Whitewater Kayaking Basics: Eddy Turns, Peel Outs and S-Turns
Once you know what eddies look like it’s time to learn how to get in and out of them. Eddy turns and peel outs are the foundation of good river running technique so the more precise you can be the better. If it feels effortless then you’re probably doing it right.
There are five key words to remember when you want to perform a precise and effortless eddy turn: Angle, edge, vision, position and speed. They are the same key words used for the ferry. You’ve already done the tough part: learning how to cross the current while maintaining your angle, now we’re going to apply some of the same principles to getting in and out of eddies.
The first step is to learn how to recognize the eddy line. That’s the line that separates the eddy from the current where the current flowing upstream meets the current flowing downstream. It gets easier the more you study them and the more you practice ferrying and entering and peeling out of eddies.
A peel out is the term used for exiting an eddy. You’ve already learned the first part of the peel out in the ferry. Instead of maintaining your angle you’ll allow the water to turn your bow downstream. You do want to get out into the current a few strokes before letting the current turn your boat so that you have more stability and control. You can do this by taking one or two good strokes on your downstream side as you cross the eddy line.
We’re going to add one more key word: Position. Position means peeling out of the eddy at the top, where the current is strongest. This will help you remain stable and will give you more time once you’re out in the current to make your move. This is especially true as you progress and start running hard rapids.
The peel out should feel like an effortless carving turn because the water is doing most of the work.
To enter an eddy you need to start your move early, before you actually get to the eddy. This is because the current is moving and if you wait until you’re right beside the eddy it’s too late. The first thing you want to focus on is your vision. When you’re learning these basics the sooner you can identify the eddy you want to catch the better. The idea is that you don’t have to change your angle once you start moving toward the eddy. Keep your eyes on the eddy, get your angle and paddle into the eddy turn.
The angle at which you’re approaching the eddy is the same as the ferry angle, about 45 degrees. Or if we use our clock analogy, you would enter with an 8:30 angle going from left to right and 4:30 going from right to left.
This is what position refers to. You want to enter the eddy as high as possible because that’s where the eddy is the most defined and where you’ll get the smoothest carving turn. If you enter low in the eddy you may actually miss it and get swept downstream. This isn’t such a big deal for big, easy eddies, but once you start pushing your skills and running harder rapids with smaller eddies, missing and eddy could mean you end up going down a part of the rapid you don’t want to.
When performing an eddy turn you’re going to lift your downstream edge. This is opposite of the peel our and ferry because the water inside the eddy is flowing upstream. In both the peel out and the eddy turn you want to edge your kayak as your shins are crossing the eddy line. You’ll edge your kayak and the water flowing upstream in the eddy will turn your kayak.
In the beginning you don’t need to do anything with your paddle. Just hold it up and get the feel for what your edges and angle are doing. Until you feel comfortable with the bow draw you shouldn’t be planting your paddle in the eddy turn at all. If you plant your paddle too early you’ll come to rely on your paddle to turn you instead of letting the edges do the work. When you rely too much on your paddle the important skills like edge control suffer.
As you progress as an intermediate paddler and you get comfortable with the bow draw you can start using the stroke to assist you in entering and exiting eddies. Remember that it’s an active blade, not a plant. Engage the bow draw as your kayak crosses the eddy line. This is where that exercise of turning your bow draw into a forward stroke comes in handy. Using the bow draw adds precision and momentum when done properly.
Working on precise and effortless ferries and eddy turns and peel outs are the foundation for your river running technique. The better your foundation the easier your progressions will be.
The next progression will be to catch and peel out of eddies backwards. This is an important drill for intermediate paddlers. If you practice you’ll improve your boat control, edging and balance and it’ll deepen your understanding of the currents.
S-Turn
A great exercise for refining your eddy turns, ferries and peel outs is to practice S-turns. Find a wave train that has two eddies on either side, one positioned higher than the other. By practicing peeling out of the higher eddy and doing an eddy turn into the bottom eddy you’ll be improving your vision, angle and anticipation skills. Then you can ferry back over to the beginning eddy and start all over.
When practicing S-turns remember that you don’t want to let your boat turn downstream after the peel out. You’ll want to look early and angle your boat into the other eddy almost immediately. Also, depending on the width of the current, you may have to ferry out into the current to get into the right position to catch the bottom eddy high. It’s great precision practice! If you get bored then turn around and do it backwards, especially those of you who are intermediate paddlers!
About the author
Anna Levesque was the 2001 Freestyle Kayaking World Championship Bronze Medalist and is a motivational keynote speaker. Her company Girls At Play, LLC offers kayaking retreats, trips and classes for women.Tags: kayaking classes for women, kayaking for women, white water kayaking, white water kayaking for women