Kayaking might look simple from a distance, but often beginner kayakers have to learn the hard way about the mistakes that can be made. Done right, kayaking can be invigorating and even adventurous. However, with a few mistakes, it can easily turn into more of a pain or hassle than it should be. When learning to kayak, here are a few mistakes that you should avoid.
Paddling From the Arms
It’s an easy misconception that when paddling a kayak, you should paddle from the arms. After all, from a distance, it’s the arms that you see moving. It’s also an easy way to become exhausted, even over calm waters. Paddling a kayak requires core strength and endurance. If you’re pushing with your arms, they’ll soon become weary with the rotation. Instead, focus on the torso. This is where your paddle stroke should originate. Not only will this alleviate some of the stress on your arms, but it will help you to tone your torso the more you paddle.
Locking Your Torso
On the other hand, some new kayakers will sit with their torso tight and taut in an attempt to paddle from their core. This makes them feel as if they’re pulling strength from their torso and more in control of their paddle stroke. In actuality, the unnecessary tension limits your paddling. Instead, relax your torso so that it can be more flexible and move with you as you paddle.
Failing to Hydrate
And because a paddle stroke can be an intensive workout, you’ll become dehydrated sooner than you might expect. The bright sun and hot temperatures in the 30A area can also hasten along dehydration. There’s little worse than paddling some distance out into the water, only to realize that you’re parched and you didn’t bring along anything to drink. But this is a trap that beginner kayakers fall into all to often. Make sure to pack a bottle of water, or two to be safe, and don’t put it off. As soon as you feel thirsty, take a drink.
Choosing the Wrong Boat
Some beginner kayakers feel that the slimmer the kayak the better. That’s not necessarily true. In fact, sometimes a wider kayak is the safer option. Others might choose the cheapest option, but that often means cheap materials, materials that will fail you when you get further into the water. Make sure your kayak is the right fit for you, that it’s a quality make as well as safe and reliable.
Fortunately, that’s one thing you don’t have to worry about at The Rental Shop in 30A. We choose kayaks that don’t just look good, they’re made with quality, hardy plastic. We buy new kayaks regularly to make sure ours are up to date. We also choose universal models, from single seaters to double and even triple seat kayaks, that are user friendly enough for beginner kayakers to learn. And of course, we offer free delivery anywhere within the beach towns of 30A. Call us today at (850) 260-0001 to rent your own kayak and get out there — in a prepared way.