How To Kayak

I learned how to kayak a number of years ago on the lake where I live. It is now my all time favorite escape. Lakes and ponds are great places to begin kayaking because they're calm and often shallow.

So what's the first thing you do before kayaking?
Pack lunch?  try again ...
Yup - that's right, put your life jacket on.

Throughout these pages, you will hear me repeat this message because it is "Kayaking 101". Learning how to kayak means kayaking safely. You can find out all about them right here.

Because I sailed before kayaking, I had a false confidence that was quickly humbled the moment I first climbed into my brand new kayak - it wasn't a pretty sight! So when I think about giving advice, I remember this as point of beginning. That's where it starts ... getting in and out of a kayak.

Unlike my beginning, here is a smart start.

Click your way to basic "know how". Right here. Go ahead - try it!

  Getting In & Out of a Kayak
  How to enter and exit from a dock or from shore with ease.

  Paddling Techniques
  Basic paddling strokes to move forward, backward and turn.

  Kayaking Awareness
  About stability, weather, environment and personal experience.

  Kayaking Safety
  What to do, what to take along, leaving a "Float Plan", and why.

  Lifting A Kayak
  How to lift and move a kayak without breaking your back.

  Overturn and Towing
  An overview of how to upright an overturned kayak, re-enter and tow it.

  Are you ready for more challenge?
   See Kayaking Basics and Beyond!

I have to explain something peculiar ... for some reason when you attach a rope to a boat, it becomes a "line". I don't know why, it just does. So when you hear another boater refer to a line (they mean rope attached to the boat)! So when you're yick-yak'n with someone and they ask what is the difference between a rope and a line, now you know - (weird, huh?). You'll find this and other kayaking terms in "Yick-Yak".

There's much more information on this site to help you. Scroll down the navigation bar at the left.

There's also a "Feed Back" page for any questions that aren't answered within these pages.

To learn more about how to kayak by watching a DVD, Click Here.

Learning how to kayak is easy with "Smart-Start-Kayaking.com"!

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