Whitewater kayaking
From KayakWiki
Whitewater kayaking is a type of kayaking which takes place on whitewater. This includes rivers and in some cases ocean surf and tidal races. Paddling in swift water requires knowledge of how water acts around various types of obstacles and quick reaction times.
Whitewater kayaks are shorter and more manouvreabile that other types of kayak.
[edit] Whitewater paddles
Whitewater (WW) paddles are superficially similar to sea kayak Euro paddles. The differences tend to be:
- WW paddles tend to be shorter - they must be wielded in tight, shallow or hectic situations.
- WW paddles tend to have stiffer shafts - the stiffness directly contributes to applied power.
- WW paddlers tend to prefer one-piece paddles, while sea kayakers often prefer a take-apart
- WW paddle blades are usually bigger in size with a bit less assymmetry. This due to the requirement for a lot of power in the stroke and a high-angle stroke.
- Feather angles are little different between WW and sea kayaking. Every paddler has their preference. However, changes to smaller feather angles happened in WW before being seen among sea kayakers.
- WW paddles focus on strength rather than lightness.
