journal k ayaker’s
KEEP YOUR CHIN OVER THE DRY SIDE. PHOTOS: CHRISTOPHER LOCKYER
PEER REVIEW TECHNIQUE BY CHRISTOPHER LOCKYER Edging Made Easy TILT YOUR BOAT TO GET AN EDGE ON TURNING
Most people have been introduced to the tech- nique of edging but have never fully mastered when, why and how to perform this skill. Edg- ing aids in quickly turning your sea kayak by changing the shape of the boat’s hull at the waterline. Most kayaks turn more efficiently to- ward the dry, or raised, edge (shorter waterline) but there are exceptions so experiment to see what works best for your boat. This is a dynam- ic skill—for edging to work, you need to have paddling momentum or make use of currents.
KAYAK FIT Edging requires a controlled shift (slightly for- ward and to the outside sit bone) in your body position relative to the kayak’s balance point. Proper boat fit is essential: Your feet should be firmly placed on the foot pegs in a comfort- able but secure position; your knees and thighs should make full contact with the boat; and your spine should be erect and snug against the back band or seat back.
BODY CONTROL The single most important factor in edging well is your posture. Sit up tall and think about your body as two separate parts: your head and torso (above the sprayskirt) and your hips and legs (be- low the sprayskirt). To edge, rather than lean, the two parts must move in isolation from each other.
When you are ready to start a turn, look to- ward the direction you want to go. This en- gages your torso and sets you up in a powerful position for a sweep stroke or bow rudder.
30 ADVENTURE KAYAK | SPRING 2012 Next, point your toes on what will be the
wet, or low, edge side of the kayak. Pushing the foot peg maximizes your contact with the boat, stabilizing the edge and giving you a solid plat- form from which to drive your turning stroke. The last step I call the “one cheek sneak”.
The one cheek sneak involves actively shifting your body weight overtop of your sit bone on the wet edge side. This weight transfer is what causes the boat to edge. If you had a sheet of paper under your bum cheek on the dry side, you would be able to pull the sheet out. In an ideal position, your chin is over your dry side thigh. This is where body separation really comes into play—while your lower body does its thing, your upper body stays centered over the kayak’s balance point. Hold this position and allow your kayak to
carve the turn. The one cheek sneak requires excellent core
control. Any activity that engages your core will improve your edging. For me, yoga has helped significantly in increasing the core strength that is essential for confident edge control. Try poses like side plank or prayer twist that require good balance and engagement of core muscles. Christopher Lockyer is an aspirant BCU level
5 Sea Coach and Paddle Canada level 4 instruc- tor based in Halifax, Nova Scotia.
www.commit-
ted2thecore.com
To watch a video tutorial, go to
Adventurekayakmag.com/0033 or download the Adventure Kayak app.
I like using the concept of edge levels. Four is my magic number: Level 1 is comfortable, yet already makes a difference in turning. Level 4 is useful for extremely sharp turns where the paddle is giving support. —Ginni Callahan, ACA level 5 instructor & BCU level 4 coach, Cathlamet, WA / Loreto, Baja
Doing a side-tummy-crunch on the dry edge side incorporates muscles from your seat to your upper torso and shifts your weight to stay centered over your kayak’s balance point. —Meaghan Hennessy, Paddle Canada level 2 instructor trainer and BCU level 3 coach, Vancouver, BC
To get good posture, I advocate moving your lower spine away from the back band, not being “snug against it” as Christopher suggests. Furthermore, if “looking where you want to go” includes twisting the torso, hip mobility will be decreased and therefore limit the degree of edge. I would first edge with hips and then twist at the torso. —Leon Sommé, BCU level 4 coach, Orcas Island, WA
Practice combining speed and edging by completing a power circle: edge left, forward sweep on the left and forward stroke on the right. Continue in a circle. Practice on both sides by tracing a figure eight on the water. —Michael Pardy, Paddle Canada level 3 instructor trainer, Victoria, BC
Actively pressing your down-edge leg into the hull helps shift your weight to that side and more effectively stabilizes the kayak on edge. I would argue that merely pressing a foot into the foot peg is not as strong of a position. —Shawna Franklin, BCU level 4 coach, Orcas Island, WA
Read more peer reviews from lead- ing coaches and instructors at www.
adventurekayakmag.com/0034.
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