PADDLER 26
Words: Simon Hammond Photos: Keiran Hammond – www. rakker. co. uk
PADDLER 26
FEEL THE
FORCE
( of the Beachward Rudder)
Words: Simon Hammond Photos: Keiran Hammond – www. rakker. co. uk
Wouldn’ t it be brilliant if you could catch a wave and then, without any effort, simply surf straight towards the shore? Unfortunately, the wave has other ideas. Unless you freakishly manage to catch it at precisely 90 degrees, you’ ll likely stay in a straight line for a moment, but you’ ll always end up being turned one way or the other.
But you don’ t have to accept this, and you don’ t even have to remember your left from your right. Let the environment give you all the clues you need. As your craft starts to swing one way or the other, you will instantly have one side of your craft facing out to sea, and the other side of your craft facing the beach.
Place a deep and positive stern rudder on your Beachward Side, push outwards, and hey presto, you will straighten up!
‘ Straightening up’ is essential if you want to maintain and control your ride towards the shore. Without some intervention from the paddler, a wave will always try to turn you sideways. If it’ s a green, unbroken swell, then this will lead you to falling off the back of the wave, and if it’ s a white water, broken wave, you’ ll end up either skimming sideways to the shore or( what everyone fears the most) catching an edge and capsizing.
Sea kayakers can have a lot of fun in the surf. Sure, a Sea Kayak isn’ t as manoeuvrable as a short boat, but it’ s got great hull speed, and with an accurate take-off and quick ruddering, you can enjoy and control your ride to the shore.