The stern-rudder stroke is an often overlooked sea-kayak technique. Because it contributes nothing to the forward motion of the boat while paddling, this technique is used less than the forward stroke or forward sweep while touring. But in a following sea, a well-tuned stern-rudder technique will give you maximum control while surfing your sea kayak and help you get more mileage out of rides on green waves.
Most sea kayakers are initially taught a stern-rudder stroke in which the paddle shaft is held at low angle. This technique can be powerful, as the immersed paddle blade can be forced out into the stream of water that the boat is passing through. Unfortunately, this power comes at the cost of increased drag on the paddle, which will slow your kayak.
The high stern rudder, which is commonly used by whitewater paddlers, offers greater boat control and efficiency. On the river, the stern rudder is used to control a kayak’s upstream angle while surfing on waves. Whitewater kayaks are slow by comparison to sea kayaks and can be hard to hold on a wave face while surfing. Any excess drag on the paddle or change in the upstream angle of the boat will cause a whitewater kayak to lose speed and fall off of the wave, ending the paddler’s ride. The high-angle stern rudder relies less on drag and more on blade pitch to create a turning motion. The result is a more efficient stroke.
The high stern rudder differs from a basic stern rudder in two ways. First, the front hand is held at chest height or higher, which keeps the paddle shaft at a relatively high angle to the water. Second, directional control is provided by changing the pitch of the immersed blade to move the stern of the kayak laterally in either direction.
To put it another way, the high stern rudder mimics the action of a ship’s mechanical rudder, with the shaft of the paddle representing the vertical rudder post at the stern. The blade pivots around this point. Because the paddle blade extends from both sides of the paddle shaft, it’s a lot like the balanced rudder of some sailboats, which is designed to give the helm a lighter touch.
In the low stern rudder, the paddle shaft acts more like a sailboat’s -tiller, which sweeps across the cockpit to change the angle of the immersed blade. Sweeping the paddle shaft in this way sweeps the blade away from the boat and initiates a turn toward the paddle side. A large pull of the “tiller” across the cockpit will create a larger sweep stroke and more turning action, but also more drag. And while it’s easy to pull the paddle shaft/tiller laterally across the cockpit to turn toward the paddle side, it’s not so easy to push it out away from the boat to use a low stern rudder to turn away from the paddle.
Because the high stern rudder relies on rotating the paddle shaft rather than sweeping it back and forth, it is dramatically more effective in turning the kayak away from the paddle side. The high stern rudder is also more efficient in turning the kayak toward the paddle side because less drag is created by the paddle blade in the water. The combination of greater efficiency and better directional control make it easier to stay on waves while working in a following sea.
Kayakers who paddle boats equipped with foot-controlled mechanical rudders may question the usefulness of this stroke. Certainly a mechanical rudder allows for directional control in a following sea. Consider the stern-rudder stroke as a backup for your kayak’s rudder if you have one. You will find it useful in the event of a mechanical failure or in situations that warrant stowing your kayak’s rudder on deck, such as surf landings or paddling in rock gardens.
Body Position
Upper Body: Torso rotation is important for this stroke. Pronounced torso rotation will put your paddle blade into the water toward the stern of the kayak, where the turning forces will be most effective. Torso rotation will also help to keep your shoulders in a more secure position. Without good rotation, you’ll have to extend your rearward arm behind your torso to achieve proper blade placement, which will put the rearward shoulder into a weak position. Always try to keep your arms out in front of your torso as you paddle. This posture, known as “the paddler’s box,” makes shoulder injury less likely.
Rotate your body toward the side you’ll be ruddering on. Sit upright and look forward, toward the bow of your kayak. If you are rotating correctly, your forward shoulder will be aimed at the bow. While it can be helpful to look at the paddle blade while you’re learning a stroke, looking back all the time is a bad habit. Look where you want to go when you are using this, or any stroke.
Lower Body: Many people overlook the importance of the lower body in kayak strokes. The feet and legs anchor your body to the kayak and drive the stroke. Your lower body should be acting in opposition to the direction in which you’re intending to turn. If you’re using the stern rudder to turn left, press with your right foot. If you’re turning right, press with your left foot. If your kayak is equipped with a rudder, it may help to retract it in the fixed position during this exercise. Doing so will prevent your foot braces from moving as you apply pressure to them.
Hand Position
In a basic stern-rudder stroke, the paddle shaft is held close to parallel with the water’s surface, with the forward hand low. This is a good position from which to pull the paddle across the center of the kayak, creating a strong turning motion toward the paddle side. Unfortunately, pulling the paddle in this way creates a lot of drag. It is after all, just like the beginning of a reverse sweep stroke.
Doing a reverse sweep while paddling forward will create a lot of turning motion, but it will also put the paddle blade out into the stream of water beside the boat and put on the brakes. When you need turning power and aren’t concerned about drag, the low stern rudder works very well. For example: The low stern rudder is useful for controlling a kayak that has begun to broach in the surf. When your sea kayak is moving into a broach, and you’re trying to keep it on line, you need all the power you can get.
In the high stern rudder, the shaft angle is closer to that of a draw stroke. The forward arm is held between chest and forehead level, in a position that doesn’t block the paddler’s field of view. Both hands are held over the water on the paddle side, elbows bent. Strong rotation moves the paddle rearward along the hull so that it’s placed as near to the stern as possible. The resulting paddle shaft angle will be about 45 degrees to the water.
Dropping the forward hand too far will lower the paddle shaft angle and will reduce the effectiveness of the stroke. Think of the mechanical rudder analogy again: If your paddle shaft is at a low angle, changing the pitch of the blade by rotating the paddle shaft will not make the boat turn. A high angle is the key to effectiveness in this technique.
Your rearward arm should be close to your body. Make sure that this arm is bent and locked into position. A bent elbow will help keep you inside the paddler’s box. Locking the bend into your arm makes it easier to hold the paddle shaft a consistent distance from the side of the kayak. By holding this static position, you will more effectively convert the forces on the blade of your paddle into forces acting on your kayak. Allowing the rearward arm to wander will waste energy.
The stroke should begin with the blade immersed as far aft as possible. Because your rearward arm will be close to your body, you’ll need committed torso rotation to get the blade well aft. Allow the blade to trail along in the water in line with the direction of travel and with a neutral angle. Both of your hands will be over the water on the paddle side. As seen from above, the shaft will be roughly parallel to the keel line of your kayak.