1 HOW TO PLAY Bow Stall
PADDLE INTO THE THIRD DIMENSION BY TYLER CURTIS
Not only will the bow stall improve your balance and vertical boat con- trol, it will also give you something to do in the eddy while you wait for your turn to surf.
There are two ways to initiate a bow stall. One involves putting your kayak on edge and slicing the bow below you, as though you were initiating a flatwater cart- wheel. Though physically easier for some paddlers in some boats, this approach is more complicated to learn so I’m going to focus on the straightforward method by which you paddle your bow straight ahead and down until you reach a point of equilibrium.
If there is too much volume in your bow you may have a tough time submerging it. To make things easier as you learn try it with some water in your boat to help sink the bow.
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Start by taking a few paddle strokes in your neutral body position to attain some speed. Keeping the boat
straight while paddling your bow underwater is difficult. Look ahead to a reference point instead of staring at the bow of your boat.
Once you have some momentum and a wake forms behind you, stop paddling for one second to allow the wake to catch up to your boat. It will lift your stern and help push your bow down and forward. Once your bow dives below the surface you want to continue paddling with your weight all the way forward. Remember to bend at the hips and not at the back.
As the bow dives, make your strokes shorter and quicker to keep the momentum steady. Once the boat
begins to approach vertical push down with your legs and feet to drive the bow right under your body.
Continue leaning forward and try to put both paddle blades and your face in the water. Your paddle blades and head form a tripod and let you maintain balance.
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By leaning back you can push the boat entirely verti- cal—but only for a second. Once the bow dives too
deep it will no longer support your upper body, the kayak will fall forward and you’ll land on your face. To stay in a bow stall keep your head near water level.
By getting your boat off the two-dimensional surface of the water you’ll learn how to use different muscles to control your vertical boat. This will come in handy as you learn flatwater cartwheels and loops and take these tricks into holes and waves.
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Tyler Curtis is a four-time Canadian freestyle cham- pion and has been teaching kayaking for 10 years.
Next trick: flatwater loop 36
RAPID
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