The best places to launch or land a kayak are the beaches or other coastlines. Thus, it is extremely important for you to master how to launch and land a kayak. This skill will allow you to ride your kayak out into the water and step into it while floating.
If you are tandem paddling, one person should stabilize the canoe in the center while the other person enters or leaves. Make sure that when you enter or exit, you keep your center of gravity as low as possible.
Sometimes you will not only be able to get in the canoe, but you will have to walk its length. The trick to doing this is to keep your feet over the centerline of the canoe and hold your paddle over the tunnels as a support for balance. Staying down, you will then go forward and slide your paddles until you can sit down or go outside and hang along the gunnels.
Launching and landing
How to launch and land a kayak are essential skills any kayaking enthusiast has to master. There are two types of launch/field techniques used for kayaks and we will cover them here. Whatever technique you use, it is a good idea to follow these basic tips:
- Pack all your gear in a kayak before putting it in the water.
- Check your equipment to make sure you have everything before you enter the water.
- Try to get in and out of the kayak on the field first. You will get used to the way you have to handle your body and feel the necessary balance.
- Keep your paddle close to where your arms can reach on or near the kayak you are using.
The two types of launch/field techniques are:
- Shoreline launches
- Dock launches
Shoreline launches
Shoreline launches are when you find a place along a beach/shore where you can rest your kayak in shallow water. The idea is to ride the boat and, once inside, push yourself into the water. This technique is the easiest and requires the least amount of practice or skill. However, it is not always practical, as there can be a lot of places you want to kayak that do not have an accessible shore. Use the following steps to launch smoothly from a shoreline:
- Transport the boat to the point of entry and place it in shallow water. The bow should be oriented forward, away from the shore and the stern should be close to the shore (but completely afloat).
- Place your paddle perpendicular, across the kayak and behind the cabin. This will keep your palette accessible and help stabilize your kayak.
- Grab the cockpit and sit in the cockpit seat, then lift your legs and slide your legs into the cockpit.
- Grab your paddle and use it to move your kayak on the entrance waves.
Launching on the dock
As you can probably guess, the launches on the dock are when you get into a kayak from a dock. This involves completely placing the kayak in the water and maneuvering the kayak from a position above it on a dock. Though it is a bit more complicated, with practice, it will become easy. Use the following steps to launch from a dock:
- Transport the kayak to the dock and place it in the water, parallel to the dock.
- Set the paddle down on the dock next to you, within reach of the cabin arm.
- You can either use a rope to tie your kayak to the dock or use one of your legs to hold the kayak close to the dock.
- While sitting on the dock, turn your body towards the kayak cabin and place both legs in
- Hold your hands on the dock for support, move your bottom into the cabin, simultaneously sliding your legs forward into the kayak.
Shore choice
Make it easier on yourself by choosing the best place you can launch your kayak. Look for a place where the waves seem smaller and find a gentler slope instead of a steep drop-off, with sand rather than rocks. Alternatively, look for a place where you can kayak straight from a dock or a cliff.
Float your kayak in shallow water
Floating the kayak before entering it will help you save the hull from damage. Stand up, hold the deck with both hands behind you, at the back of the cabin, focus and stop the kayak from floating away, then carefully lower yourself into the chair. Bring your feet in the kayak last. You may need to do this one leg after the other.
Watch the waves
Always keep an eye on what the water is doing as you enter it. Point your kayak directly into the upcoming waves and wait a few moments for the calmest moment between the groups of waves.
From a low dock or a safe rock
Float your kayak next to a low dock or a large, safe rock. Think or sit next to the kayak on the dock or on the rock facing the bow and place one foot in the cockpit in front of the seat. Hold the back of the cockpit at the midpoint with one hand and squeeze the kayak on the dock, using your hand and foot. Now move your second leg in the kayak, in front of or next to the other. Push the dock with your other hand to lift the bottom of the dock to the top of the chair.
More so, for optimal balance, position your weight above the chair before sitting. To hold your kayak close to the dock, gently move away from the dock and pull with the hand holding the dock so that your hips rise toward your hand.
When you should not use the paddle
One of the easiest ways to damage a paddle is to use it to help you get into the kayak. You risk scratching the blade on the rocks, squeezing the shaft by putting too much of your weight in the wrong place, and compressing the shaft by sitting on it. Once you have learned to get in and out of the kayak without problems and without using your paddle, you will have fewer chances of misplacing your weight when you need to use it.
Landing
Choose your landing site carefully and watch for waves that could complicate your exit. Raise your legs on the deck, tighten the cabin or deck behind you with both hands, and push down to lift your bottom. As your bottom lifts you, push your feet down into the water until they reach the bottom and launch yourself carefully upwards by using your weight. This will help prevent the kayak from slipping back and sitting you back in your chair. Hold on to the kayak as you squeeze your legs into one side of the kayak. This will help you balance and keep your kayak from floating. If the beach is steep, turn the kayak along the shore into shallow water.
Balance and timing
There are many ways to launch and land, but they all depend on balance and timing. Experiment! You can mimic a lot of movements at home or in your yard by moving the weight from a box into and out of the kayak. Practice the same movements over and over, every time you are practicing how launching and landing a kayak works. they become the easiest part of your day. You need to understand it if you want to stay dry.
