I decided to give C1 a try. I've always been predominatly a playboater, so I took an extra playboat I've had lying around, a Liquid Logic Pop, and converted it to C1. I tried it out today for the first time and was having a little trouble (big surprise). First off: wow that thing is tippy. I haven't wobbled like that since the first day I sat in a kayak. I tipped over in the park and play spot I was at and swam right off the bat, but after that I thought for a second about how to roll, practiced some low braces (support stroke?), and was able to get up, albeit sometimes after 2 or 3 tries, from then on.

After I made sure I could roll back up I started paddling around. I found I am really good at turning the thing in circles, but I'll be damned if I didn't have a hard time actually going anywhere. I realize the boat is probably one of the slowest kayaks made, but nonetheless I really had a tough time getting any momentum going. I've read up on some basic techniques, so I have a little bit of an idea what I should be doing, but it didn't seem to help much. What seemed to work best was alternating forward strokes with crossbow strokes until I got a little bit of speed going, then stroking mostly on the main side and using a J-stroke. The problem with this was I had to concentrate so much on using the J-rudder to stay straight that I'd usually lose all forward momentum and have to start over again. Furthermore, when I'm doing a power stroke, in a kayak or this new contraption, I generally only pull from about where my toes would be if I was sitting, to about my hip. However if I wanted to get any sort of rudder action, I'd have to continue the stroke a foot or so past my hip, then place the J-rudder. Is this normal? Also, using the J-stroke seemed to push me to one side,. I was paddling on the right, and it felt like it was sliding the whole boat to the right, almost like I was doing a draw stroke on my on-side. This was opposite of what I expected and I'm not sure what's going on there. In the end, if I wanted to go forward, I'd have to aim about 20-30 degrees to the left to compensate for this right side slip.

I also tried eddying in and out a few times and I was never able to get the whole boat across the eddy line. This was a left hand eddy turn, and I was paddling with the blade on my right side. I'd try to get a little speed then use a cross bow stroke to pull myself into the current, but I'd never fully get out into the current. This was probably partly hindered by the fact that I was concentrating almost entirely on staying upright, but it still seemed like I was doing something wrong.

[b:e8ffd4e58a]So my basic questions are:[/b:e8ffd4e58a] How do you get and maintain momentum in one direction? Am I using the right technique and its just a matter of practice? I can't even begin to think how you paddle backwards in a straight line. Also, if I'm paddling on the right side (right handed?) and I want to move the boat straight left, as if I were using a left side draw/sculling in a kayak, what stroke do you use? A crossbow draw/scull?


I did have a pretty good time though. It was definitely challenging, and its been a long time since I felt so incompetent on the water. Also, after I got out of the C1 and hopped in my kayak, it felt like I couldn't tip the thing over if I tried. Also my Kayak paddle suddenly felt very unfamiliar.

First thing i would do is read up on open canoeing techniques, the BCU, have a handy manual with lots of details and pictures, concentrate on the 'j-stroke' and 'c-stroke',

a way of going sideways without doing a crossbow manourve is the pry, start at the boat and push the water away, basically a reverse draw stoke,

good luck

My best advice would be just keep practising it becomes easier with use!

I went throught the same sensation when i converted a beat up cut down squirt boat into a c1 way tippy i was having a hard time at first but it became easier especially after i fitted a quick release lap belt. The lap belt held my ass onto the saddle so i didnt slide around as much.

You could try cutting your saddle down to lower your centre of gravity to make ur pop more stable

Try it on the flat water first and build back up to the playspot once you got your strokes and balance up to speed which will come back!

i think the goon stroke (cheating J) would be easier to use as you dont rotate the thumb down but up so it easier to begin with and then get into cross deck paddling remember your centre of gravity is higher hence it feels wobbly BUT you have more leverage rolling is easier as you only have to worry about one blade so less drag in the water.


Good Luck let us know how your getting on

On the going-forwad subject: The J-stroke is useful, yes, but it is not the end-all of forward momentum. I use the J-stroke only on flatwater, when I've got somewhere to go, but am in no hurry. In most any other situation I use alternating forward strokes: that is, I'll take a stroke on my on-side, then a stroke on my off-side, then a couple strokes on my-onside, etc. After a bit of practice, you can get the ratio to about 3:1 on-side/off-side. The other thing, that I also do subconsciously all the time, edge the boat. If you edge to your paddle-side, the chine of your boat forms a keel that will counteract the spinning effect of your forward stroke. A good drill to practice this with is paddling in a circle, edging to the inside of that circle, and paddling only on the inside of the circle. You can adjust the diameter by playing with how far you tilt your boat, and how hard you paddle.

Going backwards is similar, but harder. You get your momentum from an on-side backstroke, and then correct the spin with a crossbow draw. The other, slightly harder option is a backwards D-stroke (or C-stroke, depending on who you talk to). The idea is that you will reach underneath you boat to do your backstroke, so the force is applied in the centre, as opposed to at one side, and so you won't spin much, if at all.

If you want to move straight to your offside, an offside sculling draw is your best bet. A pry will work as well, but if you're prying your paddle is vertical, and if anything unexpected happens, you'll find it trapped deep in the water, and useless. Also, if the unexpected thing is a strong current coming from your onside, the paddle blade will catch that current and flip you to your onside.

As for crossing eddylines, there's nothing special involved. Just use lots of speed, and be very aggresive. When kneeling you can lean forward much farther, and can get more power on one stroke. I take my last stroke right on, or sometimes almost past, the eddyline, and initiate the turn with the edge of my boat, not my paddle. My paddle just helps me hold an angle in a ferry, keep more speed, or accelerate the turn, it's by no means crucial to the manouever.

Hope this helps

I think the best technique is just alternating onside/offside strokes. If you are aproaching a difficult spot on the river it is essential to build up your speed quickly, especialy if you have a playboat...
While playboating you must get used to regaining the feature after any move. For instance if you cartwheel to your offside it is essential to do a backstroke after each end on your bow because it keeps you in the hole. The same with blunts, I personaly can do a blunt only to my offside, because I need my blade to be ready for onside backstroke to stay on the wave.
Just try to learn an easy combination-Splitwheel to your onside followed by a clean vertical end to your offside and then either a backstroke to regain the feature or an initiative stroke to complete a cleancartwheel. You get 110 points for this combination...