On a blustery day, with the kayak already traveling on the desired heading, your
kayak will naturally waver and wander. Techniques for correcting a wavering course
are much the same as turning onto a new heading, but the emphasis will vary.
For small corrections on an upwind heading, avoid the bow rudder because it reduces
overall speed. To make a small upwind (right) course correction, anticipate by
looking and twisting your upper torso in the direction in which you’re
intending to turn, edge-tilt downwind (left) and sweep on the downwind (left)
side. Concentrating on un-twisting your lower torso will help the kayak ease
back onto course. At the end of a sweep stroke, remember to lift the paddle out
of the water quickly so that it does not act as a contrary stern rudder. To make
a small downwind (left) course correction, edge-tilt upwind (right) and sweep
stroke on the upwind (right) side. As always, look where you’re going and
un-twist your lower torso. If the wind is at your back, pushing you forward,
the sweep stroke can be followed by a downwind (left) stern rudder.
Effective paddling in dynamic sea conditions requires the ability to adapt and
blend turning strokes to suit specific circumstances. Knowing how to use the
paddle in concert with the wind and waves will get you where you want to go.
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Rudders & Skegs
When deployed, a rudder or skeg
changes the underwater profile of the kayak and its weathercocking
characteristics. When lowered, a skeg decreases the downwind
drift of the stern and reduces or eliminates weathercocking.
(If the blade of the skeg has sufficient area, it can create
enough lateral resistance aft to get the bow to drift downwind,
or “leecock.”) A skeg also increases tracking, and
can impede efforts to turn the kayak.
A rudder deployed and held in a neutral mid-ship position decreases weathercocking
in the same way as a skeg. Changing the angle of the rudder with the foot pedals
provides steering control as long as the kayak has good forward speed.
I have encountered numerous beginner paddlers stuck trying to paddle away from
a lee shore with their rudder (or skeg) down and little or no forward speed.
In this situation, their kayaks often have excessive leecocking, making them
nearly impossible to turn upwind and get away from shore. The paddlers could
make the desired turn upwind by raising the rudder so the stern is free to be
pushed downwind. Rudders and skegs are excellent devices that supplement good
paddling skills, and their effectiveness relies on an understanding of how a
kayak maneuvers in the wind and waves.
In a moderate to rough sea-state, it can be difficult to maintain a steady downwind
course. Cresting waves coming from behind accelerate the stern while the relatively
unbroken water of the trough slows the bow, and the kayak persistently tends
to twist (yaw) off course. Lowering a skeg, or a rudder in this case, has the
advantage of anchoring the stern against the force of the tumbling wave rests.
In addition to increasing straight-line tracking in a following sea, the increased
lateral resistance aft also reduces weathercocking, so course corrections on
a downwind run are fewer and smaller.
On a steady upwind heading, having a rudder or skeg down decreases weathercocking,
and steering to counteract that effect might be a disadvantage. It is usually
most effective to retract the skeg or rudder while heading upwind.
—D.A. |
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| Doug
Alderson is a senior instructor-trainer for the Canadian Recreational
Canoeing Association and the author of three books on sea kayaking,
including Handbook of Safety and Rescue (Ragged Mountain Press,
2003), co-authored by Michael Pardy. |
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Keeping
a Steady Course