Whitewater Kayak Paddle Game

Kaykaying is great water sport, and it becomes thrilling and adventurous when you paddle your kayak on moving waters, typically over a whitewater river or stream.

Whitewater kaykaying can be casual and safe if the speed of the moving water is not much, and the current is quite gentle. But in a situation where the whitewater is flowing at severe speeds, it becomes a thriller sport to venture over such challenging waters.

Whitewater kaykaying can be categorized into 5 types:

RIVER RUNNING

This is like a breezy trip down a beautiful river, with the aim of enjoying the scenic beauty alongwith the thrill of experiencing moving whitewaters.

CREEKING

This is a more difficult tour down the river, involving strong rapids, slides and waterfalls along its way.

SLALOM

This is a competitive version of the kaykaying sport, and a great whitewater event that is also included in the Olympics. The participants in this race are expected to go from top to bottom of the prescribed region of the river at the fastest possible speed, while passing through the gates that have been set up on the course.

PLAY-BOATING

It is more of a visual performance sport, and involves artistic skills of the participants. The players negotiate their way against the powerful currents and perform a number of interesting stunts and maneuvers, including surfing and spinning.

SQUIRT BOATING

This is also a performance sport, where the participants try to submerge their boat, including themselves, completely beneath raging waters, and then turn up several seconds later on the surface.

TECHNIQUES OF WHITEWATER KAYKAYING

There are several skills and techniques that the paddlers use for kaykaying. Some of the common ones are as follows:

1. Paddle Strokes: As the name suggests, a range of paddle strokes are used to maneuver the canoe in different directions.
2. Rolling: With this technique, the paddler whose canoe has been turned upside down in the water, is able to recover quickly to upright position.
3. Boofing: It is a classic skill of raising the bow of the boat during a free-fall or running down a strong current or waterfall. With this skill the paddler avoids the otherwise sure submerging of boat under the pressure of water.

Whitewater kaykaying requires certain special gear and equipment, apart from the basic boat and paddle. A buoyancy device, a personal floatation equipment, a helmet, and a spray-deck are critical part of the paddler’s gear. Additionally, a rope throw-bag, a knife and a safety whistle are also considered equally important.

Furthermore, the paddler must be dressed carefully to sustain the water temperature and pressure. The basic dress could be a wet-suit or a dry-suit.

Lastly, but importantly, the ‘kayak’ itself must be fitted with enough floatation power so as to make the possibility of pinning less likely, and at the same time enabling its quick recovery on its own.