Level 3: Coastal Kayaking Stroke & Maneuvers Refinement Skills Course Course Overview The Coastal Kayak Strokes and Maneuvers Refinement course is designed to assist coastal kayakers at all levels in refining basic strokes and maneuvers. It may be beneficial to re-take this course at different levels of skill progression. Course Objectives: Using on-water practice, classroom discussion and/or video analysis, participants will practice strokes/maneuvers to increase efficiency, fluidity and control. Minimum Personal Equipment for the Course: Properly sized and outfitted sea kayaks with front and rear flotation and related paddling and
safety equipment (i.e. paddles, PFDs, spray skirts, paddle floats, bilge pumps & wet suits if
necessary). Course Prerequisites

• Acknowledgment of personal compliance with the ACA Essential Eligibility Criteria (EEC)
• Agree to comply with the ACA Code of Conduct
• No prior paddling experience or training is required to participate in this course

Course Duration The course duration should be adjusted to best fit the needs and goals of the participants. Suggested time: Half a day to one day (4-8 hours). Course Location / Accessible Venues Lakes or coastal waters with potential areas of exposure to mild wind and wave conditions, with constant access to safe landing and within 1.5 nm from shore:

• 10 - 15 knot winds
• 1 - 2 foot waves (chop) (0.3 – 0.6 meters)
• 1 - 2 foot surf (0.3 – 0.6 meters)
• 1 - 2 knots of current

Course Size 5 Participants : 1 Instructor; with an additional qualified assistant, the ratio can be 10 : 2. For additional details, see SEIC Policy Manual Chapter 7. Instructor This course may be offered by Level 3: Coastal Kayaking (or higher) ACA Instructors, Instructor Trainers, or Instructor Trainer Educators. Succeeding Courses

• Level 4: Open Water Coastal Kayaking, Surf Kayak, Tidal Skills, or Rough Water

Course Outline The following is a general summary of content for this course. The content and sequence of instruction should be adjusted to best fit the participant’s needs, class location and time allowance. Introduction, Expectations, and Logistics Introduction, Expectations, and Logistics:

• Welcome, introductions, paperwork
• Student and Instructor course expectations and limitations
• Course itinerary and site logistics
• Review waiver, assumption of risk, challenge by choice, medical disclosure
• About the ACA
• Life jacket policy (always wear on water)
• Appropriate personal behavior
  • No alcohol / substance abuse
  • Proper etiquette on and off the water
  • Respect private property
  • Practice Leave No Trace ethics

Paddling Environment:

• Wind
• Waves
• Weather
• Water

Personal Preparation:

• Personal ability
• Swimming ability
• Water comfort and confidence
• Wet exits in two ways: (1) utilizing the sprayskirt grab loop and (2) releasing the skirt off the hip
• Fitness, conditioning, and warm up
• Safe paddle and boat handling
• Safety and rescue considerations
• Personal equipment (reviewed by Instructor)

Dry-Land Presentation:

• The dynamics of boat control
• The pressurized bow and free stern
• Shaft and blade angles, catch and release points, the box, torso rotation and driving the foot pegs
• Edging to unlock the trailing keel
• Working with wind

On-Water Presentations: Strokes: Forward Stroke

• Comfortable extension forward and maintain “paddler’s box”
• Hands at shoulder height and “in plane”
• Drive foot peg on the same side as the stroke
• Torso rotation (10 o’clock to 2 o’clock)
• Short stroke (in at feet out at hips)
• Relatively high shaft angle (depending on boat, anatomy, paddle length, etc.)

Sweep Stroke

• Torso rotation (windup)
• Blade in at feet just below water
• In flat water, follow blade with eyes
• In rough water, look through turn
• Maintain box and drive with on-water peg
• Catch, release = bow to stern waterline
• More edge = less waterline
• Low shaft angle for maximum extension

Reverse Strokes (to propel, maneuver, stop) Method A. Same initial set-up for propulsion, maneuvering, and emergency stops

• Maintain paddler’s box, rotate torso around spine, (don’t lean back), place back face flat on water, 45 degrees off keel line (will require that you edge the boat)
• Unwind torso while rotating wrist up & forward to keep back face loaded, blade just below surface
• To correct heading, hold edge longer and finish stroke further toward the bow
• Practice technique w/ reverse figure 8’s.

Method B. Different initial set-up for propulsion than for sweeps

• To propel or stop, position paddle parallel to the boat, back face down.
• Begin catch near 6 o’clock position and drive back face forward along the boat’s longitudinal axis
• To sweep, position paddle parallel to boat, back face out, blade near 6 o’clock position
• Drive back face out in an arc toward the bow, edging toward the on-water blade

Beam Draw Stroke (In-water Recovery)

• Face your work (rotate torso)
• Anchor off-water arm across chest
• Sight over off-water wrist
• Control with on-water hand
• Extend shaft and pull power face to boat
• Blade deep in water
• Rotate wrist and slice away for re-set

Sculling Draw

• Rotate torso to face your work
• Anchor both elbows and power with torso
• Vertical shaft
• Angle leading edge of blade slightly away
• Rotate wrist to change leading edge
• Short stokes (1-2 foot arc, 6-18 inches out) (0.3-0.6 meters, 15-45 cm)

Sculling For Support Refinement

• From high brace position, power face down
• Flat shaft angle
• Blade at surface, slight climbing blade angle
• Control with on-water hand
• Torso over water
• Don’t push down, create lift by pushing blade fore and aft with slightly high leading edge

Low Brace

• Flat shaft angle
• Elbow over shaft
• Maintain reference grip
• Use back face to create “depth charge”
• Hip snap to recovery

High Brace

• Flat shaft angle
• Elbow under shaft
• Slap power face on water
• Hip snap to recovery

Maneuvers Low and High Brace Turn

• Establish hull speed
• Set up nose momentum with outside edge
• Transition quickly to inside edge
• Extend paddle blade and delay contact with the water
• Use back/power face with slightly climbing blade angle, and hold brace (do not jam forward until recovery)
• Recover with hip snap
• Transition to forward stroke

Bow Rudder

• Establish hull speed
• Initiate turn (outside edge and sweep)
• Submerge blade just forward of pivot point (usually just forward of 3-9 line)
• Rotate wrist slightly to open leading edge and load power face
• Control with on-water hand and allow off-water hand to drop to a comfortable fulcrum position
• Don’t over-expose power face
• Adjust as hull speed decreases

Stationary Draw (Hanging Draw, Side Slip)

• Establish hull speed
• Rotate to face your work
• Maintain box and extend paddle away
• Slice blade from aft quarter forward into place at about the 3 or 9 position as you edge the boat away from the paddle
• Rotate on-water wrist to keep leading edge angled slightly outward, away from boat.
• Search for the sweet spot
  • Too far forward draws the bow
  • Too far aft draws the stern
• “Option B,” transition from forward stroke to same blade placement and edge toward blade

Stern Rudder Refinement

• Establish hull speed
• Blade in water at stern quarter, with back face away from boat
• Slight edge to outside of turn
• Load back face to turn toward blade
• Load power face to turn away

Videotaping of Strokes Transfer to Classroom Video Playback & Analysis (90 Minutes) (If timing and logistics allow, students may be given time to practice strokes again on water.) Feedback Students will be given feedback on their ability to:

• Identify component parts of each stroke
• Perform each stroke by connecting component parts with smooth transition, fluidity and control

Conclusion and Wrap Up

• Group debrief / individual feedback
• Course limitations
• Importance of first aid and CPR
• Importance of additional instruction, practice, experience
• Importance of appropriate level of safety and rescue training
• Demonstrate advanced maneuvers
• Life sport / paddling options
• Local paddling groups / clubs
• Handouts / reference materials
• ACA membership forms
• Course evaluation
• Participation cards

© American Canoe Association Date of last revision: 5/1/2024 https://americancanoe.org