Join Moulton Avery at beautiful Lake Merwin and learn Sculling and Bow Rudders.
NOTE: More experienced paddlers should skip this class so that novices can participate. Preferred students are those with less than 2 years of experience who have not taken more than 1 class on Sculling or Bow Rudders. We have 5 spaces available. If they aren't filled by July 10th, anyone is welcome to sign up.
Immersion Gear:
Although the water temperature is estimated to be 75+, we will be standing waist-deep in the water for up to 20 minutes, so if you tend to get cold, you should consider bringing cold water gear for that portion of the class.
Sculling
Sculling is all about blade control, and learning to scull will also help you improve many strokes - like draws, sweeps, bow and stern rudders - in which a variable blade angle is useful.
Sculling is a very flexible stroke technique. It provides excellent stationary support, it can move the kayak sideways, and can also help you recover from a failed brace or roll. Unlike a draw stroke, sculling provides continuous support – a significant advantage, particularly in rough water. It is also the preferred technique for disengaging yourself from a multi-kayak raft-up.
We'll begin our sculling instruction standing in waist-deep water so that you can dial in an effective climbing angle for your blade and gain confidence in the support that it provides. Once you get the hang of it, we'll transition to our kayaks.
Bow Rudders
The bow rudder is a very powerful turning stroke that's faster than a stern rudder and more precise than a sweep, and it's also a great stroke for maneuvering in confined spaces. When you want to crank the bow to port or starboard with speed and precision, the bow rudder is your best friend.
Sprayskirts aren’t required. Either Euro or Stick paddles are fine. There is a parking fee at Vancouver Lake Regional Park. Bathrooms available.
Location: Lake Merwin - Speelyai Park. Cowlitz County, Washington
Coordinates: 45.981881, -122.419391
Directions: From Interstate 5. Take the Woodland Exit and go east on 503 for approximately 20 miles. Take a right at the sign for Speelyai and proceed to the parking lot near the boat ramp.
Be ready to launch at 10am.
Schedule: 3.5 HOURS
Sculling 2
Break .5
Bow Rudders 1
