Rudder stroke

The rudder stroke is a dynamic stroke used to fine tune the course of a moving kayak. It is essential for whitewater kayaking and surfing and very useful for sea kayaking.

Rudder strokes include:

• Stern draw
• Stern pry
• Bow draw
• Bow pry
• Cross bow draw
• One-handed cross bow pry

For the classic rudder stroke, orient your paddle alongside your kayak with the shaft nearly horizontal. Completely submerge the blade near the stern with the blade perpendicular to the surface of the water. You then push away from the boat (a stern pry) or pull towards the boat (a stern draw) to change the direction of the moving kayak or hold the kayak to its desired course.

Typically, the rudder stroke is applied so that the paddle is pressed toward or away from the side of the kayak. It may or may not touch the hull.

As opposed to a true draw or pry stroke, the forces are generated not so much by the movement of the paddle through the water, as the flow of water over the blade. The paddle is often held steady in relationship to the kayak - at least for a second or two. Hence, the ingredient necessary for an efficient rudder stroke is forward motion of the kayak through the water.

All rudder strokes increase drag and slow the kayak. Therefore, a method of maintaining forward speed must be applied. Usually this is a forward stroke, though it may be gravity on the front of a wave if surfing.

Any of the draw or pry strokes can be used for ruddering -- hence, ruddering can be initiated from the bow or stern.

In a stern pry, water forces tend to push the paddle bach toward the kayak, which makes it a a stable stroke to apply. In a bow draw, on the other hand, water forces pull the paddle away from the hull - the stroke is unstable and may overpower the kayaker if they allow the paddle to sweep too far aft.

Similarly, a bow pry can result in the water pushing the paddle under the kayak, potentially upsetting the paddler, as could a stern pry if the paddle blade is allowed to get too close to the hull. If this happens to you, let go with your upper hand and try to recover.

The cross bow draw is an interesting stroke. If you wish to turn, say, right, take your left hand and cross it over the kayak, lowering the left blade into the water on the right side of the kayak pointing forward. This sets the blade so that it pulls the bow to the right.

The One-handed cross bow pry is a bit of a stunt turn. If you want to turn, say, right, let go of the paddle with your right hand. Using your left hand, flip the paddle to the left side of the kayak and place the right blade hard against the hull at the bow. The paddle should be angled slightly so that the left blade is further outboard than the right one. This puts the right blade angled against the hull forcing the bow to move to the right.

An alternative to the draw or pry strokes is to hold the paddle more upright (between 45 degrees to vertical), and twist the shaft, thereby turning the blade in the water left or right in relation to the line of travel, more closely simulating a boat's rudder. This movement takes some practice but produces good sharp response and is useful particularly in kayak or waveski surfing. If quite vertical, it becomes a Duffek