a couple more things
It is easier to play in confused seas if you’re moving. Don’t focus on avoiding capsizing, but rather on allowing the paddler/paddle/kayak to move with not against the water. I actually keep my focus rather close as, for example, I like to use draw strokes to brace on the backside of a beam or quartering wave. Can’t do that if your looking at the horizon. When paddling flatwater, I often see folks just sitting around talking about gear. The best paddlers I know are fooling around with skulling draws, bow rudders, draws, sweeps, blending strokes with brace: making the boat move around on edge. These subtle moves are the key to playing in confused seas. Lastly, don’t forget to breathe, and put your awareness on your butt/hips/boat–it’ll lower your center of gravity and help you stay relaxed. Go gently at first, and move into more lumpy water as you get comfortable. All this said, it helps enormously to have a reliable roll–in fact this is a great place to practice rolling. Did I say don’t be afraid of capsizing? An above all have fun.
Clapotis waves
are another term for these conditions.
I call them Pyramidal waves because of their shape. All I do is speed up my paddling cadence .
Each stroke is a brace,relax and enjoy a bit of excitement till you get to calmer water.
Soon you’ll want to go back for another run through.
Bert
Paddle an inflatable.
I went through a broiling, washing machine once – with my Innova. Piece of cake. Inflatables flex with wave instead of getting pushed over by it.
Try Yelling Yee Haaa!
It helped remind me that this is fun once:)
Better advice than I have has been given already, however, I was out in some pretty blustery conditions last weekend, and I focused on getting past the sea wall, then kept close enough to the shore and said to myself, “it’s just a small swim to the shore” and just relax and enjoy the ride. I do find myself taking more short slightly bracing strokes when things get really vexing, and dig in more when I feel I’ve got the upper hand.
Lou
They just want to dance
Dance with them. Your boat is perfectly happy moving around with the waves. Your job is to move with it, not fight it, and use the waves to help you put the boat where you want it. I have no idea how to explain that other than just going out and doing it (in times and places where you’ll survive the inevitable mistakes).
who’s confused?
certainly NOT the seas. maybe the ‘paddler’!!
=:-0)
the seas are always organized and always do exactly the same thing, given the conditions scenerio. chaotic yes but never confused.
experience helps the paddler understand this system and confusion goes away.
steve
clapotis
did i spell that right? i love it. relax. just enjoy. more interesting for me is when the waves have more direction. a 2’ chop from the bow quarter drops more water into my unskirted boat ( i hardly ever use a skirt down here) and makes me focus on edging to keep the water out
Flatpick
I recall you saying just that on some post many months ago. That stuck with me and I thought about it as I read this thread. The sea aint confused at all! The water doesn’t care and is equal opportunity! To me if it isn’t as described in this thread it’s boring… I need to find a Rapier in the PNW to buy for winter workouts and tours. I really like the concept of that boat. Any suggestions?
Salty, I think Back of Beyond on…
Bainbridge Island might have one. Either that, or Rod at Shearwater on Orcas will know who has one and/or when one will show up. Good Luck.
Dogmaticus
PS: Thanks for standing up to the anthropomorphization of the sea guys!
Have confidence…
Try to have confidence in your boat. You will be amazed at what your kayak can handle. It just takes some time to develop this confidence. If you continually put yourself in more and more challenging conditions you will never cease to be amazed at what you and your boat can handle. The one thing that holds us back on the water is our fear and apprehension…they will cause you to tighten up and hold back. Stay confident, stay loose, relax.
Another thing that you should do is always keep an active blade in the water, as this will help you to be able to react when needed, and maintaining your momentum will add to your stabilty and ability to turn quickly when needed.
Lastly, have fun! There is nothing more fun that paddling your boat in rough, turbulent water. The only thing that stands between you and having a great time is your nerves.
Matt
The First Time I Paddled
in waves like those I don’t mind telling you I was a little nervous. (Scared?) The boat seemed on the edge of going over every second and the waves had come out of nowhere. One second calm flat water and then someone turned on the agitator.
Then a fellow paddler said the same thing one of the paddling dvd’s said. The key here it to learn to let your lower body function independantly from your upper. If your lower body, and therefor your boat, can move and flow independantly of the upper body’s paddling movement; it acts as a shock absorber and all the sudden that agitated water is still flat.
Next time out the agitated water was a challenge to be overcome and not something to fear. I loved charging thru the waves breaking over the bow and sliding off the spray skirt, feeling the stern pushed to port and starboad and making the corrective strokes seemingly without thinking. What a blast… like someone else said… yee haa.
If there were bugs out there I would have had them plastered to my teeth. 
Wear your PFD, Take your paddle float, Paddle with those you trust, and feel the rush.
Jim
Good posture, Heas suspended by an
an imaginary string, shoulders level and disconnected from the hips which are allowed to move in any direction. If you are not sitting upright you will go over. bad pasture gives little lateral flexability.
My biggest problem is figuring out how to do this while pressing on footbraces with my feet and getting power from the paddle to the boat.
SURF SURF SURF
not sure
I know a few have been special ordered in the PDX market. I hear it is a fun paddling boat, I just did a quick demo.
agreed about the spirited conditions! just got off the water down in Trinidad, CA today. excellent time in ‘mixed’ condions!
steve
It’s just a term
that’s all
just a term
if you’re going to object
to the “confused” part
at least you can be consistent and object to “seas”
last time I checked, there was only one body of water involved
and it wasn’t even the sea
anthropomorphization
is such a pathetic fallacy!
My take
I have been in confused seas many times and I disagree with the folks that say stay loose and relax.
As I am entering a rip tide or a place where there are several currents forming and the waves are going every which way, the first thing I do is lock myself into the yak nice and tight and that way I know my slightest response will keep the boat where I want it to be until I am through the rip.
Reaction time has to be almost instantaneous also, so I don’t relax, and am constantly paddling and automatically corecting.
Last week I went through confused seas several times (Bug light at the mouth of Plymouth harbor for some who might know), and I don’t think I would want to be relaxed there.
It would be good for someone who has never been in confused seas to find a small rip current someplace where you can experiment and see how your reactions are, and that way you can see what you can and cannot handle.
Cheers,
JackL
Mentally relaxed
JackL is right. You do have to remain focused and be physically ready to react, lock yourself into your cockpit, etc. When I said to relax I meant it more in the way of being mentally relaxed. Try not to be get scared as you really don’t need to be. Fear is what will cause you to over-react and could cause you to capsize.
Matt
Value Of A Good Fitting Boat…
is that you don’t have to expend energy (and attention) to “locking in.” The boat is just an extension of you. The body/boat makes the adjustments, assuming comfort/skills for the level of conditions. If you have to focus on conditions, on your boat contact and what to do, the reaction to what’s happening slows down way too much. This is when you start to have those “Uh… I may be over my head here…” moments.
sing