My Account
By James Fitness, Canoe & Kayak
Kayaks are a popular Christmas gift, especially on the Hibiscus Coast where the sea is around every corner.
There is a perception that paddling is easy – surely anyone can do it? Yet, how often have you heard news reports about missing kayakers, or kayaks found with no trace of the paddler?
There is a misconception that kayaking needs no instruction because if you fall off, you just jump back on, but have you tried this? It’s harder than you think. If you are young and nimble, you may be okay, but for anyone else it takes a bit more effort.
It is said that getting back on a kayak is equivalent to doing a pull up. If you don’t get back on the first try, how many more attempts are you capable of?
Also, when paddling, if you have a good technique, you’ll get to where you are going quicker and with less effort.
That is why every gift of a kayak should come with a course of instruction. You can look on YouTube of course, but it is not the same as actually getting out on the water. By doing a beginners’ course, you will learn to get back on your kayak, assist others back on to their kayak, loads of different paddle techniques, beach launching and landing, steering with your paddle and rudder, risk management, the right clothing and equipment, transporting kayaks and simple tow systems.
Instead of the kayak ending up in the shed unused because you are not confident using it, having done a course, you may find you enjoy it so much you’ll take it up as a pastime and join a club like the Yakity Yak Kayak Club (yakityyak.co.nz).
Let’s take the pressure off the rescue services, learn to kayak, be aware of the risks and how to manage them, and in doing so have a lot of fun – setting yourself up for a new sporting interest.
Info: www.canoeandkayak.co.nz/courses/
