Jim Moy

Today and this past Monday, hardly anyone at Boyd Lake at lunch time! Clear blue skies, the closest clouds were over the mountains, a very slight breeze to put some ripples on the water, and mid-80’s temperature so I only the occasional splash kept me comfortably paddling.

I realized today that I can “steer” my kayak by very slightly leaning away from the direction I want to turn. It’s a bit tricky, keeping up a paddling rhythm while doing this, and not tipping so much as to pour water into the cockpit, but it’s very effective. The tilt apparently lifts on side of the boat’s “curve” out of the water so the other one is what is cutting through. Normally both sides offset each other, but with one slightly out of the water, the remaining one steers the boat. This is good because it lets me keep my speed up, as opposed to ruddering with the paddle which slows down.