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Intro to Kayaking       Sea Kayaking Essentials       Kayak Rescue       Kayak Rolling

Kayak Lesson Reaps Rewards LINDA FREEMAN Correspondent Rutland Herald July 26, 2009 The better you play, the more fun you have. The more you know, the safer you are. Any sport can turn from pleasure to frustration or even disaster if you are not maximizing the skills involved and if you do not learn safety precautions and practice them. Applying these principles to my new passion for kayaking, I decided to improve my skills and learn more about

kayak rescue. On one of the few sunny days in July, my son (home from Boston for the outing) and I joined Mike Strojny, the manager of Canoe Imports, at North Beach on Lake Champlain.

Canoe Imports, located in South Burlington, offers a selection of instruction. We chose an all-day adventure that promised to improve our paddling skills and teach us rescue techniques. Strojny, an expert paddler and instructor, began by working on our paddling technique. Though each of us had spent hours in our own boats, the opportunity to try bigger and better kayaks was a plus. Having someone demonstrate and critique was invaluable. Though we did not achieve a "perfect" paddle stroke, we acquired a check-list of technical skills to work on. My son observed that, though he enjoys flat water paddling on local lakes, having techniques to practice makes the day's paddle more interesting. With Strojny there to demonstrate, we were able to learn just by trying to emulate him. Admittedly, I was anxious about what came next - practicing the wet exit (exactly what it says - exit the kayak and go overboard) and finally a roll. I am a capable swimmer, but very claustrophobic. When I bunched up the skirt onto my kayak(the cockpit covering that fits around your waist, attaches to the rim of the cockpit and keeps you dry), I wondered if I would feel imprisoned. I did not. When I considered pitching myself sideways to dump overboard in a wet exit, I thought I might feel trapped. I did not. We practiced in relatively shallow water with Strojny standing on the bottom, nearby, to reach out and save us, if need be. Practicing a wet exit may have been the most beneficial part of the entire day for me. With irrational anxiety on my first attempt, I tried so hard to exit that I ejected dramatically before the kayak even tipped. It gave us all a good laugh. Once wet, I got down to business and managed to tip myself out, release my skirt and re-enter the righted kayak. In other words, the worst that could happen - to capsize a kayak - had occurred and I was fine. Immediately, that little cloud of uncertainty dissipated. I know that I will always paddle with more confidence knowing that if the worst happens and I go overboard, I will be fine. That's worth the price, right there. Strojny advised that it is always wise to practice a wet exit when paddling a different kayak to insure that you will easily slide out of the cockpit and can re-enter as needed. The complete kayak roll, though exciting, is intimidating and not the best choice for all situations. We were taught a way to roll to one side, dipping our heads back into the water, until upside down and then return to the surface the same direction we went over. This is often a more practical and usable approach. While struggling to learn this skill, we realized that the use of the paddle is vital in helping us return to the upright position. This takes some work. A paddle float is a good thing to carry rolled up on your kayak. If needed, simply pull the inflatable float over one paddle, blow it up and you have a serviceable floatation device. A small pump and a sponge are useful and strap on easily. As always, wear your pfd, keep a whistle tucked away but within reach and don't forget to keep a water bottle and sunscreen handy. After the challenge of exiting and then rolling, it was a treat to take a nice long paddle on Lake Champlain before returning to shore. Strojny set the pace and established a mellow rhythm for us to enjoy. It was important to learn that a "death grip" on the paddle or tension in the stroke are counterproductive. I asked my son what was most significant about the day for him. His reply was easy. "I learned that I could end up in the water and not die," he said. Conditions change rapidly and there is always the chance that we might capsize. Experiencing the event in a safe and controlled environment before being caught off guard stokes confidence and prevents needless stress. Awareness and practice will go a long way to making kayak outings more fun. (Linda Freeman is a personal trainer and director of personal training and group exercise at First in Fitness in Berlin and Montpelier.) Copyright, 2009, Rutland Herald