Try everything all ways.
I found that edging the sea kayak on the outside of the turn works well in flat water, at at least if turning upwind. But not if there is current on the outside. In that case, it feels natural to edge on the inside, and the kayak turns nicely. Also, there is that little thing to heed about Moon The Current.
With WW kayaks, edging on the inside works best, if you need any detectable edging at all to turn it. Just looking in the direction of the turn might be enough.
I’ve paddled a heck of a lot of kayaks and haven’t found one yet that doesn’t turn best when leaned away from the turn while using a bow rudder (paddle inverted). This normally will attain up to a quick 90 degree change of direction–unless you happen to be in a Sterling–in which case you might make a quick 120 degrees, or more. I generally finish the maneuver by rotating the paddle back to normal and continuing on with a forward stroke.
I will admit that there are times in very rough conditions with strong winds that I haven’t found a reliable fancy, graceful way to do a 180 back into the wind that doesn’t require pure brute force and a lot of quick, strong strokes on the lee side to force the bow into the wind. Even backing up seems to be a wasted effort as the wind is determined to blow the bow off.
@pikabike said:
[…] With WW kayaks, edging on the inside works best,
Not if you’re turning upstream…
if you need any detectable edging at all to turn it.
indeed!
Personally, in that kind of maneuverable boats I would care more about using a heel for stability than for (better) turning.
Nigel Foster addresses these issues in his new book, “The Art of Kayaking.” Because kayak design plays a part, his advice is to compare the effect of using the same degree of edging on the low and side highs and choosing the one that’s most effective. Weight shift forward and back also has an effect. I like his approach because bodies and boats vary.
It’s a quite excellent and thorough book.
@Rookie said:
… I like his approach because bodies and boats vary.
That’s why I say try it all ways. This does mean there will be some capsizes. Part of the learning process, a.k.a. school of hard knocks.
On flatwater if the stern does not skid first, the turn does not happen. See it time and time again in clinics where aspiring FreeStyle canoeists wonder why the canoe only moved sideways rather than turned. The heel is OK the placement of the static stroke fine but they forgot the initiation…the stern skid