bow/stern stalls

[adkSara]

bow/stern stalls
by dick
does anyone have any advice? i've been playinging around in the pool a bit. what about the "pumping"
action you do with your paddle. kayakers get seem to have an easier time because of their two blades.
dick

Posted on Dec 9, 2002, 4:28 PM

aproach it differently
by Mike W.
I came closer to doing a cartwheel than a bow stall when trying to initiate like a 'yaker.

I'm in a Big EZ. I paddle forward as fast as that slug of a boat will go & throw my weight forward. If I do it too hard it flips over. If I get it just right it will stand on the nose. I slice the blade in so that the shaft is horizontal in front of me in the water. Push, pull, wiggle, lean, tuck, stretch... The balance part just takes some practice to get used to. Every now & then I stay up for a little while. I fall on my face a bunch though.

Mike W.

Posted on Dec 10, 2002, 4:21 AM

more ideas
by telewhacker
So far I have found that the double pump is easier for C-1ers than butt boaters, that extra 6" of height and a big old garbage can lid of a paddle gives us all sorts of torque. The rub is you don't need it, at least the paddle part.

From a dead stop (this is key) lean to your on side and take an abrupt (but not too abrupt) forward stroke. As you do this the bow will rise out of the water, at the end of your stroke you should be falling to your on side with the paddle flat on the water, blade to the rear, shaft parallel to the hull.

As the bow starts to fall back to the water, you are going to push on the blade in a sort of low brace, aim your face at a point in the water 12" or more out from the hull and about even with your knees. Push your knees under the water and the bow will follow. Lean forward! C-1 means your weight is farther back in the boat and any stability will come only with your face in or near the water, the float from the PFD will help here as well. Want more stability? Try scooping the bow through the water in an arc, not as much of a stall but a good first step to a cartwheel, alternately spin around the bow, centrifical force and the wing effect of the bow will firm up the station.

The only advantage the K-1 folks enjoy is being able to staticaly balance themselves by pumping their blade in the water.

All of this can done with just weight transfer alone.

Wear nose plugs and have fun.


Posted on Dec 10, 2002, 10:26 AM

tried it this AM
by Mike W.
This method was easier after having a C-boater explain it than it was having a butt-boater explain. I stood that sucker up on the 1st attempt! Thanks Telewhacker!

Now the only advantage to the way that I have been doing stalls is that the 'yakers can't do it that way.

Mike W.


Posted on Dec 16, 2002, 10:05 AM

my 2 cents on this...
by James
I totally agree with the other posts, particularly Telewaker talking about the double pump and leaning your face out and, sometimes, into the water. (remember to lift head to breathe every now and then). I learned to balance by using a kayak paddle, also super super super easy to paddle the boat vertical when paddling forward. But first see if you have some way to roll with the kayak paddle before messing around. And don't let any of those pesky kayakers see you doing this, our reputation will be destroyed. Seriously though, balancing becomes much easier for starting out.

With either kind of paddle, it must be buried underwater (half a foot or so, whatever), so that you can both push and pull with the blade, to balance, pull yourself more or less vertical. If it is just sitting on top of the water, you have no pull to go further vertical. Nose plugs, as mentioned above, are a real good idea here!


Posted on Dec 10, 2002, 3:40 PM

some more tips
by will
I think it helps a lot to keep your face right at the surface of the water. Once you practice enough you naturally balance out and don't really have to do anything with the paddle. I don't have the best outfitting, so my boat isn't dead vertical, but i am always leaning foward. I can't stern stall a plastic boat, but when i'm in my acrobat I just slice the stern under and do draw strokes to keep spinning. You can statically stall if you just throw your paddle away and stick your hands out over your head to:).
will


Posted on Dec 11, 2002, 4:02 PM