Basic Kayaking Strokes

In our beginners guide to kayaking, we discuss the various types of kayaking and the basic equipment you need to get starting, including a kayak designed for the waters you plan to kayak on, an approved life vest, and a quality double bladed paddle for kayaking. Now, we are going to discuss a few basic paddling strokes. Once you have an understanding of these simple strokes, you will be ready to enjoy your very first kayaking adventure.

First you should probably become familiar with the paddle and how to hold it. I’ll use a video here from paddling.com that does a great job showing the basics of a kayak paddle.

The first stroke you should learn is a forward stroke. This is the paddling stroke used most often during kayaking and is used to propel the kayak in a straight, forward motion. Begin this stroke while sitting correctly in your kayak. Lean forward just a little, holding the paddle firmly with both hands. Keep your left elbow bent with that hand level with your chin as you extend your right arm completely, placing the right paddle blade into the water. The blade should enter the water slightly in front of your body, near the position of your feet.

Remember to use your entire body as you paddle, rotating your upper body with the movement of the paddle blades. Use this movement to push the right blade through the water, moving it back toward you, parallel to the boat. Stop the blade once it reaches your hip and quickly pull it out of the water. At the same time, you will need to reposition the paddle so the left blade is ready to enter the water. Now, you will want to bend your right arm while fully extending your left arm and repeat the same process.

Once you are comfortable with the forward stroke used in kayaking, it is time to learn the reverse stroke. This is the stroke used to move your kayak backwards and is very similar to the forward stroke, only reversed. Remember, again, to use your whole body as you execute each step of this stroke.

Begin the reverse stroke on your right side, placing the right paddle blade in the water at your hip. Keeping your left arm straight and your left hand near the center of the deck, bend your right arm and push the paddle forward. Move the blade in the direction you are moving, extending your right arm as you bend the left, and ending the stroke when the blade reaches your feet. You will then take the right blade out of the water as you reposition your paddle, continuing the same process on the left side.

Now that you can move your kayak forward and backward, you should learn to turn the boat. There are a few different paddling strokes that can be used to steer your kayak, but most kayakers find that the sweep stroke helps keep the boat stable as it turns. To make a left turn using the sweep, you will want to straighten your right arm while turning your body slightly to the left, keeping your left arm bent. Begin to move your body to the right as you propel the blade through the water in an arc away from the boat. At the same time, straighten your left arm and bend the right, stopping the stroke near your hip. This paddling stroke will turn your kayak quickly, without loosing speed, and will usually keep the kayak stable.

That’s just a basic run down of strokes used to move forwards, backwards, and turn. Here are a couple more videos, courtesy of Paddle Education you should check out to learn additional strokes.

Featured image by Josh Duncan on Unsplash