Paddling technique

Rudder stroke (stern rudder)

Also: rudder stroke, stern rudder

For a rudder stroke you hold the paddle in the water behind you and use it as a rudder, for example when surfing or on waves.

Wikibooks calls it “paddle as rudder”: holding the paddle in a fixed position. In a packraft it only works to a limited extent because of the low speed, but it's useful on waves and with a tailwind.

Sources and further reading

• Wikibooks: Kajak/Techniken (German)

Research as of 13 Nov 2026. We have marked manufacturer information as such.