Correct
when I say leaning I really mean edging but I'm still a newbie and don't quite have the langauge down yet.
Every time I go for a swim I do a re-enter and set up for a roll. I can't roll yet but I can get back in and sit upside pretty good.
Explain
bow pry. How is it different than a bow rudder?
Take
a look at this. I like watching this guy maneuver the kayak. Click on # 11 under the maneuvers heading or scroll down until you find it.
http://www.eskapekayak.com/ACA_SkillsDrillsVideo.htm#bowRudder
You mean “regardless”?
Just got back from trying it
It’s funny how I can feel comfortable doing all sorts of things in the kayak and then try something new and feel all wobbly and uncomfortable.
I just tried the bow rudder like in one of the videos and the blade position was tricky to get right the first few times. It worked out well and I would just place the blade in the water next to me and straight and then move it forward and twist to get the rudder effect. The more I moved the blade forward and the more twist, the more the boat turned and the more I felt unsteady.
But the one or two times it worked well, it sure worked well.
The hardest part was twisting the blade to give no rudder effect then twisting more to turn the right direction. I could not just stick the blade int he water without being careful not to rudder the paddle towards the boat.
Dave
Now that
you have tried it, is it something you would add to your repetoire(sp?)?
I’m just looking to add as many reasonable ways to maneuver my kayak as I can.
Reason to have a bow rudder
Question below about adding this to someone’s repertoire - ANY different way to turn is good, but the bow rudder really helps solve some turning problems in wind if used well.
In wind, you can turn by pinning one end of the boat and letting the wind blow the other end. The bow rudder allows the paddler to pin the bow and let the wind take the stern. Easy turn, almost no effort on the paddler’s part. Stern rudder for opposite direction…
there you go
When rudder is performed, the paddle wants to go away from the boat, when pry is performed, the paddle wants to go towards the boat. Since paddler is holding the paddle, the boat wants to move in the direction of paddle
thanks (NM)
one note
The blade can be approximated as an airfoil. The good airfoils can be used efficiently up to 15 degrees of angle of attack.
What does that mean? - well, your paddle shouldn’t be twisted more than 15 degrees to get the most out of your bow rudder. ( Technically, any stroke that relies on lift)
So, even though you might feel quite a bit of force when the paddle gets twisted to 45 degrees, you are, basically, creating turbulence and slowing down, instead of creating maximum amount of lift, the force that turns that boat.
Keep in mind - there are quite a few scenarios where that high angle of attack is justified, but if you want to perform a classic gracefully looking bow rudder keep that twist low, edge very reasonably, on hold both for as long as possible.
Other things you already noticed - the blade is more effective the further from the center of rotation it is. And, the blade perpendicular to water is more efficient than the one that is sloped.
move the loose end
If you’ve got a skeg down, there’s not much point in trying to use a stern rudder. A bow rudder works much better because you’re not fighting the skeg.
The same holds true for a stand-up paddleboard.
Assuming skeg not down of course…
I find that playing with wind to aid a turn always works best if the tracking device is up. Even in 35 mph wind, the skeg can have a surprising ability to inhibit things.
pivot turn
For those who haven’t tried it:
http://www.paddling.net/guidelines/showArticle.html?215
Lots of fun, especially with moving water to assist, but you will get wet learning…
Again I must say
thank you for the explanation of the finer points of using the paddle. I really do appreciate all the help you folks have given me.
I’m pretty sure
my kayak can’t do that! If it does with me in it I’ll probably pass out.
I try to learning everything possible
I add everything I try to my repertoire. It’s especially useful when the skeg is out since a stern rudder of any sort is ineffective. The bow rudder can turn the boat quite a bit in that situation.
Dave
That
makes sense, thanks.
Actually…No…
I have not read all the posts on this thread so someone may have already said this…forgive me if I am repeating it.
You can actually lean towards a bow rudder and not even come close to capsizing. In fact you can lean the boat all the way to the cockpit this way. It will turn the boat, although it is not the right way to do a bow rudder and not as effective as leaning away from the paddle.
I will do it sometimes when just messing around. I find it a good drill for just working on edging, etc.
I am also a canoeist and a whitewater kayaker. In a canoe you often will edge towards your bow rudder / bow draw, although you can edge away also. Freestyle canoeists have different names for these maneuvers, but I can’t recall what they are….the post….the Christie??? I don’t know. I just know how to do the strokes. I guess it is also part of what is a Duffek stroke which blends this with a forward stroke when doing an eddie turn.
In a whitewater kayak you always edge towards a bow rudder/draw, also sometimes called a turning high brace and a component of the Duffek turn.
Okay, that is more detail than you need, but my point is that you can lean towards the paddle and you should not capsize. Once you master the skill of edging and truly develop good balance and a good J lean and good bracing you can do any stroke and edge in either direction without capsizing.
Keep up the good practice and experimentation that you obviously are doing.
Matt
Leaning and edging probably
HI Matt. In the OP, the lean was probably an accurate word. I had the same thought as you about messing with this in the opposite way, first thought was to turn the whole experiment into a cross bow rudder or a low brace on the low side…but felt that could be confusing at this point. NJ treating you OK?
true…
I also meant to add that you can get support from the paddle with a bow rudder…when edged either towards or away. Edging away you can “hang off the paddle” and edging towards the paddle gives you a degree of support similar to in a low brace.
My point here is to highlight the fact that we can almost always get support from the paddle whenever the paddle is slicing through the water. Learning to take advantage of that support will make us better paddlers.
NJ has been good…done a lot more whitewater and canoeing here than sea kayaking. Mostly flat water touring in the sea kayak (which I do not like). But I move to Williamsburg, VA next week! An hour from VA Beach and right near the Chesapeake. I am excited!
Matt