Cross Bow Draw and Rudder
With the kayak in a static position, the cross bow draw is a powerful stroke for pulling the bow upwind.
With practice, you'll also find it turns a kayak quickly and in place. So, it's a good stroke in tight quarters.
When the kayak is moving, the cross bow rudder moves the front end of the boat powerfully away from potential impacts.
These strokes work best with kayaks with a developed front rocker.
However, the video starts with me using the stroke to turn my kayak, a Stellar S18R, away from the rocks you see in the video's thumbnail below.
Cross Bow Draw:
Reach across your deck with the opposite blade, keep your elbows low to the water, tucking the rear elbow low into your lower back as you twist around.
Reach out with the blade as far as you can, give a deep strong draw straight back toward your kayak, at the same time edge your kayak away from the draw,
as this allows the opposite side of your hull to 'ski' across the water,
as you finish the draw, spoon up so as not to draw under your kayak which could result in an upset, if not a capsize.
Cross Bow Rudder:
To perform a low, powerful, cross bow rudder, reach the paddle across the kayak to the opposite side and place it parallel to the kayak as far out as you can reach at the same time edging the kayak away from the blade.
Keep the rear hand about shoulder high tucking the rear elbow low into your lower back.
Slowly open the blade away from the kayak feeling the blades increased bite as you do so. Do this slowly and in control because it is at this point you risk capsizing.
As you slow during this turn, you can increase the angle on the blade and let the paddle move further away from the hull.
When the kayak has turned about as much as it can with this rudder, you can continue turning by performing a cross bow draw or cross back over the deck and do a forward sweep and or stern draw.
