welshkate

…position (boat and body), timing and acceleration Ever since taking the ACA instructor certification I’ve been thinking about how to simplify my teaching and giving people just 3 things to remember when learning a new skill. For kayak surfing, (1) position is probably the most essential. You want to catch the green wave, so position yourself just outside the surf-zone and wait for a wave.  (2) Timing is key. Knowing when to paddle towards shore to catch a wave comes from experience; over time you’ll learn whats worth paddling for and whats not. (3) Acceleration. Most of your acceleration come from the first 3 strokes you take when paddling for a wave. I usually tell people to take 5 strokes (with a forward, aggressive body position) to ensure they stay on the wave. But by far the best acceleration you’ll get is from good ‘ol gravity itself. The aim of surfing is to stay at the point on the breaking wave where you get the most acceleration. For kayak surfing, you’ll find that point by carving hard in the direction of the breaking with with a slightly forward body position, good torso rotation and a lean into the wave. I’m by no means an expert surfer, but i’ve spent a lot of time in breaking waves.  Of course, this is not all the details you need to kayak surf- I have quite a few articles about it under the “articles” section on my homepage. Please educate yourself in ettiquette and find an uncrowded area to hone your wave-rippin skills, being mindful of board-surfers and other water users.