Strokes & Techniques
Latest Strokes & Techniques
How To Line Rapids In A Canoe
After you line a canoe the first time around that usual portage, your watch and back will thank you for the discovery. Using guide...
How To Kayak Surf In Style
Aside from being one of the coolest feelings in the world, good surfing skills let you make controlled landings when conditions aren’t perfectly flat....
How To Get In And Out Of A Kayak In 6 Steps
As the owner of a specialty kayak retailer, AQ Outdoors, my team and I are often the first information source for many people who...
Expert Canoeing Advice: How To Do The J-Stroke
Whether paddling your canoe tandem or solo, there is a universally necessary, yet elusive goal we all set out to accomplish: going in a...
The Beginner’s Guide To Kayaking
It's been more than 30 years since I learned how to kayak. The first boat I sat in was an Aquaterra Spectrum, on loan...
Olympian’s SUP Stability Secrets
Whether you want to paddle fast, paddle far or just paddle with your dog on board, it all starts with good balance. Spending time...
The Beginner’s Guide To Canoeing
There is no better way to get on the water and get away from it all than in a canoe. Canoeing is simple, efficient...
Need For Speed: How Racing Changed Canoeing For The Better
Our everyday lives are filled with inventions that have come out of the world of racing. We drive cars with antilock brakes. We ride...
3 Expert Tips For Conquering Scary Rapids
Running new rapids can be scary no matter what class they are or how experienced of a paddler you are. Regardless of whether you’ve...
10 Pros On The Hardest River Moves You’ll Ever Make
Feeling stressed about nailing that new freestyle trick? Rest assured, no matter your skill level you’re not alone—expert whitewater paddlers still struggle with advanced...
The Real Reason Why Paddling Progress Can’t Be Rushed
You don't become a master by rushing through the basics.
30 Essential River Running Skills
Want get more thrills out of your next whitewater run with less worry and hassle along the way? We’ve collected 30 essential river running...
6 Unusual Skills That Will Make You A Better Kayaker
Sea kayakers can be a serious bunch when the time calls for action, but those same paddlers spend time honing their skills through play,...
5 Ways Canoeing Can Help You Live Longer
I recently became a great aunt at the age of 33. Perhaps it’s because all my own great aunts are either gone or very elderly,...
3 Pros On How To Perfect Your Kayak Roll
Nothing is more confidence-inspiring than a reliable kayak roll. With good instruction many new paddlers learn the basics and roll on the first day....
Learn How To Predict Tidal Currents For Sea Kayaking
Ocean sea kayaking trips that take place in areas that are subject to significant tidal current activity require consultation of that area’s tidal current...
Learn The Sea Kayak Bow Draw
The bow draw, also known as the bow rudder, is an efficient and elegant turning stroke that provides remarkably fine control over the bow...
Learn How To Win At SUP Racing
When I discovered the SUP racing scene, I thought, “This is going to be a breeze.” I figured most racers wouldn’t be experienced paddlers,...
How To Do A Low Brace In A Canoe
The low brace is incredibly effective at preventing you from capsizing to your onside in a canoe. It allows you to reposition your body...
Get Swinging With The Canoe Cross-Forward Stroke
The cross-forward stroke is one of the most helpful strokes used by solo canoeists, even though it’s looked down upon by some traditionalists who...
How To Empty A Swamped Canoe Using The Parallel Rescue (Video)
While there is no one perfect way to deal with a swamped canoe, there are a few techniques that work better than others depending...
Rescue A Swamped Canoe With The Capistrano Flip
When paddling without other boats nearby, a capsize means self-rescue. If close to shore, it may be possible to swim in, pulling your swamped...
2 Techniques To Successfully Roll A Tandem Kayak
In some quarters, tandem kayaking is synonymous with dull paddling and poor technique. But where is it written that tandems must be paddled conservatively?...
Win Your First Paddleboard Race
In the wake of paddleboarding’s growing popularity, hundreds of paddleboard races have sprung up across the nation. There are fun runs for charity, easy...
Yoga For Paddlers With Benny Marr (Video)
When I was 22, my lower back often flared up to the point I struggled to stand up straight. Sometimes first thing in the...
6 Easy Steps To Lift A Canoe By Yourself
The thought of tossing a 16-foot canoe over your head and down onto the base of your neck can be intimidating—until you’ve been schooled...
12 Tips For Troubleshooting Your Kayak Roll
Years ago, a buddy and I tied a couple of borrowed kayaks to his car and headed to the lake. Our mission was simple:...
8 Pre-Season Exercises For Kayaking (Video)
Eager to launch on the water as quickly as possible, we kayakers are regular offenders when it comes to skipping warm-ups and warm-downs. Too...
7 Common Paddling Injuries And How To Prevent Them
Ours is not a gentle sport. No matter how practiced and prepared you may be, a risk of injury exists around every rocky bend...
How To Paddle Your Canoe Silently
The beauty of silent paddling is just that—the silence. You can paddle along a stretch of shoreline at dusk with the only sound of...
Learn The Bow Stall Kayak Technique
Not only will the bow stall improve your balance and vertical boat control, it will also give you something to do in the eddy...
How To Solo & Tandem Back Ferry A Canoe
The back ferry is a great tool for navigating whitewater in a canoe. Unlike the front ferry where paddlers (or a solo paddler) face...
Master How To Sweep Roll A Kayak
Knowing how to roll isn’t a prerequisite to enjoy kayaking, but a dependable roll will transform your paddling experience. It will increase your confidence...
Canoe Skill: How To Read Whitewater
Choosing to run whitewater, and doing it successfully, can be a highlight on your next canoe trip. Jumping in over your head, however, can...
3 Steps To Stick The Balance Brace
The first sea kayakers devised the balance brace as a means of gaining stability in rough water and a way to stretch out their...
How To Run Small Drops In Your Kayak
For the best way to kayak small drops, look no further than the boof. Boofing lifts you clean off the lip of a drop...
