New Edging Course

Edging is a fundamental skill for Sea Kayakers.  It is a skill that is part of nearly every stroke or manoeuvre.  This course looks at detail at the different aspects of edging a sea kayak.  There are a few reasons why we might edge a sea kayak.

1. To shorten the waterline length of the kayak.

By putting the kayak on its edge you shorten the length of the kayak that is in the water.  A shorter kayak is easier to manoeuvre and so if you are trying to turn the kayak on the spot it will spin a lot quicker when it is on its edge.  It can be as much as twice as efficient.

2. Change the shape of the hull in the water.

If you edge a sea kayak the footprint of the kayak changes from being symmetrical to being asymmetrical.  this change in the hull shape makes the kayak turn away from the side it is edged efficiently. So if you are paddling forwards and want to use the hull dynamics of a displacement hull to your advantage you can edge away from the direction you want to turn and the sea kayak will glide around the turn.

3. to allow water to flow under the hull.

When you start to paddle in dynamic environments like the surf or tide races you will need to lift the edge of the kayak so that the incoming water does not build up pressure on the side of your kayak and instead allows the water to flow under your hull.  If you don't put this edge onto the kayak the water will let you know you have done it wrong and give you an aggressive power flip!

If you want to find out more and have good clear visual explanations to these take a look at the video and subscribe to access the full course.