Eddy turn (entering an eddy)
In an eddy turn you leave the current and enter an eddy. The boat is edged upstream.
Paddling technique
Forward stroke, sweep stroke, brace, edging, ferry: the most important strokes and manoeuvres.
15 terms in this topic
All terms
Sweep stroke
The sweep stroke turns the boat. The paddle is guided flat in a wide arc from bow to stern.
Peel out (leaving an eddy)
In a peel out you leave the eddy and enter the main current. The boat is edged downstream.
Forward stroke
The forward stroke moves the boat ahead. The power comes from rotating the torso, not from the arms.
Edging
Edging means deliberately tilting the boat sideways with your hips and knees. It lets you cross eddy lines safely and steer more precisely.
Torso rotation
Good paddlers rotate their torso with every stroke. That spares the arms and adds power.
Paddle grip
Hold the paddle slightly wider than shoulder width, with your forearms at roughly a right angle to the shaft.
Back stroke
The back stroke brakes the boat or moves it backwards. The blade goes in behind the hip and is pushed forward.
Ferry (traverse)
With a ferry you cross a river without drifting downstream. The bow points at an angle into the current.
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.
Brace
With a brace you stop the boat from tipping over by slapping or pressing the paddle blade flat on the water.
Paddling tandem
Paddling as two, you keep the same rhythm: the front sets the pace, the back steers.
Trim (weight distribution)
Trim describes how the weight is distributed in the boat. A well-trimmed packraft sits level in the water.
Sculling
In sculling you move the paddle blade through the water in a figure of eight. That creates sideways pull or support.
Draw stroke
The draw stroke moves the boat sideways, for example to pull up to a jetty or avoid a rock.