Sea Kayak 200 - Forward Stroke, Finding Your Groove
Discover the optimal forward stroke and kayak paddle for your body type and your style of kayak. Improving the efficiency of your forward stroke does more than just boost your speed and endurance. As sea kayakers we use the forward stroke at least 95% of the time. So learning to forward paddle efficiently is critical for the health of your tendons and joints. Being able to paddle faster without working harder also increases your safety when kayaking in traffic or making crossings. Further, as your efficiency improves, you'll find you have more paddling friends and you get invited on more trips.
The Kayak Academy has unique teaching aids and methods that will make your forward stroke healthier and more efficient. As part of this class you'll get to experiment with practically every type of kayak paddle ever made: feathered from 0-90 degrees, lengths from 205 - 230cm, high and low angle blades, bent and straight shafts of small and standard diameter, and Euro, wing and Greenland style blades. For every combination of paddle, paddler, and speed there is a unique style of forward stroke technique that works best. Exploring how to adapt your personal strengths and weaknesses to a variety of paddles and styles of strokes will broaden your understanding of what makes your own forward stroke more efficient with whatever equipment you own or use.
We teach both feathered and unfeathered paddling technique, and let you decide which you prefer. We'll also check that your kayak's fit is optimized for efficient forward stroke performance, and we'll show you how to choose a paddle that is the best length and style for the type of kayak you own (or plan to buy) and the kind of paddling you want to do.
Location: Tibbett's Beach, Lake Sammamish State Park (see map below)
Duration: 4 hours
Class Size: 5 maximum (not just a ratio)
Fee: $160 (Price includes use of many demo paddles and if desired our dry suits or wet suits and booties)
Kayak Rental: $25.00 plus tax, delivered to the lesson. (Includes kayak, spray-skirt, PFD, bilge pump, paddle float, and paddle)
Call us at (206) 527-1825 or E-mail us at info@kayakacademy.com to make a reservation.
Prerequisites: SK 101 or equivalent with approval.
Map to Tibbitts Beach (click on blue tag to get driving directions)
View Tibbett's Beach in a larger map