Hey.

Firstly, I've been kayaking recently and I've been trying to Stern Stall, I can get my boat vertical and my stern down but holding it there is my problem. I usually end up making a big splash as my bow falls towards me.

Secondly, Stern Squirting! Is there some sort of added techinque to it because my bow doesn't go as high as other people who've tried my boat.

Cheers,

Ash.

Stern Stalls

First of all that i want to say i cant do it, but im working on it and have been told how to do it many time. You have to work out the balance issue for yourself, but once you get vertical and feel like your staying that way, keep yourself vertical buy leanning backwards when you feel your kayak is falling towards you, amd lean forwards when its falling down to away from you. This may seem eird and counter intuitive, but if you think about it youll realise that when you do this your legs should pull you kayak back into vertical position. Hope that made sense.

Stern squirts
it sounds like you already know how and jsut want to get more vertical, so i wont tell you how to squrit but how i like to get super vertical
When you come over the eddy line dont immedialty go for the squirt, but edge normally and let you boat start to turn in the current. When you feel your boat starting to gain momentum on the spin, then switch your edge and thro a very hard backsweep. IVe found that leaning alot helsp loads too. Dont be afraid to commit to flipping, going vertical often means your going to have to roll. Note: It might be that your boat is just big for you and that other people can sqirt it better becasue they weigh more.

hope this helps

Cheers for the advice, I shall let you know how things go =)

Thanks again

Ash

Once you are vertical put your paddle above your head on the surface of the water, that way when your boat is trying to flop over on you just give the water a gentle slap with your blades.

stern stall
once you are vertical lie back in the water, place the paddle over your head. You then use your body to help you balance. If u can hand roll i would recommend throwing away your paddle and once your vertical stretch your arms out in the water.

stern squirts
the simple answer is the more edge you put on the more vertical you will go its just a case of finding out how much you can lean without going over.

another way to get vertical on the stern is to, paddles backwards, then edge your boat. and put in a reverse double pump.

My stern moves have most definately improved in just 1 day of 5 hours kayaking.

Cheers.

putting your hands above your head makes for a dangerous shoulder position and does not allow you the stregth/speed to react for correction strokes as effectively (it does work, just not as well in my opinion)

The counterintuitive lean once your vertical is a matter of how we are all built.
Imagine all of the muscles and tendons that run down your stomach and connect into your legs. Picture them like a bunch of cables that, when you tighten them, bring your torso and legs closer together, and when you loosen them, allow your legs and torso to fall away from each other.

In other words:
do a sit up and the bow pulls towards you
relas and the bow falls away from you
It's not perfect, but it's the GENERAL rule

I had trouble with the stern stall at first too. But, since I got it before I got hte bow, let me share a visualization that helped me...

When the bow was falling on my head, i leaned back and pointed my toes down.
When the bow was falling away from me, I crunched my stomach and curled my toes upward.
They didn't actually move since they were crammed inside a boat, but the visualization helped.

Good luck. I\"m sure this time nest year you'll be helping someone else leran this same thing.

might be to late for this you might have it by now! Use water in your boat, theres a lot of pros and cons on this. some say do it and others say dont.

I wanted to learn the bow stall, i got now and can stay up all day. Havent had time to do this with the stern to much but it works.

I loaded up my yak with water \" stucks if u roll\" but with enough water that all you have to do is lean forward and the water moves forward then you are vert. This is only a way to get to the point of balance on stern or bow. it also slows every thing down so you can find out what works and what doesnt. I found on a bow stall that when you plow the bow and get vert to look forward not down into the water, still lean but keep ur eyes on the bank and the balance is just there.
Stern i found that when vert its like doing a chruch. ur pushing ur butt away while pulling ur leg-knee to ur face. Put some water in than find out what it feels like then do it with out water.

and just do it over and over and over and over then one day u will hit it and think why the hell did that take so long!!!!!!