One thing I’ve noticed about the advice this forum gives to new paddlers with issues is instructions on “Braceing”…assuming that newbies know what a “Brace” is, and leaving them to further research Braceing, and then having to research a “High” brace, a “Low” brace and weed through the posts that are perhaps addressed to more experienced paddlers just to figure out what a “Brace” is…perhaps we need to start, at times, by simply defining “Brace”…am I wrong?
Accepting here that a strong counter view is likely to be that anyone considering taking up the sport should have done basic research into what’s envolved…but I know that not everyone does the smart thing…(I learned to paddle like I learned to Rappel, by just buying gear and trying it…only to have to unlearn the bad habits I’d developed to learn proper technique…luckily I survived…NOT LMAO here.)
Public Library
When the wife and I got hooked we went to the library and brought home about 6 books on kayak and canoeing techniques and stuff. I’d advise any newcomer to try the library for FREE information. Impala Bob
Basic canoeing texts
cover high & low bracing. Make yourself familiar with the theory, then take a lesson or find a mentor for on-the-water practice.
Jim
Lessons, mentors and all that stuff
I can tell you that bracing is the art of righting your boat with paddle and hip when it’s gone past it’s ballance point. I can tell you that a low brace is when you lay the non-power face of your paddle flat on the surface of the water, control thumb towards the bow, and crunch to roll the boat back under you.
Then I can go on about high braces and offside braces and righting pry’s etc. etc. etc.
But it’s a lot easier when you’ve seen someone do it and tried it and let them tell you what to do differntly to make it better and tried it again.
Lessons are best. Paddling with other skilled paddlers is good. Video is OK. Reading about it is a poor fourth option by comparison.
elbows high, stay dry; elbows down,
don’t drown.
low and high brace…
sorry, not too useful methinks…