How to Paddle a Kayak & Not Fall Out!

Series Summary

Kayaks have been used for thousands of years - the oldest kayaks dating back 4,000 years. Inuit Indians, who invented and named the kayak, have always used them as an effective means for hunting sea animals such as sea lions. Today the majority of kayaks are used for recreation. From sea kayaks to white water kayaks, these amazingly versatile boats are employed and enjoyed all around the world. Learning how to use a kayak is not exactly intuitive and getting instruction from a professional instructor is paramount for beginners. If you would like to learn kayaking basics before getting in the water, learn for free from one of our experts.

In this free online video series, learn kayaking basics from expert kayaking instructor Lloyd Reeves. Lloyd will teach you important kayaking tips on kayak maintenance, how to choose and buy a kayak, how to buy a kayak paddle, and how to use the kayaking buddy system. He will demonstrate basic kayaking techniques such as how to get out of the kayak and stay dry, how to paddle a kayak and not fall out, how to turn a kayak, and how to transport kayaks.

Video Transcript

"Welcome to Expert Village. My name is Lloyd Reeves. This segment we are going to show first time paddlers how to paddle and not go swimming. There are three tricks for first timers to not go swimming. For the rest of you, you can move on beyond this. The first trick is to make sure when you are paddling that you don’t go past your hip. If I take my stroke and go past my hip, look what I am doing? I’m leaning over the side of the boat and I will be swimming, but if I lift that out as soon as it gets to my hip I’d beat that point. The second trip as a beginner you are really worried, pretend there is a fishing rod sticking straight up in the middle of the boat and it catches your hand each time so you can’t paddle past that point. If I go past that point, I’m swimming again. Make sure this paddle is vertical. If this paddle is twisted like this and you go to paddle on the water, it will actually skim along the top but if it is twisted like this and you stick it in the water and pull it real hard, it is going to want to knife under the boat which is going to throw you out. So the three tricks is to make sure this is straight, lift the blade out as soon as it gets to your hip and don’t pass that invisible fishing rod. "