Kayaking Essentials
by Bob BeazleyNonfiction
Finished 6/3/07
Rating: 2.5/5 (Fair)
Publisher's Blurb:
You've thought about learning to kayak, but you don't want to spin and zigzag wildly down the river. Or you have a boat, but were so mortified by the number of swims you took the first time out, you swore you'd never paddle again. Well, grab Bob Beazley's Kayaking Essentials and learn about the skills needed for this exciting and rewarding sport.
Like any sport, it is important to acquire the correct skills as you go. With this book, you will learn about proper strokes, catching eddies, peeling out, river safety, necessary gear and more. Kayaking Essentials describes what you need to know to begin paddling like an expert.
This Nuts 'N' Bolts Guide is a fairly basic (and simplistic) handbook about kayaking. I gleaned a few new tips about the fundamentals of the five basic strokes, but the main focus is on river kayaking with techniques such as "Ferrying" and "Catching Eddies," as well as information on "Holes and Hydraulics" and "Momentum Conversion." I'm fairly certain I won't need to know much about any of this material out on a calm lake. However, I'll hang on to the book in case I ever get the courage to hit the white water. Yes, Mom and Rod, I promise to take lessons first! :)
We took kayaking lessons in Maine and it was very fun. I was stunned at how fast our wet clothing dried out; dry air is such a novelty. :)
ReplyDeletei should pick this up, as we have a river RIGHT ACROSS THE STREET from my house, and the one time I took my canoe down I got horribly stuck on a massive rock going against the current and all that. It was so embarrassing. When I tried kayaks in the North woods, I liked them because they were so light, and you can go in such shallow water! Do you have an recommendations for what kind if kayak I should buy?
ReplyDeleteBookfool - Were you on a lake or river? I'll bet it was gorgeous!
ReplyDeleteBellezza - How awesome to live so close to a river! I would be more than happy to send this book off to you, if you like. I suspect it will be a long while before I ever need it. Plus, I have two more kayaking books to read through and they might touch on the same material.
Gosh, I'm not sure how to go about recommending a kayak since I'm so new to the sport. I simply walked into Sheels (a sporting goods store) and talked to the sale clerk. I knew I wanted something light enough to pick up myself. I would suggest going to some of the larger sporting goods stores and just take a look and see what they have, talk to the sale people, sit in a few, pick up a few, and just trust your instincts. Sorry I can't be more helpful!
Nope, that's helpful. It's exactly what I would do, find something that I could carry, and also that the roof of my car could carry! I'm going to go with my instincts if I ever buy one. Right now we're remodeling our kitchen, to begin July 9, and guess what? No more money!
ReplyDeleteGood luck with your kitchen remodel! I want to have ours done, too, but not for a few more years. I dread the project, but know I'll be happy with the end-results.
ReplyDeleteSomeday I am going to take kayaking lessons and buy a kayak, until then I will have to live vicariously through you, Les! :)
ReplyDeleteLotus - I was saying the same thing for years and finally just decided to go for it! I'm so glad I did. It's been great fun. This whole summer has felt like a holiday.
ReplyDelete