C1 technique

[maxandtheletter7]

When ferry gliding, do you swap so your blade is downstream?

This has been bugging me for a bit because I have learnt to roll my C1 with my right hand on the T grip, and although I can do all manner of rolls in my kayak it'll be a while that I can do the same in the C1 so I can't change for the downstream side and still roll if I need to when ferry gliding across river.

It feels slightly un-natural and I've got no bracing if I do cross strokes...

Hope you understand because I've been mixing my sentances up a bit.

MAX

[Chris Bolton]

There are 3 main ways to ferry in C1 if your blade is on the upstream side:

1. Swap hands on the paddle so it's on the downstream side. That's called switching, not many people do it.

2. Cross the paddle over the deck and paddle on your off-side. Takes practice, can't get as good a sweep as on your on-side. A good technique to have in your skills bag, but you might prefer no 3 to start with. Cross-deck ferrys can involve rolling practice if you don't get the paddle recovery right (turn it 90º and slice it forward and up) or if you catch the blade on a rock.

3. Paddle hard on your normal side, and use a J to keep the bow pointing where you want it. If there's a wave, get on the upstream face and surf across with a stern rudder, leaning away from it. One of the most satisfying moves to do in a C1. Even if the wave isn't properly surfable, get on the upstream face of it anyway, and it will make the ferry much easier.

If you roll with the T in your right hand, then you normally paddle on the left side of the boat, in C1 language you're a Leftie. Unlike some sports, there are about equal numbers of Righty and Lefty, and neither is considered odd. But most people find one side significantly easier than the other. So, Max, being a Leftie, starting from an eddy on river right, try to get a couple of strokes in the eddy, put the boat on the right hand edge and get a really good strong stroke as you cross the eddyline, then if necessary J once you're in the flow. Don't J as you cross the eddyline, you'll just stop and get blown away.

Have fun - it's what C1s are for.

Chris

[maxandtheletter7]

Cheers Chris, I've been trying the crossbow thing a bit so I'll experiment with keeping it on my left side and Jing.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M6jUfKZqMkc

This might show some of things I'm doing wrong a little better.

Max

[davebrads]

When you start learning C1 the fact that you can't brace on the off-side can seem to be a big disadvantage. The great thing about learning C1 is that it forces you to find a few things out about good paddling technique that many kayak paddlers never discover:

The first thing you have to learn as a new C1 paddler is that falling in is not a big deal. If you start going over on your offside there is nothing you are going to be able to do about it, so simply tuck up as you fall in and roll back up super quick. Falling in will happen so often that you quickly stop being scared of it. Most kayak paddlers spend their whole paddling careers trying not to fall in, and it gets seriously in the way of learning how to paddle (and they don't actually stop falling in either).

Secondly, when you start paddling properly on your offside you will be pushing down hard with the top hand. As we all know, for every action there is an equal and opposite reaction, therefore there is force being applied in an upward direction, and this is what keeps you upright. So if you want to do an offside ferry, just paddle hard on the offside and lean towards the blade slightly, and you won't fall in. It can be very difficult to maintain the ferry angle though, especially between strokes. There is a limit to what most mortals can manage to hold on the offside, and when the water gets too fast you can always revert to staying on the onside as Chris says. When you are learning, start on slower water and build up.

Finally, as a result of what you have learnt above, you attain enlightenment when you realise that brace strokes are unnecesary on either side of the boat. All you have to do is maintain positive pressure on the blade and use your core muscles to keep the boat upright. There aren't many kayak paddlers that ever reach this level.

[davebrads]

Just taken a look at the video. That is a fast bit of current to be learning the offside ferry on, with quite tasty eddylines. Nothing like throwing yourself in at the deep end!

Looking at your offside stroke, you are tending to use the top hand as a hinge point, keeping it fairly stationary while you are pulling with the lower hand. You need to learn to drive down with the top hand as much as you pull with the bottom hand.

It is worth looking at this technique library from the slalom boys.

[maxandtheletter7]

Just taken a look at the video. That is a fast bit of current to be learning the offside ferry on, with quite tasty eddylines. Nothing like throwing yourself in at the deep end!

First ever time in this boat when I got into C1ing a coupleof months back I did a river trip to the Usk and did the sennybridge section, then later on travelled to the Mill Falls bit and did that too, I was thinking I might aswell start a lot higher because I wanted a steeper learning curve than in my kayak...and I like to keep to my saying 'Not swimming, Not trying hard enough'

Cheers for the help, I'll have a look at the slalom one too.

[Chris Bolton]

I may have made cross bow ferrys sound too hard there - having watched your video the main point for me is commitment. If you're going for a cross bow ferry, you have to believe it's going to work. C1s are like horses, they can tell if you're nervous! As Dave says, lean on the paddle - rotate your shoulders, edge the boat and lean out over the water to give yourself room to work the blade. Dave makes a good point about bracing, I find that so long as I have the blade in the water, and pulling on it, I can use it to maintain balance, pushing or pulling off the vertical shaft. You don't need to get the blade flat to brace. Sometimes you catch your offside edge and need a big brace, well then you just roll.

Chris

[BigMike]

If you've only been in a c1 for a couple of months you're doing pretty well. I saw that video when your paddling mate put it up the other day, and I thought hmm, the guy in the C1 isn't committing to his offside.

Dave and Chris are both right, I'll just add to what they've said if that's ok. You have to really commit to your offside. In the video you are clearly not doing that (probably because of fear of falling in). To get the most power on your offside, you need to really lean on it, not sit upright with your blade in the offside position. So, you lean using your body and your offside knee, and you feel the edge of the boat as you lean over - as in where the edge is in relation to the current. Your lower hand/arm isn't really doing anything in terms of power since it's in a really weak position, but your top hand is a different story. If you really reach out with your top hand and put the most force though it, you start to use your back and shoulder muscles. In the vid you're using your lower hand /forearm and using your top hand to just guide the position of the blade in the water. The right technique is actually the opposite of that - all the power comes from your top arm/shoulder/back muscles, and they're far more powerful than just your bicep, which is a weak muscle paddling wise.

Practice breaking into fast current and turning downstream as quickly as you can by leaning forward, really pushing out your top arm and driving the paddle down so you put a load of weight on it. If your blade is turned out to catch the current, you can also pull with your bottom arm, but try to keep BOTH arms straight. You won't manage that at first because you'll think you're going to fall in, but if you commit and lean over, you won't. Besides, if you do you can just roll and try it again. You'll know you're doing it right when you feel massive resitance from the water, its that which will turn you quickly. Use your body weight and press down hard with your top arm/shoulder, you feel your upper body sort of twisting and winding up, and there's your power. Give it a try.

Ferry gliding on your offside - you don't need to commit hugely to a big lean and offside stroke. You can control the boat from your onside with small J's and short strokes. You only need to lean a little, if at all, depending on the water. The skill in this is feeling what the front of the boat is doing, using your weight again in terms of front to back and side to side if the water is very wave-y. You still have to commit though. In the vid you try a ferry and end up a long way down in the opposite eddy, its because you're not committing to it and throwing the boat across. get your speed up in the eddy first, keep the bow high and pull it across, dont just try to paddle upstream with an angled boat, be aggressive. Hope that helps - keep at it, don't be scared of falling in. And don't switch, ever!

[TheKrikkitWars]

don't switch, ever!

Probably the single most important thing to attaining C1 goodness.

It's also point one of my 5 step plan for becoming better in C1

[maxandtheletter7]

It's making a lot more sense now thanks every one, I had a read of your blog as well Josh and loved it (the pictures are nice aswell).

Hopefully I'll be able to get out next weekend and coach myself with a bit of proper practice.

Cheers

MAX

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zQNCDfhZw_I

That was my first ever time in a C1 on the first trip I mentionend earlier

[BigMike]

See if you can get to paddle with more experienced c boaters, that'll help you progress.

[TheKrikkitWars]

See if you can get to paddle with more experienced c boaters, that'll help you progress.

That's another big one, though occasional and sporadic contact should be enough, so long as you pay attention and ask as many questions as they can bear to face from you.

I remember Ken Huges telling me to keep my right elbow lower to the deck when doing off-side strokes something I'd never have noticed in a million years myself, makes a fair bit of difference though.