Before the Olympic Games in Seoul, South Korea, no American had ever won a gold medal in kayaking.
Greg Barton changed that and made his mark on Olympic history by capturing not one, but two gold medals in kayaking.
His first gold came in the one-man, 1,000-meter flat water event,
where he beat an Australian kayaker by a fraction of a second in an exciting photo finish.
Less than an hour and a half later, Greg teamed up with Norman Bellingham to beat out a strong New Zealand team
for the victory in the 1,000-meter flat water doubles event and his second gold medal.
Greg's devotion to kayaking began long before the Olympics. At age 10, he first started paddling with his family.
His interest in the sport grew, and he soon began competing.
Equipment design and construction also drew Greg's attention,
so much so that he ended up making the paddle he used to win his Olympic gold medals.
Today, Greg continues to compete, but also enjoys paddling just for the fun of it,
and he's eager to share his vast experience and knowledge with you by showing you kayaking basics.
Hi, I'm Greg Barton. First, I'd like to thank you for taking the initiative to learn more about kayak paddling.
It's my hope that more people will learn and enjoy our sport.
Whether you plan to paddle on lakes, rivers, or the ocean, the proper techniques will help you paddle faster,
more effortlessly with greater control and safety, and to have more fun.
Whether you paddle recreationally or competitively, kayaking can provide you with a lifetime of healthy fun.
Now let's get down to the basics.
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Before we begin paddling, we need to choose our equipment.
The most important piece of equipment, of course, is your kayak.
Here we have, from left to right, a whitewater kayak, a flatwater racing kayak, an ocean touring kayak,
a surf ski, and an open top kayak.
The model that you choose will depend on the type of paddling that you intend to do.
The whitewater kayak is designed for running rivers with large rapids.
It's very maneuverable and should be your choice if you like to run heavy whitewater.
The sea kayak is designed for touring and can be loaded with gear for camping.
It works well on ocean swells, calm lakes, and also smooth flowing rivers.
The open top kayak is an all-around boat that can be used on ocean swells, lakes,
and rivers with small rapids or calm flowing water.
Another type of kayak is the surf ski.
The surf ski is a racing version of the open top kayak.
It's used for surfing waves and open ocean racing.
Finally, we come to the flatwater racing kayak.
This is the type of boat that I used in the Olympics.
It's designed to go very fast in a straight line but tends to be tippier than the other kayaks.
Let's go over some of the parts of a kayak.
It's important to know these when learning or when describing your kayak or the techniques to a friend.
It's also nice to know the various options that are available when purchasing or renting a kayak.
The front of a kayak is called the bow.
Up here in the bow, you'll notice a loop called a grab loop, which can be used to carry the kayak.
We also have a line running from the bow back towards the middle of the kayak called a bow line,
which can be used for tying up the kayak.
The bottom of the kayak is known as the hull, and the top of the kayak is called the deck.
An option on this boat, you'll notice, is a hatch, which can be opened up to store objects inside the kayak.
This kayak is also equipped with cords on the deck, which can be used to hold a map
or other objects you may want to keep handy while you're paddling.
The hull on the kayak is called the cockpit.
Around the cockpit, we have a combing, and this combing can be used to attach a spray cover,
which will help keep water out of your kayak.
Inside the kayak, we have a seat.
This particular model also happens to be equipped with a backrest, which may help prevent fatigue and long trips.
Moving further back, this kayak has a large storage hatch, which can be opened up to store large objects,
such as sleeping bags, tents, and that sort of thing.
Finally, the back of the kayak is called the stern.
We have a stern grab loop, as on the bow, and also a rudder, which some kayaks have and others do not.
The rudder is controlled with your feet and helps to keep the kayak moving in a straight line in severe winds or currents.
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Now it's time to choose a paddle.
We have a variety of options available, and again, it's important to match the paddle that you purchase to your paddling needs.
We'll start off with an inexpensive aluminum and plastic paddle.
Next, we move to a symmetrical whitewater paddle.
Notice how the blade is symmetrical, being the same on the top as on the bottom, with a square tip across the bottom.
This allows for greatest power in whitewater and the most efficient turning maneuvers.
A typical asymmetrical paddle will be longer on the top part of the blade than on the bottom, with a slanted tip.
This allows for more efficient entry into the water, as your paddle tends to be used at an angle rather than straight up and down during the stroke.
A sea touring paddle typically has a much longer and narrower blade than the other paddles.
This allows for steady, long, slow strokes, which tend to be less tiring on a long trip.
Finally, we move to a flatwater racing wing type paddle.
This radical design is much more efficient than the other paddles and is used by nearly all of the top flatwater racers.
However, the paddle is also more tiring, so you may want to think twice before using it on a very long trip.
The length of your paddle will depend on the type of paddling that you're doing.
Whitewater paddles are generally measured in centimeters and range from 204 to 216 centimeters in length.
Touring paddles are often measured in feet and inches, and 7 feet or 84 inches, up to 7 foot 3 or 87 inches, being a good length.
Ocean touring paddles are generally a bit longer, with 7 1⁄2 feet, up to even 8 feet.
Notice how the blades on this paddle are set square or in line with each other.
The blades of your paddle can also be offset 90 degrees.
What this does is allow for greater efficiency, because as one blade is pulling in the water,
the blade up in the air is slicing forward through the air rather than pushing a greater air resistance.
Generally, experienced paddlers will tend to use an offset kayak paddle.
However, the square kayak paddle is easier for beginners to learn and is also helpful for those of us who tend to have wrist problems.
When holding your paddle, your hand should be positioned evenly on the shaft,
so that when it's held overhead, your elbows are at approximately right angles.
Once you gain more experience, it may feel a little more comfortable either slightly out or in from this position, but this is an excellent position to start.
The reason we're focused in on my hand is for a very important reason.
This is where the control grip begins when using an offset paddle.
Simply stated, the control grip remains constant on the shaft throughout the stroke.
For example, with a right-hand control grip, when you take a stroke on the right side of the boat,
you will twist the paddle at the end of the right stroke with your right wrist, allowing the shaft to move freely in your left hand,
and this lets the paddle line up squarely for a stroke on the opposite side of the kayak.
Conversely, with a left-hand control grip, the paddle is held constant in the left hand,
and at the end of the left stroke, your left wrist twists the paddle to line it up for a stroke on the opposite side.
As you twist the paddle, the shaft moves freely in your right hand.
It really doesn't matter whether you're right or left-handed when you're choosing a right or left-hand control paddle.
Simply choose the grip that feels most comfortable to you when trying them out.
However, right-handed control paddles do tend to be a little bit more popular.
The easiest way to carry a kayak is with a friend.
Get someone to help you pick up the boat at each end, and then simply carry it down to your launch site.
If you happen to be carrying it for a long distance, it's often easier to lift the kayak up onto your shoulders as you walk.
If your kayak is durable, such as those made of polyethylene, and you're traveling over grassy or sandy areas,
you can simply drag your boat by picking it up at one end and pulling it towards your launch site.
Then we come to solo carrying of your kayak by the cockpit.
This can be done by simply reaching down and grabbing your kayak at the cockpit coaming near the balance point and lifting it from the ground.
If you're not strong enough to do this, you can help by using both hands to hold the kayak.
If you need to travel a long distance, it's often more comfortable to lift the kayak up onto your shoulder
and let the cockpit coaming rest on your shoulder as you carry the kayak.
Okay, it's time to get into our kayak. You'll notice that I'm dressed a little differently.
I'm wearing a spray skirt, which serves to keep water and waves out of the kayak as you're paddling.
Also wearing a life jacket, which is a good idea to always have.
Pick up the kayak, carry it down to the water's edge, and this procedure applies for any type of shoreline,
whether it be on a river, lake, or the ocean, or any place where you do not have a dock.
Set the boat in the water parallel to the shore's edge.
Now we'll take the paddle and put it behind our backs.
Set it down at the back of the cockpit and grab the paddle shaft and the cockpit coaming with one hand.
Then we'll take the other hand and put it on the paddle shaft using the blade as a brace off of the shore.
And this way it stabilizes the kayak so that you can enter it without falling over first thing.
From here, pick our legs up into the boat, slide your body backwards a little so you can get the angle,
and then slide forward into the kayak.
Once you're in, feel the foot pedals with your feet, and then attach the spray cover.
Starting from the rear of the boat, put the spray cover over the cockpit coaming
and work up along each side until you can attach the front.
Notice that this spray cover is equipped with a grab loop,
which serves for a release in case you should need to exit the kayak quickly.
You can simply grab it and pull it off.
We're getting ready now to enter the river from shore onto a whitewater.
In this method, the kayak is actually sitting up on dry land, close to the river's edge.
Get yourself into the kayak, attach your spray skirt,
and then put your hands down on the ground and lift yourself up, at the same time,
pushing yourself and the kayak forward into the water.
Do this a couple of times, making sure that you've got your paddle handy,
and you're off into the river.
The one disadvantage of this is that it will tend to scratch your kayak,
which usually isn't too much of a problem with polyethylene boats,
but may be a problem with some of the nice new composite kayaks.
If your kayak has a large cockpit with plenty of knee room,
there's a little bit simpler way to get in, sitting down with your knees up.
It's done in the same manner, bracing on the back of the cockpit,
holding yourself with your hands, paddle up on shore, bring your legs in.
However, instead of sliding your weight back and slipping your feet under the deck,
you can simply sit down with your knees up,
and then straighten your legs out, and we're ready to go.
Exiting the kayak, the same procedure in reverse.
We start by releasing the spray skirt, then take the paddle behind your back,
hold the shaft with one hand next to the cockpit combing,
with the blade bracing on the shore, using your other hand for stability.
Now we're going to lift our body back and slide it out of the kayak.
Once you're back, you can lift your legs out onto the shore,
and we're ready to take our kayak back to the car.
The most important stroke in kayaking is, of course, the forward stroke.
And while it's the easiest to learn, it still requires a close look.
The forward stroke breaks down into four steps,
the catch, the pull, the exit, and the recovery.
As the slow motion camera rolls, my forward stroke begins by catching the water
after a full extension of my arms.
Notice my bottom arm is straight.
My top arm is bent, but no more than 90 degrees.
Be sure to keep your top hand between shoulder and eye level.
A higher top hand produces more power and speed.
However, a lower top hand at shoulder level or below is less fatiguing for long outings.
My torso at this point has rotated, enabling me to reach farther forward with the paddle.
Here is where we catch the water by submerging the blade.
The pull phase begins now with rotating my torso back.
At the same time, I begin pulling with my bottom arm and pushing with my top arm.
Using torso rotation will give you more power
by utilizing your back and shoulders in addition to your arms.
As we stop the video frame, the exit phase begins.
Notice here that I start to pull the blade up and out to the side as it approaches my hip.
We're now in the recovery phase of our stroke,
which starts by continuing to lift my bottom arm
while my other arm is pushing the blade down on the opposite side of the boat
in preparation for another stroke.
This, of course, is when you use your control grip to twist your paddle.
And now we're back to ground zero and ready for the catch phase once again.
Now we take a look at the backstroke.
It's much like the forward stroke.
The only difference is, instead of pulling the blade, you push it.
Here I'm catching the water behind me and then pushing it forward with the back side of the paddle.
There's no need to turn the paddle around to push with the front side of the blade.
This is an unnecessary movement that could accidentally capsize your kayak.
Bracing comes in handy when you want to stabilize your boat
due to waves, wind, current, or even an unruly friend.
First, this is how a low brace is accomplished.
Notice the upturned blade.
This gives you more stability and prevents your blade from dipping
and forcing you and your boat underwater.
Another method is the high brace.
You would keep your blade extended, perhaps against a wave or swell, until it dissipates.
Both of these braces can be used to stabilize your kayak.
However, the low brace is preferable
because the extended position of the high brace leaves your shoulder vulnerable to injury.
Moving the boat sideways can be accomplished with the skull and draw strokes.
The draw stroke is the simplest of the two.
It begins by reaching from either side of your boat and then pulling the water towards you.
The skull stroke is another method for moving sideways.
Instead of pulling the water towards you as in the draw stroke,
move the blade back and forth as you rotate your wrist.
You'll find that you and your boat are moving laterally.
There are several strokes that you can use to turn your kayak.
In fact, one of the simplest methods is to paddle two or more successive strokes
on the same side of the boat.
Using a sweep stroke will accelerate the turning process.
Begin by placing your blade near the bow of your boat.
Then in an arcing motion, sweep the blade away from you and then back at the end of the stroke.
Another nifty way to turn is by leaning your kayak.
Simply lean the opposite way of your turn as I'm doing here.
Using your paddle as a rudder will also help turn the boat.
To do this, simply drag your paddle on the side of the boat of your turn.
And by twisting your paddle, you can control the degree of your turn.
A more advanced method often used in whitewater is the dufek stroke.
The dufek stroke is similar to a high brace or draw stroke,
except the paddle is placed in the water in front of your body instead of directly to the side.
The blade is angled about 45 degrees off the boat and planted as a pivot for the kayak to turn around.
All the strokes which you've just learned can be combined to turn your kayak even faster.
For example, one of the quickest ways to turn your kayak completely around
is by combining a sweeping stroke on one side of the kayak
and alternate backstrokes on the opposite side of the boat.
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Now let's look at some of the intricacies that make kayaking unique.
Contending with waves, wind, tides, and current requires much more than simply paddling.
Large waves can be very intimidating.
One of the most hazardous situations is launching your kayak in large surf.
The best strategy is to watch the sets of waves and time your launch during times of the smallest waves.
Stand poised with the kayak ready to go on the beach.
And when you see a break in the waves, paddle as quickly as possible to get outside of the breaking zone.
Coming to shore can be every bit as difficult as launching in high seas.
You and your kayak can easily be tossed onto the rocks like so much driftwood.
First, never try to land in rocky areas during heavy seas.
Research your trip ahead of time so that you'll know where the beaches and harbors will be at the end of the day.
Secondly, time the waves so that you'll be landing during the smallest waves.
Wait for a break and then hurry to shore.
Finally, if the water is extremely rough and there's no place to land, you're better off staying out away from the shore
and paddling until you can find a beach or harbor or until the waves subside somewhat.
Preparation and experience are your greatest allies.
Always paddle within your ability level.
While paddling straight into the waves is hard going, it can help prevent the waves from capsizing you or turning your kayak.
You may even want to turn into the waves if you suddenly encounter a large set.
Paddling sideways to the waves can be very unstable since each wave pitches you first one way and then the other as it passes.
The best thing to do in this case is to lean and brace towards the wave crest.
Paddling with the waves can also cause problems as your kayak will tend to broach or turn sideways to the wave.
Shifting your weight to the back of the boat and using your rudder or turning strokes will help avoid this.
Of course, if you have a kayak that's designed to surf the waves, then you can have a lot of fun in these conditions.
Kayak surfing has added a whole new dimension to our sport.
Again, be sure to know the limitations of your kayak and your ability before you attempt any of this.
Oops!
Wind is another very important weather condition to consider.
Take this illustration for example.
When the wind starts blowing in from the northwest, you and your kayak will tend to turn into the wind like a weathervane.
To compensate, use a sweep stroke or your rudder to keep it heading in the right direction.
Leaning into the wind can also help your steering.
When paddling in a side or headwind, it helps to paddle with a lower and wider stroke as I'm doing here.
A lower stroke will be less affected by the wind and a wider stroke offers more stability.
Finally, tides and currents can also affect your progress and the direction of your kayak.
As this video shows, in the course of four hours, a large volume of water moves with a shifting moon.
You should be aware of tides and the currents they cause, especially when you're paddling near islands or in a channel.
Depending on where you intend to kayak, you may find a number of books and charts which can help you navigate under these conditions.
Check with your local kayak shop or library to find out specifics.
We've seen how waves and current can affect you when sea kayaking.
Now let's take a look at rivers where current and waves are just as important.
Yeah! Woo!
Whitewater kayaks and river currents have minds of their own.
This graphic illustrates the formation of an eddy.
As river water rushes downstream, it hits various obstructions, in this case the riverbank juts out, forcing the river away from the shoreline below.
The result of this natural force is an eddy, a volume of water which flows back upstream in a never-ending circular pattern.
Eddying out allows you to rest or wait for your friends.
This is done by paddling your bow into the eddy.
The eddy's upstream current then grabs your bow as the river's downstream current pushes your stern and your kayak will turn upstream into the eddy.
This requires practice because the changing current could easily capsize your kayak.
Getting out of an eddy can also flip your boat if you're not careful.
Here, you need to lean downstream while low bracing.
As we repeat this scene, notice how my paddle blade is turned up.
If you lean upstream, you can pretty much count on flipping because the current will turn the hull of your boat under like a rotisserie.
Remember, always to lean downstream in strong current.
Faring across the river is our next river maneuver.
First, point your boat upstream near the river's edge.
Angle the boat slightly and start paddling.
The key here is to keep your boat at an angle, the degree of which depends on the strength of the current.
The stronger the current, the more upstream you must face your kayak.
Aim above the point on the opposite side of the river that you want to get to and paddle your way across to the other side.
Finally, paddling upstream may not be your idea of kayaking, but in fact, it can be a lot of fun.
It can also be a rescue technique should a fellow paddler get in trouble upstream.
As this video shows, stay close to the river's edge.
This is where the current is weakest.
The rescue tips we're going to talk about here are designed to help you.
If you kayak, you're bound to end upside down at one time or another, so prepare for the inevitable.
The what-exit is done by pulling the grab loop on the spray skirt and pushing yourself back out of the cockpit.
Then, find your paddle and swim for shore with your boat.
For beginners, it's up to you to get the boat to the shore.
For beginners, it's always smart to stay close to the shoreline in both river and sea kayaking.
Once you've reached land, lift one end of your kayak to let some of the water drain out of the cockpit.
Then flip it right side up and push down on the end you're holding to let the water run into your end.
Then lift the end of the boat and quickly flip it over to drain out some more water.
Repeat this until most of the water is out of your boat.
You can then lift your kayak at the cockpit, turn it upside down, and teeter-totter it back and forth to remove the remaining water.
Experienced paddlers can avoid the what-exit by doing an Eskimo roll.
This advanced self-rescue technique takes practice, so find an instructor to help you learn the Eskimo roll.
Open-top kayaks are, of course, much easier to deal with if you tip over.
First, flip your kayak back over.
Put one hand on the far side of the kayak and one hand on the near side.
Then pull yourself up and pivot into the seat.
Grab your paddle and you're on your way.
Kayaking is an excellent form of physical fitness.
Paddling develops strength and endurance in nearly all of the upper body muscles.
The main power from paddling comes from the back and shoulder muscles, or the latissimus dorsi and deltoids.
However, your other upper body muscles are also called into play, such as your lower, middle, and upper back muscles,
your chest or pictorial muscles, your abdominals and obliques, and your arms or biceps, triceps, and forearms.
That's just about it, except for a few words of advice.
Before you begin kayaking or any form of exercise, check your health with your physician.
Also, seek out experienced kayakers or instructors.
They can help you better understand your capabilities.
Never attempt anything that is beyond your level or ability.
Finally, always wear your life jacket.
It can save your life if you should happen to fall into the water.
Now it's just a matter of getting out there and doing it.
And one of the good things about this video is that you can review what you're learning after you've tried it out on the water.
I'd like to thank you for taking the time to learn more about kayaking basics.
Have fun, and I hope to see you out on the water.