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Now that your legs are both in you can support yourself with your arms and lower your body into the cockpit and safely into your seat, moving your legs forward under the cockpit as your lower body moves forward into the seat. This can be an easy kayak entry method for bad knees and those with limited mobility.To start, sit in your kayak. Your backside should be all the way back in your seat and your knees comfortably bent. To find the proper foot well, straighten your legs all the way out and then bring them back one “well.” If your legs are too straight, you may find you put strain on your lower back.Kayaks have seats in the bottom of them, while canoes only have a place to kneel. Slalom kayaks are paddled when sitting down, with the legs stretched out front into the kayak. Slalom canoes are actually paddled while kneeling in the kayak.
- The ‘Shallow Water’ Exit.
- The ‘Go For A Swim On A Hot Day’ Exit.
- The ‘Phone A Friend’ Exit.
- The ‘Crawl Out’ Exit.
- Stretch Daily.
- Elevate Your Legs While Paddling.
- Wear Knee Pads.
Contents
How do you get out of a kayak on a bad knee?
- The ‘Shallow Water’ Exit.
- The ‘Go For A Swim On A Hot Day’ Exit.
- The ‘Phone A Friend’ Exit.
- The ‘Crawl Out’ Exit.
- Stretch Daily.
- Elevate Your Legs While Paddling.
- Wear Knee Pads.
Should knees be bent in kayak?
To start, sit in your kayak. Your backside should be all the way back in your seat and your knees comfortably bent. To find the proper foot well, straighten your legs all the way out and then bring them back one “well.” If your legs are too straight, you may find you put strain on your lower back.
Are kayakers on their knees?
Kayaks have seats in the bottom of them, while canoes only have a place to kneel. Slalom kayaks are paddled when sitting down, with the legs stretched out front into the kayak. Slalom canoes are actually paddled while kneeling in the kayak.
Can you kneel on a sit on kayak?
If you’re paddling solo, the most common position to sit is on, or kneeling against, the bow seat while facing the stern of the canoe. This positions you closest to the center of the canoe, which gives you better control.
Should legs be straight in kayak?
Kidding aside, you should not be able to staighten your legs in your kayak, but they should be bent so that your knees are touching the sides of the kayak and you should be fitting in this position just tight enough to not be cramped or numb.
How should your legs be in a kayak?
While sitting with your back supported by the kayak seat, place the balls of your feet on the foot pegs. Your toes should be pointed outward, and your heels should be angled toward the center of the kayak. Your knees should bend upward and outward, allowing your legs to apply pressure to the thigh braces.
Do you kneel in a white water kayak?
Kneeling remains the best choice for classic soloists and paddling most technical whitewater, but if you don’t want to kneel, learn to paddle properly when seated.
What is the correct posture in kayaking?
Sit tall on your seat with your spine long and head high, and lean forward slightly from the hips. Imagine that a string runs through your spine and is being pulled tight. The paddle blade should enter the water near your toes and the shaft should be quite vertical. Don’t move your body, reach with your arms.
Why do kayakers move their knees?
This movement contributes to the powerful unwinding of your body and allowing your strong leg muscles to contribute to the movement of the boat through the water.
Who should sit in the back of a kayak?
If one passenger in your kayak is physically stronger than the other, that person should sit in the back of the kayak. This allows the passenger up front to dictate the pace, and allows the stronger paddler to keep paddling if the person up front would like to take a break to view the sights.
What is a scupper on a kayak?
Scupper plugs are small rubber or plastic pieces that block or cover the drain holes of a sit on top kayak. There are a number of different designs depending on the type of sit-on-top kayak the plugs are made for. There are universal scupper plugs that will fit most sit on top kayaks.
how to get in a kayak with bad knees
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The Differences Between Olympic Canoe and Kayak Events
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Awesome Ways To Get Out Of A Kayak With Bad Knees
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How to get into a Kayak with BAD KNEES (or Stiff Joints)
Getting into a kayak can be tricky at the best of times but when you have bad or stiff knees, it can be even more of a strain on your joints. But kayaking is a sport and outdoor activity that just about anyone can enjoy.
So we’ve put together this guide to show you how to get into a yak even if your knees aren’t quite in the same shape as they used to be, so you can continue enjoying kayaking with everyone else.
How To Get Out Of A Kayak With Bad Knees (kayak exit for seniors)
First up, if you have bad knees you may find it easier to get into a sit-on-top kayak rather than a sit-inside.
Sit-on-top recreational kayaks have open cockpits which can make it easier for most people with knee problems to get in and out of, compared to an enclosed cockpit on a sit-inside.
Video: Gently Entering & Exiting The Kayak
Exit Into Shallow Water
This can be one of the best ways to get out of a kayak with bad knees and possibly one of the easiest. This is because shallow water can let you stand up from a more natural seating position compared to flat on the floor.
To do this, you should paddle close to the shore where you plan to exit. Stop when the water gets to around a foot deep or knee deep. Try not to go too shallow or your kayak could suffer structural damage.
Secure your paddle on your kayak. Then gently swing your legs round to one side of your kayak, so that your body is perpendicular to the kayak and you’re facing the water on the side of your boat.
Slowly slide yourself forwards so that your feet and legs are in the water and you’re sitting as if you’re sitting on a bench. Keep going until you can touch the bottom with your feet. Now you can stand up gently using the side of the kayak to push yourself up.
You could also try this from water that’s waist high.
This might take a little practice. Remember to pull your kayak along with you when you walk to the shore.
Roll Out
Another easy exit method, if not always the most graceful, is to simply roll out of your kayak while you’re on the water.
This can possibly be easier with sit-inside kayaks than sit-on-top kayaks. Because of the natural buoyancy, a sit-on-top kayak is not really designed to roll over and it means you’ll just fall off the deck with a splash rather than out of the cockpit if your kayak flips.
The best way to roll out of your kayak with bad knees is to make sure the water is deep enough that you won’t hurt yourself on the bottom. Make sure there are also no other hazards, such as rocks, tree stumps or underwater obstacles.
It’s also a good idea to secure your paddle shaft to your boat so that it doesn’t float away and make sure your life jacket is securely fastened.
Once you’ve found a safe spot, close enough to shore, lean your entire body over to the side using your bodyweight so that your kayak tips over. Once you’ve fallen out or off, you can start to swim to shore with your kayak in tow.
Your medical history will probably determine whether this method is safe enough for you or not.
Get Help
Sometimes it can be easier to get someone else to help you. If you’re paddling with a friend and they’re able to get out of their kayak safely and easily on their own then they can stick around to help you. If you’re on your own, you might want to call for help if there are people within earshot.
Paddle your kayak as close as you can to the shore so that the bow of your kayak is perpendicular to the shoreline and your body is facing the shoreline.
With your kayak beached on dry land, get your friend to stand next to your kayak and facing you. Have your friend take both of your hands in theirs and when you’re both ready, have them pull you up out of your seat until you’re safely on your feet and can stand out of your kayak.
This method may not work well if you’re in an enclosed cockpit, as you might need a little more room for your legs to stabilize yourself as you move from a seated position to a standing position.
Kayak Knee Pads
A pair of knee pads like these Ion K-Pact ones can be useful in helping you get out of a kayak. As well as providing additional support for your knees if you’re in the same position for a while, they can also provide impact protection to prevent knee pain.
The Ion K-Pact neoprene ones are made for mountain biking but they can be useful because they can be easily put on and taken off using the side zipper, so you don’t need to take your shoes off to get them on and off.
This means you could easily keep them in a dry bag and put them on just before you head back to shore to attempt your kayak exit method. That’s if you don’t need them for your entire paddling session.
Crawl Out
Adding some padding can give you more versatility on how you get out of your boat and can help to reduce knee pain. For example, with added padding around your knees you could effectively crawl out of your kayak and onto the shore as a way to get out, without having to kneel directly on solid ground (even if it is just sand).
However, if your knees aren’t completely healthy or for anyone with severe disabilities, this may not be the best method, as it could make things worse.
Crawling out on your own hands can help you get out of a kayak with bad knees, although it’s probably not the most dignified (especially if you have an audience) but it can work if you have a quiet exit spot.
To do this it’s probably easier if you’re as close to the shore as possible so that you can crawl onto the beach. Make sure about half the length of your kayak is on dry land or, alternatively, have your kayak parallel to the shoreline and exit to the starboard side.
If you’re on a sandy beach, you might find that it’s easier to lean to the side and use the beach to support your body before you then pull your legs out of the kayak to get on your hands and knees.
Alternatively, as another kayak exit method, you can swing your legs out first and then roll onto the deck of your kayak (as if you’d just climbed back on from the water). Then you can crawl backwards on your hands and knees till you’re safe on the land. From there you can then stand up either on your own or with the help of a friend (or a nearby tree).
How To Enter A Kayak With Bad Knees
Wade Out With Your Kayak
Just like you can get out of your kayak easier in shallow water, you can also get into it this way, by wading out with your kayak until you’re about a foot deep in the water, or till the water is just below your knees.
The way to get into your kayak from the water is similar to how you got out and a method we mentioned earlier, except in reverse. This can be an efficient method of kayak entry.
Firstly, in knee deep water close to your launch spot, you should secure your kayak paddle to your kayak so that it’s safe until you’re seated. Waist deep water may be too deep for this.
Standing at the side of your kayak with your back to it and your hands on the sides, carefully lower yourself to sit down in your kayak. Then you swing your legs around so that you’re fully seated in your cockpit or seat. This can be one of the easiest ways to get into a kayak and lets you get your butt in quickly to stabilize yourself.
Slide Into The Cockpit
If you have a sit-inside, it can sometimes be more difficult to get in and out of, especially if your knees aren’t in great shape. One way to get into a sit-inside kayak with bad knees is to straddle the kayak and lower yourself in.
Video: How To Safely Get Into A Sit-on Top Kayak
This can be done more easily if the back half of your kayak is on the beach, with the front half in the water, so that it doesn’t move around too much while you attempt this maneuver. Remember to secure your paddle in a paddle holder or somewhere safe on your boat.
Once your legs are on either side of the kayak, carefully sit down on the back deck, behind the rim of your cockpit. This can now let you swing one leg into the cockpit one at a time.
Now that your legs are both in you can support yourself with your arms and lower your body into the cockpit and safely into your seat, moving your legs forward under the cockpit as your lower body moves forward into the seat.
This can be an easy kayak entry method for bad knees and those with limited mobility.
Paddling A Kayak With Bad Knees
Kayaking with bad knees can sometimes be uncomfortable, depending on the type of kayak you’re in, how comfortable your seat is, and how long you plan to paddle.
There are a few paddling techniques you can use (together with the right gear) to improve your comfort, reduce the pressure on your knees and minimize knee pain once you’ve mastered the kayak entry and exit method.
Elevation
One thing that can help is to keep your legs elevated rather than flat on the deck. Some kayak seats feature full adjustability to let you customize your seating position to best suit your body and paddling style.
For paddling with bad knees kayakers often prefer to upgrade their seat to one that’s more suitable, although finding the right equipment will generally mean an extra cost.
Some kayak seating systems, for example, benefit from leg lifters within the seat, which can allow you to raise the edges of the seat to better support your legs so that your legs aren’t in the same position for too long.
One such seating system is the Phase 3 AirPro seat, which can be found on several Wilderness Systems kayaks, including the Tarpon 120.
Alternatively, you might find it useful to securely position a dry bag underneath your legs to provide that much needed elevation. It can also help you to move your legs while you’re on the water, so that your legs don’t stiffen up. A knee brace or pads might also help with this.
Some sit-on-top kayaks, especially fishing kayaks, often feature elevated seating, which can be more comfortable for longer trips, as it can let you sit more naturally with your knees bent and your feet flat on the deck.
These types of seats can also let you straighten your legs every so often to loosen and stretch your muscles, giving you a lot more freedom of movement than an enclosed cockpit on a sit-inside kayak, which may be preferable if you have bad knees.
Cockpit Padding
Deck padding or rim padding can also help if your knees will be resting on the sides of your cockpit. Most kayaks will come with some type of padding for your knees and thighs, but you might want to add your own for extra protection, such as with these self adhesive NRS Padz.
Another top tip: you could even add knee blocks for added support for your knees, which can be stuck to the sides of your cockpit just below your thigh pads. The knee blocks are designed to help reduce strain on your knees and provide additional posture support for improved overall comfort.
Conclusion
Our final thoughts kayaking with bad knees is that just because you have stiff knees shouldn’t mean you can’t enjoy taking private lessons and kayaking like everyone else. There are plenty of things you can do to improve your comfort while you’re in the right kayak and now you know how to get in one, there should be nothing holding you back.
Let us know how you get on when you next take to the water. And if you have any tips you want to share or advice on how to kayak with bad knees, leave us a comment. Don’t forget to share this guide with like-minded outdoor enthusiasts to encourage more kayakers.
How To Get Out Of A Kayak With Bad Knees
Getting into and out of a kayak isn’t the easiest endeavor even if you’re completely healthy and very limber. If your knees aren’t what they used to be, it’s important that you know how to get out of a kayak with bad knees as safely and easily as possible.
Fortunately, there are a variety of tips and tricks for getting out of a kayak with bad knees. And there are also some clever techniques that will help you get into a kayak with minimal discomfort if you’re tight or have bad knees.
Today, we’re going to dissect those techniques and provide clear advice on how to get out of a kayak with bad knees. And we’ll also provide some insights into ways to can make entering and exiting your kayak much easier.
So let’s get started!
How To Get Out Of A Kayak With Bad Knees
Kayakers everywhere know that simply getting in and out of your vessel can sometimes be the biggest challenge. That’s especially true if your knees don’t bend the way they once did, in which case you’ll need to experiment with some of these helpful techniques.
The ‘Shallow Water’ Exit
The first method we’ll address is called the shallow water exit (or at least that’s what we call it). When you’re paddling into the beach or wherever you’re landing your kayak, stop short of allowing the bow to completely push up onto the shore.
Use your paddle to test that you’re in about six to 12 inches of water before you attempt this technique. Once you’re confident in the water depth, swing both of your feet out to one side of the kayak or the other (it doesn’t matter which side).
Turn your body so that you’re facing perpendicular from your kayak and scoot towards the edge until your feet touch the ground. From here, you can let go of your paddle or place it on one of the paddle parks on the gunwale of your kayak.
Once you have your hands free, use them to push off the edge of your kayak and stand up. Because you’re in six to twelve inches, this technique will help you stand up from more of a seated position rather than a deep squat.
The ‘Go For A Swim On A Hot Day’ Exit
If that first method doesn’t feel great or work well for you, you can try this next method on for size. As a caveat, however, we only recommend using this kayak exit method on hot days or if you’re fine with getting wet.
To set up for this exit method, paddle until you’re a little way offshore in about waist-deep water.
Again, you can utilize your paddle to check the depth of the water and you should be looking for a depth that’s about half the length of your paddle shaft.
If you’re paddling in clear waters, perform a visual check to make sure there aren’t any large rocks or tree stumps on either side of your kayak. If you’re paddling in murky waters, use your paddle to feel around the bottom and make sure the area is clear of hazards.
From here, your next step is to essentially flip your kayak over so that you go for a swim. You’ll then be able to find the bottom with your feet and stand up with much less strain on your knees than you would if you were standing from a squatting position onshore.
If you’re paddling one of the best sit on top kayaks, you should have no problem flipping and going for a swim. But if you’re paddling a sit-inside kayak, you should take some time to study up on the techniques for a proper wet exit before attempting this method.
That being said, we do have one final piece of advice if you’re struggling to tip your kayak for this method. It can be useful to grab the handle opposite of the direction you’re trying to flip in order to really get yourself into the water.
The ‘Phone A Friend’ Exit
If you’re paddling with a friend or a partner that has better knees than you, you can always phone a friend when it’s time to get out of your kayak. This method is great because it usually allows you to stay drier than the other two methods we’ve previously touched on.
As you’re getting ready to land, give your kayak a couple of extra-strong paddle strokes so that you slide up onto the beach as far as possible when you make landfall. From there, you can toss your paddle up onto the beach or set it on your kayak so that your hands are free.
Just like the shallow water exit, you’re now going to turn your body so that it’s perpendicular and both of your feet are touching the ground on one side of your kayak or the other.
Again, the side you choose doesn’t really matter, but you can favor one side if one of your knees is better than the other.
Before we go further, we’d like to clarify that last point. Because most beaches or shorelines are slanted, there’s going to naturally be more strain on your downhill knee as you’re trying to get out of a kayak.
So if your left knee is worse than your right, for example, you might want to get out on the right side of your kayak so that the greater strain is on your right knee. And the opposite would be true if your right knee is worse than your left.
Anyhow, once your body is perpendicular to your kayak and both of your feet are touching the ground, it’s time to phone a friend. Ask that friend to assume a stable position with their feet wide and their knees bent.
From here, grab each other’s forearms so that there’s no unnecessary pressure on your hands or wrists. Here’s a quick photo showing you the arm-lock strategy we recommend for this kayak exit method:
After you have your arms locked, you can count down together so that you both know when you’re going to stand and your friend is going to help pull you to your feet. Making sure you’re in sync is really important during this step.
As you stand together, make sure your friend doesn’t let go of you prematurely. There’s a common kayaking phenomenon (that’s also common to boating in general) known as ‘sea legs’.
Even for a few moments after you’ve stood up, it may take some time for you to gain your balance and walk up onto the shore. So make sure your friend escorts you until you feel safe and stable back on dry land.
The ‘Crawl Out’ Exit
If all else fails, there’s nothing wrong with trying the crawl out method once you’ve beached your kayak on land. This method might look a little funny to any onlookers, but it’s effective, and who really cares what they think anyway?!
Just like in the previous method, you’re going to want to gain momentum so that the bow of your kayak makes it as far up onto the beach as possible when you land. Once you’ve landed, toss your kayak paddle gently up onto the beach and prepare to give onlookers a show.
Now you’re going to want to turn your body perpendicular to your kayak and set both feet out on the ground like you’re setting up for the ‘phone a friend’ exit. But instead of calling your friend over next, you’re going to take matters into your own hands.
With your body perpendicular to your kayak and both feet on the ground, roll your body toward the shore so that you end up on your belly on top of your kayak. This is the same position you would wind up in if you fell out of your kayak and just pulled yourself back on.
From here, you can gently back up onto your hands and knees on the shoreline. Then you can crawl up onto the shore and flip over again so that you’re sitting down and you have a moment to collect yourself.
When you want to stand up, a sloped beach could make it easier, but you can also turn over again so that you’re on your hands and knees once more. From there, you’ll need to channel your inner yogi and gently work your way into a downward dog position, which looks like this:
Once you’re in that position, you can gently walk your feet (step by step) up to where you feel comfortable standing again.
Keep in mind that this technique may not be comfortable for everyone, but it can provide a healthier alternative than standing straight up from a squatted position in a kayak.
Additionally, you can always skip the step of turning over and sitting on the beach to collect yourself if you’re in a hurry. But we like to include it in there because it’s good to give ourselves a break once in a while!
Tips For Easier Kayak Entry And Exit
The good news is that there are several things you can do to make it easier to enter and exit your kayak. Some of them involve kayak accessories that you can buy and others involve healthy practices that you can do on land before even attempting to get into and out of your kayak.
Stretch Daily
You may not believe in the benefit of daily stretching if you have serious structural damage to your knees, but loosening up the muscles, ligaments, and tendons around your knees can make a significant positive impact on your ability to get out of a kayak.
In fact, daily stretching can have a myriad of positive effects on your body that actually have nothing to do with kayaking. But the more limber you are, the easier it is for your body to move, which is why this is out top tip for easier kayak entry and exit.
Elevate Your Legs While Paddling
Even young folks experience the discomfort of their knees stiffening up while kayaking, not to mention the tightening of other muscles above and below your knees.
If you sit flat-legged in your kayak, blood can pool around your knees and make them very uncomfortable when you’re ready to get out of your kayak.
That’s why we recommend elevating your legs while paddling by placing a dry bag, backpack, or other soft item under your knees. This will help you reduce that pooling of blood and help you feel less stiff when it’s time to get out of your kayak.
Wear Knee Pads
This is a great tip for easier entry and exit if you find yourself regularly using our ‘crawl out’ exit method. It’s probably going to be uncomfortable to climb out of your kayak onto the shore the first time around.
That’s especially going to be true if you’re not always climbing out onto a nice, soft, sandy beach. So wearing knee pads is definitely an easy and affordable way to make entering and exiting your kayak easier.
Final Thoughts
Kayaking should always be a relaxing and fun experience, regardless of your preference for paddling on oceans, lakes, bays, or in whitewater. But you can’t get on with that fun unless you can comfortably get into and out of your kayak.
Many experienced kayakers simply stop enjoying the sport they love because of the discomfort they experience trying to enter and exit their kayaks. But we hope that the recommendations we’ve provided will give you the knowledge to keep enjoying kayaking for years to come.
In spite of some common sayings out there, we’re never quite too old to learn something new.
And it is our desire that you’ve absorbed something today that will help you better understand how to get out of a kayak with bad knees so that you can enjoy more comfortable paddling experiences moving forward!
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The Differences Between Olympic Canoe and Kayak Events
In Olympic events, it can be tricky to figure out the difference between canoe and kayak events. Sure, traditionally speaking, people could figure out the difference between kayaks and canoes just by looking at the boats, but it’s quite common nowadays for canoes to look like kayaks and vice versa. Thus, it can be difficult for the untrained eye to readily identify whether an Olympic event is a canoe or kayak event. Below are some of the key distinguishing features of each type of boating event, as well as some information about the different types of water courses.
Canoe vs. Kayak
Canoe events are labeled “C” and kayak events are labeled “K” in OIympic programs, standings charts, and when reporting results. Kayaks are propelled with a paddle that has two blades, one on each side of the shaft, while canoe paddles have only one blade. Look at the paddle being used—if there is a handle at one end of the paddle and a blade at the other, this is a canoe event. In Slalom whitewater events, pay attention to the inside the boat when the paddler is not in it. Kayaks have seats in the bottom of them, while canoes only have a place to kneel. Slalom kayaks are paddled when sitting down, with the legs stretched out front into the kayak. Slalom canoes are actually paddled while kneeling in the kayak. Since both paddlers are wearing spray skirts, it might not be readily identifiable whether the paddler is kneeling or sitting, but a canoeist’s body will be higher over the boat as he or she will be kneeling while the sitting kayaker will actually sit lower in the boat. In Flatwater or Sprint events, kayakers will again sit inside of their kayaks; however, sprint canoeists do not fully kneel, unlike in slalom events—canoeists in flatwater events kneel on one knee and have one foot out in front of them for support.
Slalom vs. Flatwater
Slalom events take place in whitewater. Sprint or Flatwater events are in flat water. Slalom events involve the canoeist or kayaker paddling on a winding course through hanging gates. They must go upstream through some gates and downstream through others, all the while losing points if they touch any gate. The sprint event is a race that is straight down a course with no turns. Slalom events are timed events, where paddlers go through a course one at a time and times are compared afterward. Sprint or flatwater events are races against other boats competing at the same time. In slalom events, paddlers where spray skirts to keep the whitewater out of their kayaks; no spray skirts are worn in the sprint events. The most people that will be in a single boat during a slalom race is two; there can be up to four people in each boat in sprint races.
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