‘Blem’ is the short version of ‘blemish’. We use this to categorise kayak that are structurally sound but that have some kind of aesthetic blemish. In some cases, you may be hard-pressed to find the mark or scuff that we found during our quality control checks. Type of blemishes include: a dirty mark that we can’t wash off a scuff mark that we can’t get off a logo or graphic that doesn’t come out properly (faded, corner missing) more-than-usual rough patches caused by porosity in the mould uneven areas in the inner foamed plastic layer a mark in the plastic during moulding (see photo) This kayak was classified as a ‘blem’ becaue of this blemish in the plastic. It is otherwise a strong and structurally perfect kayak. Blemishes have no impact on the performance or structural integrity of the kayak. We use blems for our demo fleet and dealers use them as demo kayaks. Our friends and family are always happy to snap up blems. Although our blem rate is low, after a few months of moulding we do end up with a stash that we  pass on to dealers at a reduced rate – and they sell the kayak to you at a discount. If you’re looking for a good deal, please contact your nearest dealer and enquire about the available blems. Blems make for excellent, better-than-second-hand purchases.

Your kayak can handle bumps and bashes, scratches and abrasions, and it can withstand sun exposure. But, over the years, these things take their toll and no kayak is indestructible. (more…)

Our Usutu sit-on-top whitewater kayak is perfect for kayak schools, operators, guides, beginner kayakers, and especially those paddlers who enjoy whitewater but for whom whitewater is not their primary discipline so they have not nailed whitewater skills like rolling. It is perfectly socially acceptable to be a sit-on-top whitewater paddler. The Usutu allows you to develop skills like ferry gliding and catching eddies and to build confidence. It is forgiving and, best of all, if you fall off, you can climb back on without having to empty the kayak. In this video, Lisa takes a swim and with a hand on each of the side handles, she quickly flips the Usutu upright and climbs back on.  

When you travel anywhere with your kayak, make sure it is tied securely on to your roof racks. In this quick video, Lisa shows you how she ties a kayak on to her roof racks using tie downs and cord/rope.   

To buy a kayak is to make an investment in a long-lasting piece of equipment. A kayak costs more than a pair of running shoes, but less than a decent bicycle. They are strong and robust and will see you enjoying many, many years of paddling for sport, fitness and recreation. (more…)

New golfers don’t hesitate to seek guidance from an instructor to develop an effective swing, especially if their handicap is high and they are known for leaving a divot trail. In tennis, gymnastics, cricket, karate, archery and a multitude of other sports, coaches are commonplace. Why then do we hop into any kayak, pick up a paddle and just like that take up the sport? Paddling, like golf, is a technical discipline where equipment choice, boat setup and stroke technique are best guided by a coach. Bad habits are easily entrenched because out on the water we don’t have a mirrored wall to check our posture and form, and anything that works to move a kayak forwards sticks. In no particular order, because these are all important, here are five reasons why all paddlers should book a session with a paddle coach. #1 – Kayak Choice If you can ride a bicycle, you can ride Lance Armstrong’s bike without falling off. This is not true for paddling Henk McGregor or Bridgitte Hartley’s kayaks. “Choosing the wrong boat, one that is too advanced, is a mistake that both beginner and long-time paddlers make,” says Johannesburg-based paddle coach Russell Willis. He describes the common scenario of paddler with 20 years of experience giving a friend their boat-locker key and encouraging, with good intention, the friend to use their boat. This is a sure-fire way to entrench the belief that paddling is the sport of Olympic gods and not the average Joe. With the right kayak, the friend will be back again and again. One swim too many and they’ll never return. Indeed, a K1 really is not the best kayak for a first-time paddler. A coach will start beginners in a kayak that they can stabilise, guiding them step-by-step. The coach will also ensure that the paddler doesn’t run before they can walk by guiding kayak choice over time. Boat choice is also connected to the paddler’s aspirations. Boats for kayak fishing, multiday touring, paddling for fitness, river racing and competitive sprints differ. Paddlers with experience need to realistically consider that the kayak they are paddling may too advanced. Tell-tale signs include bad posture, poor stroke technique and swimming down rapids too frequently. A coach is able to recommend suitable boats and will know how to correct weaknesses in form and technique that have developed as a result of compromising for instability. #2 – Paddle Choice What water type? What paddle? What length? What blade? are the four questions that Willis asks. Incorrect paddle selection is as common as choosing the wrong boat. “For flatwater, the blade is bigger and the shaft length is longer than that of a river paddle. You don’t pull as long or as aggressively on a river and strokes are faster on flatwater,” Willis explains. He adds that paddlers typically underspend on paddles and he has observed that many paddlers use the same paddle for flatwater and river where they should buy dedicated paddles for each type of water. Coaches can advise on the correct paddle length and blade type for the boats that you paddle across the paddling disciplines. #3 – Stroke technique Just putting a paddle into the water and pulling it backwards will move you forwards; but this is not necessarily efficient. Good technique can be developed but it is not a skill that is easy to learn and perfect on your own. It takes a coach to be able to identify faults and apply corrections. “There is nothing harder to unteach than how a person grips the paddle,” Willis says. This includes correctly placing and distancing the hands on the shaft, and the grip of the control hand on a feathered paddle. Willis uses techniques like marking the shaft for hand position and using an insert/bump to position the fixed hand. “Holding a paddle correctly has nothing to do with handedness. It is about what you learn with,” Willis says. Like right-handers, most left-handed South African paddlers keep their right hand fixed to rotate the shaft in their left hand. This has advantages because if a lefty breaks a paddle, a right-handed replacement is more common. “If you don’t feather correctly, there is usually less bite on the left causing the paddle to ‘wheel spin’. This leads to compensation in other areas of the stroke.” In terms of technique, Willis identifies placement of the blade in the water as key and this is related to the cycle of height, reach, catch and pause. Whether a paddler is using a flat blade or wing, the blade placement is the same and paddling principles overlap. A coach will assess and correct how the paddle is held and feathered, and they will provide drills to improve technique. Using video, a coach can point out where your strengths and weakness lie. This helps you to realise how to adjust your movements to achieve better technique. Willis says that coaching a beginner from Day 1 gets the principles correct and that hardcore techniques only follow later. “Even if you have been paddling for a while, don’t wait – go see a coach,” Willis advises. “Book nothing less than two sessions and then continue to develop your stroke in the right direction on your own.” Willis’ experience has proven that even good paddlers benefit from technique practice. #4 – Kayak setup Partnered with boat selection is kayak setup. This includes getting the distance between the footrest and seat correct to ensure sufficient bend in the knees, and the right seat position (where the seat position can be adjusted), which distributes your weight along the length of the kayak. When a paddler feels stable, their confidence grows and instead of focusing on not falling into the water, they can concentrate on stroke, rotation and pushing through their legs. From his experience, Willis has seen men struggle more than women when learning to paddle. “Guys generally have worse balance than women. They carry their weight in the upper body; women carry it in their hips,” he explains. Willis encourages new paddlers to give it a few chances. He reminds us of the basics that improve stability like initially removing the seat of a K1 to lower the paddler’s centre of gravity, sitting the correct distance from the pedals and initially paddling using only your hands in the water. #5 – Steering K1, K2 and surfski paddlers have pedals and a rudder to steer their kayaks; most recreational kayaks are rudderless and steering is by means of paddle strokes. While, learning paddle strokes would benefit those with rudders (rudder cables can snap!), this is an essential skill for recreational paddlers. Zigzagging across the water primarily because of imbalances in paddle placement, pull and hand position is frustrating. With instruction from a coach and some drills to cement skills, paddling becomes a whole lot more fun when you can steer a kayak where you want it to go. With coaching, your learning phase is over faster. Proper kayak and paddle selection, boat setup and correct technique improve your enjoyment of paddling and limit both injury and fatigue. Consulting a coach does not tie you in for weekly classes. Instead, the sessions give you skills to develop in the right direction on your own. A check-up will see you well on your way and a top-up, maybe even years later, will only further your paddling. Even Olympians have coaches. HOW TO FIND A COACH As paddling coaching don’t quite pop up in Google searches, ask your nearest paddling club. They will be able to refer you an appropriate coach. Russell Willis coached the author of this article when she first started paddling regularly. “I was taking a team of novices to the Abu Dhabi Adventure Challenge in 2008 and we were in for 120km of sea kayaking. I turned to Russell to correct and improve my technique and to teach my teammates how to paddle. He built us an efficient style for long-distance paddling. For three years, Russell coached me and my teammates (new ones each year). While I benefitted from his instruction, I also observed the transformation in my teammates from complete novices to decent and competent paddlers in a short space of time. Consistent paddling, two to three times a week, entrenched what Russell taught us.” Lisa continues to benefit from occasional coaching as she learns new paddle strokes for whitewater kayaking and canoe polo from those with more insight and experience at her paddling club, Likkewaan Canoe Club in Parys. Author: Lisa de Speville. This article was originally published in The Paddle Mag in the June/July 2019 issue.

For many months, you have been committed and dedicated to training for a long-distance running event. You’ve logged hundreds of kilometres on your feet in preparation to run the race. Now, with the race over and your medal in hand, it is time for a break – physically and mentally. Instead of seeking solace in your sofa, use paddling as an active recovery exercise to maintain fitness and be even stronger. (more…)

I recently launched a 4.6-metre long recreational/touring sit-on-top (the Marimba) with my new kayak company, Vagabond Kayaks. The response from the market has been overwhelmingly positive, as expected, but I also received requests that reminded me of a peculiar aspect of South African paddling: most paddlers think that a rudder is needed to steer a kayak. Before I delve into the details, let me make a few things clear: no kayak under 3m long needs a rudder. Never. Ever. Period. Between 3m and 4m, maybe, but most unlikely. Between 4m and 5m, maybe, maybe not. Between 5m and 6m, possibly, but maybe not. Over 6m, yes, you need a rudder. If and when you need a rudder is determined first by the actual design of the kayak, second by the conditions that you will use it in, and lastly by your skill level. When do you need a rudder? In principle, the purpose of a rudder is to steer a kayak that is otherwise difficult to steer; in other words, to turn a kayak that is designed to go straight. The reality is that most kayaks can be steered without a rudder with relative ease. I will get to steering techniques further down, but let me first explain when you really need a rudder: Sprinting: when you sprint, you cannot afford to waste energy to steer your kayak, apart from wiggling your toes to steer the rudder. Riding slip on flat water for long distances with a long kayak: it is difficult to stay in the perfect spot toride slip without a rudder. Riding swells or surfing ocean waves with a surfski or any other long kayak: you need that rudder to steer the kayak and keep it in the sweet spot. Rough conditions on open water: when you cross a big dam or lake, or cover distance on the ocean, and the weather turns foul, a rudder helps to keep direction while you battle the elements. You may notice that I did not include rapids in this list. The reason is simply that you don’t need a rudder most of the time in most rapids with most kayaks. If you absolutely cannot turn your river-racing K1 in rapids, there is a good chance that you’re paddling a K1 with a hull designed for flatwater racing, not for river racing. By this time, you may wonder if you shouldn’t just put a rudder on a kayak in case you need it? There are a few reasons why it is better not to add a rudder: A rudder adds weight. A rudder adds cost. A rudder is something that can (and often will) give trouble when you least expect it. A rudder prevents you from expanding your repertoire of paddling skills. The normal aluminium over-stern rudders commonly used on racing K1s in South Africa are relatively cheap and light, but they are also very prone to damage. It is far more difficult to steer a kayak with a broken rudder through a rapid than to steer a kayak without a rudder. Should I use a skeg? For the sake of completeness, a few words on the rudder’s cousin that is not common in SA but that is widely used over-the-seas: the skeg. The purpose of a skeg is to keep a kayak that has been designed to turn easily,to stay in a straight line. Skegs can generally lift up to slide over rocks or sandbanks, just like rudders; but they can’t pivot and they are not controlled by pedals to help you change direction. Most kayaks with skegs installed have a mechanism for raising or lowering the skeg, so that you can choose whether or not you want to engage the skeg. Skegs are typically deployed when hitting long sections of flat water; where you just want to keep paddling in a straight line without having to constantly steer the kayak. When manoeuvring is required, the skeg is lifted to allow the paddler to steer the boat easier by paddle strokes. Skegs tend be used most often on kayaks in the 3m to 5m range. Learn to steer your kayak without a rudder All right, let’s move on to steering techniques. There are different ways to control the direction you want to go by using a combination of paddle strokes and body control. The preferred technique will depend on the type of boat you’re paddling and where you’re paddling. Back stroke I put back stroke here just so that I can tell you not to use it. For most beginner paddlers, a back stroke is the default stroke that they adopt to change direction. But, a back stroke breaks all of your momentum, and it messes with the fluidity of your paddling motion. Unless the purpose of the back stroke is literally to stop forward motion in addition to turning the kayak, don’t do it. Sweep stroke The sweep stroke is the easiest stroke to learn and it works on just about any kayak. It can be done when your kayak is standing still or when you’re paddling forward. To initiate the stroke, put the paddle blade into the water in front of your toes. Pull it in a wide arc around your body. Your boat will turn to the opposite side as you pull the arc. Keep pulling until the kayak has turned enough, then take your paddle out of the water before you turn too far. To maximise the radius of the arc that you’re pulling, your paddle should be a lot flatter (more horizontal) than when you do a normal forward stroke. The key with the sweep stroke is to incorporate it into your normal forward-paddling rhythm. In other words, if you paddle forward and need to turn right, you stay in rhythm and just change your left forward stroke into a left sweep stroke. This way you efficiently turn the boat without breaking your momentum. If you haven’t turned the boat enough with the first left sweep stroke, do a normal forward stroke on the right side to keep your rhythm going, then do a second sweep stroke on the left. Practice this stroke to anticipate the degree of turn of your kayak when you do a sweep, so that you turn it just enough and not too much, otherwise you will need to follow up with a sweep on the other side again. Bow rudder The bow rudder is more tricky to learn, but it is a very efficient stroke that is especially useful in rapids. The bow rudder puts you in an unstable position if you do it wrong, making it a difficult skill to acquire in a narrow racing kayak. This stroke is best practiced in a more stable boat. A great way to learn this stroke is to start playing canoe polo as it will be one of the first strokes you learn. Once you have mastered the bow rudder, it can be used very effectively in a racing kayak too. The bow rudder only works when you are moving forward (to do the same thing when standing still, use a bow draw). The advantage of a bow rudder over a sweep stroke is that it is very precise, putting the bow of your kayak exactly where you want it, and it lends itself to combo strokes. In essence, the bow rudder is a vertical paddle stroke where your paddle blade is planted as far forward as possible, some distance away from the side of the kayak but not too far, and with the blade twisted enough for the power face to face the incoming water. To keep your balance when doing a bow rudder, you need to lean into the stroke. Don’t just sit flat, or worse, lean away from the stroke; there is a good chance that you’ll end up in the water. If you paddle forward and want to turn right, plant your right blade in the water. The incoming water will act on the blade and pull the bow of the kayak to the right. Keep your arms fairly straight and use your core muscles to hold the position while your kayak turns. When the kayak has turned as far you as you want it to go, simply twist the paddle blade in the water and continue with a forward stroke. This combo stroke is extremely useful for dynamic moves in rapids. Edging your kayak This is a very useful technique to steer most long, fast kayaks. By edging your kayak, the hull profile in relation to the movement of water is changed, causing the kayak to turn. This method is not as effective in wide kayaks (over 70cm wide) as they are too buoyant to keep on edge, and it is also not very effective in narrow kayaks with a completely round hull. But on most longer, narrower kayaks it is the most useful technique for steering your kayak without having to change your forward paddling motion. To edge your kayak, use your hips. Don’t lean to the side, simply tilt the kayak. If you paddle forward and want your kayak to turn to the right, tilt the kayak to the left. In other words, drop the left edge and raise the right edge. Or put differently, lift your right bum. Keep this position while you keep paddling forward. Your kayak will take a slow turn to the right. Once it has turned enough, simply use your hips to level the kayak again. It is important that your kayak moves at a descent speed, otherwise edging won’t have much of an effect on the direction of the boat. Also, if you move at a descent speed, very little edging is actually needed to turn the boat. Don’t be conned into thinking that you always need a rudder. Learn and practice these techniques, and only add a rudder when really needed.By gaining command of different paddle strokes you will evolve from someone who just propels a kayak forward to a well-rounded paddler.You can thank me when you pass someone flailing around in a rapid with a broken rudder.  Important pointer for any turning stroke: Look where you want to go, not where you are currently going. This article written by Celliers Kruger was originally published in the April/May 2019 issue of The Paddle Mag. This digital publication is free to view and download. Try the ISSUU app on your mobile phone too. View the original images of paddle strokes in the magazine.

The second edition of Paddling Race took place in overcast and rainy conditions on Sunday, 7 April 2019. (more…)

Paddling is as much a recreational activity and fitness sport as a competitive discipline, but in the sport of adventure racing it has not achieved the priority of the land-based activities of trail running and mountain biking. Yet paddling is one of the four key disciplines (map-and-compass navigation being the fourth) and it is integral to this multi-discipline sport. (more…)

Materials used to manufacture kayaks have come a long way since the days of seal skin on driftwood frames. While there are still new kayak designs based on the concept of a skin on a frame, albeit with modern materials, the vast majority of kayaks today are made from composite materials or plastic. (more…)

We had fun racing our four Vagabond Kayaks sit-on-tops against each other. This video demonstrates the speed difference between them. (more…)

This video has been on our to-do list for months. We recently took the featured pre-production Vagabond Tarka to our paddle club to take it for a spin. While there, we saw a chap struggling to get on an off a sit-on-top (of another brand). He almost fell into the water! There-and-then we shot this quick video of Lisa demonstrating how to get in and out using the Stand-up Platform. The Stand-up Platform is a key feature of our recreational sit-on-tops. It gives a flat surface for secure foot placement so that you can get in and out more easily. The superb stability of our boats adds to making it easier to get in and out without assistance.

Back in August, a school group of 13 teenagers – guided by three teachers – headed for South Africa’s Orange River for their first river trip. They launched about five-kilometres above the Hopetown Bridge and paddled 62 kilometres towards Douglas over three days. As their Mazowe kayaks arrived only a day before they departed, they were a little sceptical to be paddling untested boats. “But, we were committed to these boats and took them along,” writes teacher and trip leader Ant Campbell. (more…)

Living near Asheville, North Carolina, Christine and John Vogler regularly paddle the Green Narrows, a challenging section of whitewater on the Green River where the river funnels through a gorge. There are extremely narrow channels, many class IV+ and V+ rapids and waterfalls that leave little doubt as to why this stretch is regarded as one of the most extreme kayaking runs in the eastern United States. (more…)

Called ‘seconds’ or ‘shuttle bunnies’, these are the people that provide support for paddlers. Their role typically involves taking a vehicle to the take-out point of a trip, or in the case of river races, meeting their paddler/s at multiple points along the river to offer refreshments and spare parts. More often than not, though, their unofficial duties extend to that of being a cheerleader, cook, navigator, paramedic, psychologist, physiotherapist and emotional punch bag. The list of task is endless. (more…)

Our first Vagabond kayak model in production is the Kwando, a high-performance children’s sit-on top. Celliers Kruger describes it as “not just a floating toy for kids, it is a real little kayak with good ergonomics and speed, as well as some handy fittings and features”. These photographs show the Kwando in all six colours together with some action images showing Celliers’ children: Ruben (9-years old, 38kg) and Kyla (12-years old, 44kg). “I designed the Kwando mainly for flatwater use, but it is very capable of running small rapids too,” Celliers adds. Parents, are you outdoorsy and active? Introduce your child to paddling with the Kwando. It is an ideal children’s kayak that will see them from bobbing on the pool to running small rapids on river trips.

We have just received the first production footrests that Celliers Kruger designed for our new sit-on-tops. His aim with this footrest system was to create an easily adjustable, very robust system that is also lightweight and cool looking. (more…)