Kayaking is a fun, sporty and adventurous activity. It is not only limited especially to those who love the water. Everyone can try such a thrilling hobby and invest their free timing by gaining something valuable out of it. The perks of kayaking are a lot. Today we will guide those beginner enthusiasts who want to try their luck with kayaking.

This article will end up being fruitful for them. I have compiled a list of tips and tricks which will be advantageous for beginners. Without further ado, let’s jump right into it.

How to Kayak – Basic Tips and Tricks You Need To Know

Below is the list of some significant tips and some information that a beginner should know whilst start his experience :

1. Gear and Equipment

Before entering into the water, it is important to have all the prescribed gear with you so that once you are in the water, you do not need to recourse. As we know there are different styles of kayaking with certain distinctions between them.

Always choose the gear which will suit your specific kayaking style. The basic gear shall include a Body gear, A life jacket, and a paddle. Make sure to keep a safety life jacket on every kayaking journey.

2. Safety Precautions

A kayaker that is a novice, should follow the safety precautions placed by the relevant authorities and shall not abuse them at any instance. So that the journey becomes stress free for both the kayaker and the relevant authorities. Cooperation is a must when it comes to following the code of conduct.

Following the safety guidelines will save your life. Do not take it lightly.

3. Equilibrium

A good quality kayak is compact in design. It will always give the optimal balance to the user and will certainly perform better than an average canoe. Keeping in mind, that the balance is of utmost importance always buys an A-grade product.

That will boost the already serene experience. A balanced kayak will ensure a calm and collected time spent throughout the journey.

4. Mental Strength

Kayaking is one of those thrilling hobbies that will make you both physically and mentally tough. There will be instances where you will be faced with challenging routes and points. This is where your instinct will come in.

Your mind will recollect your past experiences and enable you to successfully maneuver through different moments. This is a very healthy practice and you can somewhat label it as food for the brain.

5. Workout

An average kayaking journey of 4-5 miles will not only be soothing to the eyes but it also has some physical benefits. The strength and endurance put into paddling will develop the upper body of the kayaker. Increased blood flow to the muscles especially the biceps and triceps will allow them to develop better.

Make sure to have a good pre-meal so that you do not get drained during the journey. Also, keep a water bottle with you so that dehydration does not become a complication.

6. Study the Water

Whenever you enter the waterbed especially when you are a beginner. It is of grave importance to contact an experienced fellow kayaker. The experienced kayaker will guide you in certain ways, he will explain the route to you and also inform you about the safety precautions that you should adopt.

This will further make your journey hassle-free. Once you’ve honed your skills of kayaking, you can study the water yourself.

Now let us share with you some of the basic kayaking skills that you can easily perform while you are on your journey:

• Forward stroke:

It is as simple as it gets. It involves three key movements. Firstly wind up and balance the paddle. Then put the paddle in the water at one side and unwind for the next stroke i.e. putting the paddle back into the water on the opposite side. You should keep your torse aligned for a leveled movement. In terms of arm position, Push the paddle with the upper hand and pull the paddle with the lower hand.

• Turning stroke:

This skill will enable the kayak to turn in the direction in which the paddle is place. This will simply require inserting the paddle into the water and then paddling from one side to the other. Whatever side the blade is in the water. Kayak moves in that direction. The problem with this skill is that the kayak will lose the already build up forward momentum.

• Sweep stroke:

Sweep stroke will solve the problem of losing the forward momentum while changing the direction of the kayak. It beings far from in front of the kayak sweep way wide and continue until the paddle reaches the stern of the back of the kayak. This will enable us to turn the direction of our kayak without losing any of the forward momentum.

I have also compiled a list of sources from where you can further gain some useful help regarding kayaking:

• Youtube.
• Hiring an experienced guide.
• Gathering information about kayaking online through different blog spots and webpage.

Conclusion

Kayaking has a lot of aspects, I have tried to cover some of those for you. In light of this article, I would like to say that I have passed on the relevant information and some trips that are more than enough for a beginner kayaker.

Just keep it simple, try to start slow and safe. Do not rush anything. You will automatically gain confidence after several weeks. Have a good kayaking experience ahead!.