke, but this also means you need to twist the paddle when moving from one stroke to the other.

How to hold your Paddle
Usually designed for right-handed paddlers, ensure your right hand keeps a firm but relaxed grip on your paddle. This means your big knuckles align with the edge of the paddle blade while gripping your paddle, as your other hand holds the paddle an even distance from the other blade.

You can check that you’re holding it correctly by lifting the paddle over your head – your elbows should bend at a 90-degree angle for maximal control and power. Once you take your first strokes, your non-control hand should loosen so you can rotate the shift freely. Make sure you have a relaxed grip so you can keep going for longer and your arms, wrists and hands don’t fatigue too quickly.

Sit-on-top kayaks differ from your regular sit-in kayaks due to the open deck; this is where the kayaker is seated. The open deck replaces an otherwise closed cockpit, and your legs will be exposed. This gives the paddler greater stability, mobility and comfort and also tends to be a safer alternative, as you’ll be less likely to be trapped in your kayak in the event of a capsize.

Sit-on-top kayaks generally also offer:

• Water-tight storage
• Carry handles
• Accessory attachment points
• Stackable
• Lightweight alternative

Sit-on-top kayaks are the better option for recreational use, mainly for the extra stability and capsize safety coming with it. The go-to for paddlers venturing to slow-moving rivers and calm lakes, sit-on-top kayaks are the budget option for those dipping their toes into the sport.

If you’re a pro paddler looking for choppy waters, a sit-in kayak will do the job better, especially across further distances. This is because sit-on-top kayaks feature bulkheads to prevent flooding and create flotation chambers to keep you afloat if the water does gets inside. So for recreational kayaking and fishing - sit on top kayaks work best. Opt for sit-in kayaks when touring, racing, and ocean touring.

There is little difference between sit-on-top kayak paddling techniques and sit-in kayak paddling. That is, the positioning, paddle rules and strokes (forward, reverse, sweep and draw) will all work the same way, and the ergonomics and posture continue to play a huge role.

For touring, opt for a more relaxed stroke. All the above principles apply, but the stroke will be slightly lower and wider. You can achieve this by placing your top hand lower. In windy conditions, a lower stroke is safer and more stable, with the top blade less exposed to crosswinds and the blade in the water providing a little extra support. This relaxed style maximises power and minimises fatigue, strain and injury.

Don’t forget, the type of kayak also plays an important role, as the wider your craft, the further away the water is, which means the longer a paddle will need to be. Sit-on-top kayaks are usually wider and therefore offer extra stability, so opt for longer kayak paddles when using this style of boat.