RUNNING LIST of Top Tips & Handy Hints (observations gathered over the years)

Not My Kayak - but I did own a Pintail once...

·       If you're just going out for a short day paddle and don't want your water bottle, radio etc. banging around in your day hatch, put them in an old clear PVC drybag (clear, stiff, thick plastic ones) kept unclipped/open in the hatch. That old style of drybag provides good shock-absorption for stuff and you can still get at things easily while on the water.

·         When paddling in a group, consider the advantages of sharing large-size safety gear -  not everyone needs to bring spare paddles, a wind shelter, extra water/clothing, etc. - as long as there's enough to go around. Why weigh down everyone's boat unnecessarily. 

·         Waterproof nautical maps are worth the extra few bucks – and mostly can be used bare on your deck under the bungees.  But if in the surf zone, putting them away or in a map case secured to the deck is wise because they can wash off from under the bungees.

·         “Winds Come, Tides Go” – a north wind is coming from the north, a north tide/current is going to (flowing towards) north.

·         With wind at your back, the area of low pressure is to your left (in northern hemisphere). Helpful for tracking storms.

·         Keep a clear deck as much as possible in rough water. Paddles and pumps and water bottles on deck impede rescues (self and assisting) , can hamper low angle strokes, and often shift or break loose.  Under deck, in hatch, or on-person alternatives are preferred in most cases.

·         After a tow, if still in bumpy conditions, just stuff the line in a loose bundle down the front of your pfd.  Repack your tow line bag later in calm water.

·         Those 8x11 sheets of cheap plastic laminating film (from Office Max or Staples) work for sealing printed tide tables or charts you’ve gotten from the computer.  But after one or two uses, they leak. 

·         Bow Draw, Side-Slip, Hanging Draw, Draw on the Move, Stern Draw… are all the same thing just at different locations up and down the side of your boat.  You’re pulling water towards the boat by angling the blade – differs only in what part of the boat you want to draw.

·         As the boat slows during a hanging draw stroke (side slip), you must gradually move the position of the paddle forwards in response to the reduction in speed. Otherwise the hanging draw becomes a stern draw. (Friction of bow wave reduces as speed slows so bow gets looser).

·         If your stern rudder stroke is weak, try raising your offside hand – puts more blade in contact with moving water.

·         RV Roof Repair Tape (Eterna Bond) works well as an emergency patch – better than Duct tape or Denzo tape.

·         Check and Replace items in your First Aid kit on a regular basis – ibuprofen, band-aids, etc.

·         If you’re the tower in an assisted tow, hook your carabiner to the victim’s boat, but only under the front deck line of the assistant’s boat. This way the assistant can pull himself up along the victim's boat to unhook the tow if need be.

·         The victim has to lean hard onto the rescuer’s boat during a contact tow. Otherwise, it will be difficult for the rescuer to paddler straight.

·         For effective reverse paddling, slap the back face of the paddle onto the water behind you and push down, bringing the off-side hand up high (vertically) out over that side of the boat – this will help create a mirror image of a high-angle forward stroke, but in reverse. Otherwise, your reverse paddling will be a series of low angle reverse sweeps making it harder to go straight.

·         When surfing a wave, if your bow is headed to the right (boat is beginning to broach) your stern rudder (on left side) will be more effective if you edge on the side away from the paddle (edge to right).  Seems counterintuitive and is harder to do, but works better.  By contrast, if you edge on the same side as the stern rudder, i.e. edging on the paddle side (which feels more natural), the shape of kayak hull will reinforce the broach, not fight it.

·         A small monocular in your pfd is helpful to read buoy numbers for navigation.

·         A spare paddle should be easy to assemble quickly when you need it – otherwise it’s not an effective piece of safety equipment.

·         When forward paddling, it's OK to allow the top hand to cross the center line of the kayak – shows you’re rotating the torso. Keep that top hand high to avoid scooping up water with the active blade at the end of the stroke.

·         Ankle-high booties prevent submerged objects (rocks, etc.) from cutting your ankles.

·         Loosen the back band and push the footpegs forward for comfort on distance paddles.

·         Always talk (however briefly) before you leave the beach to discuss the float plan and agree on a VHF channel (if you’re using radios).

 ·         Never leave a group of paddlers without telling someone (preferably several people) that you're breaking off from the group and heading home (or wherever).

·         Kayak fishing is fun, but it’s not easy landing a fish from a closed cockpit boat and dealing with all the gear without something going amiss…Fishing kayaks are wide and have open cockpits for a reason.

·         Some strong paddlers with good stamina and endurance on flatwater are uncomfortable in even moderate sea conditions. (Sometimes surprisingly so.) And vice versa - some who are comfortable in larger sea conditions do not have the most stamina. Be mindful of the variable skills (and hidden weaknesses) of the group as sea conditions change … and be prepared to tow or be towed.

·         If you’re the lead paddler (or in the group at the front) and have stopped to wait for the slower paddlers to catch up, don’t immediately resume paddling when the slower people get there. Give them some time to rest first!

·         When exiting your boat in beach-breaking surf, make sure your kayak is landward of you and the waves. Do no stand with your boat seaward of you, otherwise you risk the boat smashing you in the legs when hit by a wave. MAJORLY important rule for surf landings.

·         Waterproof headlamps do not float – attach them somehow if dealing with waves/surf when night paddling.

·         Boats are heavy – ALWAYS offer to help other paddlers carry a kayak and NEVER feel embarrassed to ask for help lifting/carrying your boat.  Save your back and arms for the paddling.

·         Four (4) people carrying a loaded boat is best when carrying any distance – yes 4. No shame.

·         ALL OTHER watercraft have the right of way – kayaks come last.  Not a written rule necessarily, but essentially true. We are most vulnerable.  Be cautious and aware.

·         When on a crossing/meeting (or collision) course with a motor boat, stop paddling to let him pass in front of you but keep making the paddling motion (move the paddle up and down) simply so the boater is more likely to see you – paddle motion is what others see first, not you and your little boat.

·         Pay attention to fore/aft trim when packing your boat – e.g. put gear up in the bow hatch if your stern sits low to compensate for an off balance center of buoyancy. It noticeably helps handling.

·         Contrary to what some say, your seat position does affect boat handling. Sit a bit further forward (or lean your torso forward) to help turning and edging if your boat seems sluggish or if lee-cocking in big winds. Even an inch or two makes a difference.

·         Swap spare paddles or other deck-mounted gear from the front to the rear deck if your boat is lee-cocking in big winds.

·        To avoid motorboats in areas of marked buoyage, remember the "Red-Right-Returning” rule…BUT do not assume motor boats (planing craft) will stick to marked channels. They have very little draft and OFTEN do not follow the R-R-R rule.

·         Paddlers who bring treats for others at break time (candy?cookies?) are looked upon more favorably by others than those who don’t!

·         Give advice to others humbly. Some paddlers don’t want it. Some are having a perfectly fine time doing it their way. BUT it doesn’t hurt to offer helpful advice if someone is struggling.

- Wind/waves running against current (opposite direction) heightens the waves.  So if you're looking to hit a tide race/overfall at a time most likely to have bigger conditions, get there at time of Max Current on a day when there's some good opposing swell.  (For the NE U.S. this is typically at Max Ebb Current with incoming swell from the east/southeast).