The Savvy Paddler

Book excerpt: A very practical guide, this book is written for the technically-minded person who enjoys learning and seeks a full understanding of kayak and paddle design as well as safe paddling. It offers great detail and a thorough set of rules, recommendations, suggestions, and tips covering all aspects recreational kayaking, including: The details of recreational kayak and paddle design. Choosing the kayak, paddle, PFD, clothing, and other gear. Rules all recreational kayakers must live by on lakes and rivers. Kayak paddling basics. Handling river dynamics and obstacles. Myriad recommendations for day-trip paddling on recreational water -- such as rivers through Class II, sheltered bays and lakes, flatwater, and close to shore on very calm, exposed water. Responsibilities for the leaders and each member of a river trip. Shuttling vehicles, people, and equipment before and after a trip. Carrying, transporting, maintaining, and storing your kayak. An extensive glossary of common kayaking and paddling terms. Intended for those paddling single-person recreational kayaks during day trips on recreational water, this book is for those new to kayaking as well as very helpful to experienced paddlers and therefore recommended for all recreational kayakers. Note that this book is not a step-by-step, how-to-kayak manual -- it is not intended to be. Nor does it come filled with glossy photographs. There are other books out there that do those things quite well. But this book does provide a good deal of instructional detail, complementing and supplementing other guides, filling in much additional detail and providing further very practical tips and recommendations. This book also incorporates some of the basic skills and knowledge from whitewater and sea kayaking as it applies to recreational kayaking. I believe you will find this book very helpful as it offers the essentials to protect yourself and those with you against the most common issues, providing solid, reliable recommendations, making your whole kayaking experience much safer and more enjoyable. You'll become quite the savvy paddler!