Un-intendos -- any tips on recovery from stern squirts?
Posted: Tue Feb 18, 2003 8:18 pm
Un-intendos -- any tips on recovery from stern squirts?
by C1Deli
When running rivers I am having trouble when I get stern squirted AND wobble over to my offside. Instant capsize. Problems are compounded at that moment as I seem to have a residual kayaker's instinct to lean back and out as if to do a high brace -- on a nonexistent paddle of course!
Any tips?
At the moment the options I have been trying are:
1. Do a quick roll
2. Keep a mental eye on my stern and don't get involuntarily squirted (yeah, right, give me a few more years ...
3. Lean right back and into it and do a controlled stern stall, spinning round onto an onside brace and then gently bringing the nose down (ie not leaning forward so aggressively it becomes a bow stall)
... does this sort of thing happen to anyone else??
How can I solve this? It is the primary reason for capsize while river running at the moment ..
/edwin
Posted on Nov 4, 2002, 2:09 AM
un-intendos
by James
I can`t resist answering posts like this, although I think you have enough good ideas to work on already. For me, in big water tough runs, or nasty rocky places where flipping means blowing your line and potentially getting beat up, I usually end up strongly favouring my on-side. kayak friends laugh at the way I go down rapids maintaining a strong tilt to my onside, but in my mind it protects me from falling over on the dreaded offside stern corner. Things like aggressive paddling and keeping an active blade in the water at all times help a great deal as well.
Playboating however in a C boat with little stern stability (riot tekno), I just throw a fast role whenever I feel that I am falling over on the offside.
One final thought, make sure your boat isn`t trimmed too stern heavy, that can lead to autosquirts way too easily.
Posted on Nov 4, 2002, 8:03 AM
'The dreaded offside stern corner' -- I like that!
by C1Deli
My delerious is quite lozenge shaped and definitely has 8 edges to keep track of (front, back, two sides and four corners).
I will trim the boat a bit more forward, I think -- it turns out that pearling is not a problem at all.
And I will be practicing my stern stalls etc in general as well -- I need to be completely fluent in them I think in order to control and enjoy them -- however they happen!
Thanks!
/edwin
Posted on Nov 5, 2002, 1:10 AM
A few thoughts
by KNeal
From what you posted, it appears that you may be sitting stern heavy in your boat. What has been suggested here on the forum in the past is to sit on a loose saddle in non-moving water (pool, pond, lake, etc.) and have someone eyeball the trim of the boat and you adjust the saddle back and forth until you are sitting pretty flat in the water. If you are still having trouble with your stern squirting uncontrollably (right now, I'm laughing pretty hard over how that must sound ), then shift the saddle more forward--or add more back padding to push yourself more forward.
Another suggestion, use less outside edge when turning. When you start on an unanticipated stern squirt, it can be better to try and control the move by throwing your paddle back for a stern pry (applied gently) while turning and leaning your torso toward the paddle. Hmm, that sounds like something you would do when you are intentionally working for a stern squirt. BTW, what boat are you paddling?
KNeal
Posted on Nov 4, 2002, 8:58 PM
I'm in a Prijon Delerious ...
by C1Deli
And I do have it trimmed a little stern heavy, you're right ... that was to make sure the bow was clear ... however, I had no pearling issues whatsoever, so maybe I should crank it forward again ... godd idea!
Posted on Nov 5, 2002, 1:06 AM
by C1Deli
When running rivers I am having trouble when I get stern squirted AND wobble over to my offside. Instant capsize. Problems are compounded at that moment as I seem to have a residual kayaker's instinct to lean back and out as if to do a high brace -- on a nonexistent paddle of course!
Any tips?
At the moment the options I have been trying are:
1. Do a quick roll
2. Keep a mental eye on my stern and don't get involuntarily squirted (yeah, right, give me a few more years ...
3. Lean right back and into it and do a controlled stern stall, spinning round onto an onside brace and then gently bringing the nose down (ie not leaning forward so aggressively it becomes a bow stall)
... does this sort of thing happen to anyone else??
How can I solve this? It is the primary reason for capsize while river running at the moment ..
/edwin
Posted on Nov 4, 2002, 2:09 AM
un-intendos
by James
I can`t resist answering posts like this, although I think you have enough good ideas to work on already. For me, in big water tough runs, or nasty rocky places where flipping means blowing your line and potentially getting beat up, I usually end up strongly favouring my on-side. kayak friends laugh at the way I go down rapids maintaining a strong tilt to my onside, but in my mind it protects me from falling over on the dreaded offside stern corner. Things like aggressive paddling and keeping an active blade in the water at all times help a great deal as well.
Playboating however in a C boat with little stern stability (riot tekno), I just throw a fast role whenever I feel that I am falling over on the offside.
One final thought, make sure your boat isn`t trimmed too stern heavy, that can lead to autosquirts way too easily.
Posted on Nov 4, 2002, 8:03 AM
'The dreaded offside stern corner' -- I like that!
by C1Deli
My delerious is quite lozenge shaped and definitely has 8 edges to keep track of (front, back, two sides and four corners).
I will trim the boat a bit more forward, I think -- it turns out that pearling is not a problem at all.
And I will be practicing my stern stalls etc in general as well -- I need to be completely fluent in them I think in order to control and enjoy them -- however they happen!
Thanks!
/edwin
Posted on Nov 5, 2002, 1:10 AM
A few thoughts
by KNeal
From what you posted, it appears that you may be sitting stern heavy in your boat. What has been suggested here on the forum in the past is to sit on a loose saddle in non-moving water (pool, pond, lake, etc.) and have someone eyeball the trim of the boat and you adjust the saddle back and forth until you are sitting pretty flat in the water. If you are still having trouble with your stern squirting uncontrollably (right now, I'm laughing pretty hard over how that must sound ), then shift the saddle more forward--or add more back padding to push yourself more forward.
Another suggestion, use less outside edge when turning. When you start on an unanticipated stern squirt, it can be better to try and control the move by throwing your paddle back for a stern pry (applied gently) while turning and leaning your torso toward the paddle. Hmm, that sounds like something you would do when you are intentionally working for a stern squirt. BTW, what boat are you paddling?
KNeal
Posted on Nov 4, 2002, 8:58 PM
I'm in a Prijon Delerious ...
by C1Deli
And I do have it trimmed a little stern heavy, you're right ... that was to make sure the bow was clear ... however, I had no pearling issues whatsoever, so maybe I should crank it forward again ... godd idea!
Posted on Nov 5, 2002, 1:06 AM