RIVER RUNNER - PADDELING WITHOUT A SKEG **TIPS**

[John Blaze]

Hello everyone! I am so glad to finally find a "KAYAK" newsgroup.

I bought an old dilapitated Kayak from the side of the road at a garage sale
for $5!!!!

It was fiberglass and had some weak spots in it. I got some canadian tire
long strand fiberglass and patched, sanded and painted it!

I got into it and it was the tippiest kayak I'd ever been in! (I'm used to
short fat white water kayaks)

This thing is 15 ft long, narrow and very flat. I got a second hand paddle
for $20 (it was a rental that breaks in half) So now I am really excited!
i got it finished inthe fall of last year and went out in it twice.

THE KAYAK DOESN"T HAVE A KEG and ALWAYS tries to track / swap ends! Never
stays in a straight line.

UNTIL I FIGURED IT OUT!!!!

Now hopefully I can explain how to paddle a skegless hard to keep straight
kayak with relative ease!

Paddle as you would normally, but during the last part of your paddle you'll
want to OVER EXTEND your stoke.

Lets make the areas around the kayak being 1 2 3 4.

1= front left
2=back left
3=front right
4=back right

So that if you are paddling on the LEFT hand side you would paddle going
into region 1, then region 2, then over-extend your last part of the stroke
so that the paddle ends up behind you and feels like it's going into region
4.

This is like over correcting your stroke. I guess its a 'J' stroke for a
kayak.

I am looking for ideas for a skeg so that I don't have to work to keep it in
a straight line.

But I must say that once you get going, and you keep the 'J' stroke going it
stays inline with relative ease.

I hope this helps some of you out there, it took me up till the last time
out to figure it out.

Keep Paddel'in!!!

RV

[DEWD]

THANKS!
I have a RiverRunner 5, which has a skeg that comes off too easily when I
bump a rock or something.
I appreciate the tip....I know they sell spare skegs for my kayak, perhaps
one would fit yours?
Sure sounds like you got a steal though...have fun.
"John Blaze" <john....@eudoramail.com> wrote in message
news:SLPE8.345$H67....@tor-nn1.netcom.ca...

[John Blaze]

I have found only one place that sells one type of skeg. It won't really
fit. Can you give me a lead on where I can find one?

Thnx.

BTW Live in caldon, cottage in the muskokas. Huntsville area.

"DEWD" <de...@gone.com> wrote in message
news:t8UE8.16291$t2.24...@news20.bellglobal.com...

[doug thomas]

We purchased an R-5 new recently from Off Road Sports ;who are not far from
you.

I will have to try your idea for skeg less paddling

Their Web site is www.starpages.com/offroadsports

"John Blaze" <john....@eudoramail.com> wrote in message
news:SLPE8.345$H67....@tor-nn1.netcom.ca...

[DEWD]

I've seen them at NorthBay Canoe
http://www.nbcanoe.com/
last year, I'm sure they would still have some, but better yet, look for a
canoe/kayak shop close to home that sell the RiverRunners by Dimension.

"John Blaze" <john....@eudoramail.com> wrote in message

news:QkUE8.385$H67....@tor-nn1.netcom.ca...

[Glenn Ward]

Swift Canoe sells R5 kayaks. You should be able to get a skeg from
them.

--
Glenn Ward
gwa...@NOSPAMrogers.com

[William R. Watt]

I have two short open plywood boats I can paddle with a double bladed
paddle. The best directional stability is when the paddle blade enters the
water as far forward as possilbe. This is like a swimmer pulling himself
through the water. If the blade enters the water farther back it is
pushing the boat through the water and gets less directional stability.

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