PADDLER 30
PADDLER 30
Good beachward rudder
Waiting for the right moment to start accelerating for a wave
RUDDERING
This is simple and so effective, but you have to be quick in deciding which side to place your paddle. Whatever craft you are paddling, the wave will turn you to one side or the other. The longer your craft, the more force the wave will apply to turning you off course, and the tighter the angles you have to play with.
So, as soon as you feel your kayak turning to the side, get that beachward rudder locked in. It’ s best if this rudder is deep with the paddle blade running parallel to the kayak. Once it’ s placed, be confident, hold it deep and firm and push it forcibly away from the kayak. This action will then start to turn your kayak back towards the shore, straightening it up.
Ruddering on your beachward side doesn’ t immediately feel safe or natural. If you’ re anxious, you will tend to favour a rudder / support on your seaward side instead, which is another reason why you really need to develop this skill in small, relaxing conditions. Keep practising placing your rudder on the beachward side of your kayak until you’ re doing it without thinking.
Wave wins good low brace position
Classic beachward rudder
Beachward rudder
My top tip for this rudder position is to push the paddle blade deep while simultaneously leaning your head and upper body away from it. Pretend that there is something really smelly spread on your paddle shaft and that you are moving your head and nose as far away from it as possible because it smells so bad. At the same time, make your arms as long as possible, holding the paddle blade as deep under the surface as you can. As your head and body pull away from the paddle, you will also raise your beachward knee, stopping your kayak from catching an edge.
Now you might just do this so well that you overdo it, and instead of being straight, you end up turning your kayak back in the opposite direction. Don’ t panic! Just remove your rudder from the water and chop it back in on the new beachward side. You can even play with a series of these‘ chop rudders’ with your kayak, following a series of tight wiggles towards the shore.