Bull Coaching
Let’s break this down into easy steps, starting with breaking into the flow to
progress downstream:
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Firstly, we need to identify the eddy-line.This is the line generated where the slacker water of the
eddy meets the main flow.
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We accelerate the boat towards the eddy line using three or four good power strokes.
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As our boat nears the eddy-line, we time our last stroke (the key stroke) so that it’s catching the
water just over the eddy-line, in the flow, and we drive our boat across this with a good forward
power stroke on the inside of the turn.The timing of this stroke so that it catches the water just
beyond the eddy line is critical.Too early and our boat starts to slow down as we cross the eddyline.Too late and we have already crossed the eddy-line before we rotate and edge, leading to
instability and a potential capsize. (Picture 1)
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As we drive the boat forward, the foot on the
inside of the turn engages with the footplate
and our leg straightens and stays engaged
until our boat is pointing downstream.
(Picture 2 & 3).
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We finish this key stroke behind us with the
paddle in a trailing blade position, blade fully
immersed in the water. Our front hand is
over our downstream knee and our rear
elbow is behind the hip and over the edge of
the kayak, creating a capital “A” between the
boat, our body and the blade (Picture 4).
With the correct position we will feel a
positive pressure build on the power face of
the blade, and by locking that paddle position
in place we can derive some really good
stability from this pressure (Picture 5). If we
have the paddle too wide then we will feel
pressure on the back face of the blade and
the boat will slow down through the turn.
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By developing this active trailing blade
position we have naturally rotated our body
downstream, looking for our future water
and with the right connectivity in place our
boat has naturally edged the correct way.Two
less things for beginners to worry about!
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4
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As we develop this skill, the need to hold the
trailing blade in the water is lessened, or
alternatively we can be more adaptive and
slice the blade through the water into our
next stroke.
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