The Complete Beginner’s Guide to Multisport Kayaking for Coast to Coast
Book your Grade 2 Certificate Course with me here
If you’re training for the Kathmandu Coast to Coast but you’re new to kayaking, this guide will save you a lot of time, money, and frustration.
I’m going to walk you through everything need to get started properly: choosing the right kayak, setting up your cockpit and rudder, dialling in your paddle length and feather angle, how to safely capsize and recover, and the key drills that build the balance and control you’ll need for grade 2 river paddling.
If your goal is to feel confident, well-prepared, and ready for race day, start here.
Buying a Kayak
The sooner you have your own kayak, the sooner you can build:
- Confidence and balance
- Correct technique
- Specific paddling fitness
- Familiarity with steering, edging, and boat control
Prioritise Stability Over Speed
If you’re buying your first multisport kayak, prioritise stability over speed.
I regularly see people turn up to courses with a kayak they bought because it was:
- Cheap
- Available second-hand
- Felt fine on flat water
...but then they struggle when they take that same boat into moving water, especially when it’s time to paddle the Waimakariri Gorge.
Multisport kayaks generally fall into three broad categories:
- Stable
- Intermediate
- Elite
When you first earn your grade 2 kayak certificate, you’ll most likely be certified to race in a stable category kayak.
The 3 Most Beginner-friendly Stable Kayaks I Recommend
If you’re new, nervous, or simply want the most forgiving start possible, you can’t go wrong with these:
- Barracuda Beachcomber (roughly 70-100kg paddlers)
- Barracuda Enigma (under ~70kg paddlers)
- Ruahine Whio (over ~100kg paddlers)
These boats are stable, predictable, and help you focus on learning skills instead of constantly falling out of your boat.
“Faster” Novice Boat Options
If you’re aiming to be more competitive and you’re committed to regular skills practice, some faster novice kayak options include:
- JKK Eclipse 5.7 (roughly 70-90kg paddlers)
- Flow Aspire (roughly 70-90kg paddlers)
- Ruahinue Shadow (roughly 70-90kg paddlers)
- JKK Eclipse (5.2) (under ~70kg paddlers)
But be warned: I’ve coached plenty of paddlers who buy one of these early, then realise it isn’t forgiving enough when it’s time to hit moving water.
So if you go down this route, keep an open mind and be willing to step back into a more stable kayak if you need to.
Book Your Grade 2 Certificate
If you don’t have your grade 2 certificate yet, book a course sooner rather than later.
With Canterbury Kayaking, you don’t need previous kayaking experience:
- we provide a kayak and paddle for the full course at no extra cost
- and if you don’t pass your Grade 2 assessment in 4 days, your next course is free
Setting Up Your Foot Pedals and Rudder Properly
When you’re sitting in your kayak:
- Your feet should rest on the pedals
- Your knees should be bent
- You should be able to brace with your knees while still steering with your feet
Your knee position matters, because it’s what allows you to edge your kayak (a critical river skill).
Adjusting Barracuda Pedals
Barracuda systems are designed so the rudder cables stay tensioned when you move the pedals. If the steering becomes uneven or cables go slack, you can manually retension by adjusting the lines at the knots. Do this with the rudder up and straight, and don’t overtighten.
Adjusting Flow or JKK Pedals
On a Flow Aspire, you’ll move the pedals using the lever system, then retension the rudder cables manually using the adjustment strap. Do this with the rudder sitting straight on the ground. A quick rule of thumb:
- Pedal flaps angled toward the seat = too tight
- Pedal flaps angled away = too loose
- Pedal flaps vertical = about right
Add Hip Pads
If there’s space between your hips and the seat, you’ll have less control, especially when leaning the kayak over.
For many Barracudas and the Ruahine Whio, Rasdex Hip Pad Kit works really well, because you can adjust the foam thickness.
For boats like the Flow Aspire or JKK Eclipse, those pads are usually too big. Instead:
- cut your own pads from closed-cell camping foam
- make the top thicker than the bottom
- tape them in place securely
When installed correctly, your hips should feel snug and connected without being uncomfortable.
Set Up Your Paddle Correctly (Length + Feather Angle)
To follow the advice below, you really need:
- an adjustable shaft wing paddle
- small or extra-small blades
I recommend a Gara Odin Wing Paddle
Paddle length
Use a height-based sizing chart as a starting point, then adjust as needed
| Height (cm) | Paddle Length (cm) |
|---|---|
| 142 – 157 cm | 200 – 210 cm |
| 157 – 172 cm | 200 – 210 cm or 205 – 215 cm |
| 172 – 183 cm | 205 – 215 cm |
| 183 – 190 cm | 205 – 215 cm or 210 – 220 cm |
| 190 cm + | 210 – 220 cm |
For reference, I’m 184cm tall and use a Gara Odin (small blades) set to 212cm.
- shorter than me? = slightly shorter paddle
- taller than me? = slightly longer paddle
Feather Angle
A good starting range for most paddlers is 45° to 60°.
Then experiment until it feels natural and comfortable.
PFD (Lifejacket)
No matter where you paddle or how confident you are in the water, wear a PFD every time.
If your PFD has a zip, remember the bottom buckle below the zip - that’s what stops the PFD riding up or coming off during a swim.
Tighten the straps properly, and if it’s hard to do yourself, ask someone nearby to help.
Bring Emergency Communication
If you’re within cell coverage:
- take a phone in a waterproof case
- tether it to your PFD
Getting In and Out of Your Kayak
To get in:
- place the kayak in the water side-on to shore
- ensure there’s no weight on the rudder
- use your paddle as a support behind the seat (blade on the ground, power face down)
- hold paddle + cockpit rim together and step in carefully
Getting out is just the reverse.
Spray Skirt Safety (Important)
If you’re using a skirt:
- fit it on starting from the back
- make sure the release tag stays outside the cockpit
Before you progress further, practise a wet exit until it’s comfortable and automatic.
My recommended progression:
- capsize holding the tag first
- then capsize with hands on paddle and find the tag upside down
- build comfort by counting to 10 before exiting
What To Do After a Capsize
Once you exit:
- hold onto your paddle
- flip the kayak upright quickly
- move to the front of the boat
- hold paddle + front handle in one hand (free arm to swim)
- get to shore
To empty the kayak:
- lift the nose and flip upside down
- flip upright and push the nose down to bring water to the front
- lift the nose and flip upside down again
- repeat as needed
- finish with a sponge (car wash sponges work well)
Forward Stroke Basics
With a wing paddle, the blade is a wing and when it’s set correctly, it generates lift and glides through the water efficiently.
The Correct Blade Angle
- start with the power face pointing directly backwards (“square”)
- then close the angle slightly so the power face points in toward the kayak a little
- when you pull, it should feel like the blade wants to glide away from the kayak
This takes time to develop, but it’s a game-changer for efficiency and stability.
Learn to Feather Properly
Because your blades are offset, you need to feather between strokes:
- keep your right hand gripping
- let your left hand relax and regrip
- allow the shaft to rotate through the left hand each stroke
This is the opposite for a left-handed paddle.
The Catch
- reach forward without losing upright posture
- plant your paddle close to the kayak
- get as much blade into the water as possible before pulling
Use Torso Rotation (Not Arms)
Your torso is the engine that drives power in the stroke. Your arms just hold the paddle in place while your body rotation drives the kayak forward.
Your PFD should move side to side as you rotate.
Shaft Angle Cue
The angle of your paddle shaft should remain consistent at around 45 degrees (when viewed from the front) during the entire stoke.
Most beginners bend their arms too much.
Aim for this during the entite time the blade is in the water:
- lower pulling arm fairly straight
- top pushing arm slightly bent
If that’s too much to think about, try to keep your pushing hand at eye level through the whole stroke - even at the end of the stroke.
Two Modes: Scientist + Athlete
To improve fastest, I suggest you train in two distinct modes:
1) Scientist mode
Low to moderate effort. Focus on technique and endurance.
2) Athlete mode
Short sprints. Don’t overthink it - just go hard.
Learning to sprint in a coordinated, balanced way is hugely important for grade 2 river control later.
Balance and Edging Drills
The “Wiggling” Drill
Brace your knees and rock the kayak side to side while keeping:
- paddle
- shoulders
- head
...as still as possible in space.
A lot of novices try to stop the kayak from rocking on the river, but the real goal is to keep your centre of mass over the boat while the kayak moves underneath you.
This builds the body reaction you need to feel “bulletproof” in moving water.
Holding an Edge (Railing)
You need to learn to hold your boat on edge for:
- eddy lines
- seam lines
- convergences
- boils
To create a stable edge:
- shift weight into the back corner of the seat
- brace the opposite knee up under the cockpit rim
- keep shoulders level and engage core
- look at the horizon to stabilise your balance
Once you can hold an edge:
- paddle straight while edged
- practise switching edges smoothly without breaking rhythm
Carve Turns
Carve turns are one of the most important river skills.
As you paddle:
- apply gentle rudder
- edge into the turn
It should feel like carving skis or a bike/plane banking.
We use this constantly on the river: entering/exiting eddies, and managing boily bluff corners in the Waimakariri Gorge.
The Gliding Low Brace
Some river scenarios involve a strong current slamming into the side of your kayak while you’re edged.
That’s where the gliding low brace can save you from capsizing.
Practise it first in a straight line:
- paddle extended wide
- back face of blade gliding flat on the surface
- blade slightly behind your seat
Then use it during carve turns as a “safety net” so you can edge confidently without fear of overdoing it.
Bilge Steering
In shallow braids and rock gardens, you sometimes need quicker turning.
Bilge steering helps the stern swing faster by lifting the edge on the inside of the turn (opposite to the carve turn edge). It’s harder to learn, and it takes time - but it’s worth practising regularly.
You Don’t Need to Master This Before You Join a Course
If all of that feels like a lot, that’s normal. Kayaking gets technical quickly, and we haven’t even covered the on-river skills here.
But remember...
You don’t need any previous kayaking experience to join Canterbury Kayaking’s Grade 2 Certificate Course.
Even if you’ve never sat in a kayak before, we’ll guide you from the very first step through to feeling ready for race day.
You’ll have:
- a kayak and paddle provided during the course
- full support from the very foundations
- and if you don’t gain your certificate in 4 days, your next course is free
If you found this information helpful and would like to learn with me at Canterbury Kayaing, book your spot via the link below - and I’ll see you on a course soon!