Do Paddle Boats Need To Be Registered

Discipline of whitewater kayaking or canoeing

Canoe freestyle (also knows equally playboating) is a field of study of whitewater kayaking or boating where people perform various technical moves in 1 place (a playspot), equally opposed to downriver whitewater canoeing or kayaking where the objective is to travel the length of a section of river (although whitewater paddlers will often stop and play en route). Specialised canoes or kayaks (boats) known as playboats are often used, but any gunkhole can be used for playing. The moves and tricks are often similar to those performed by snowboarders, surfers or skaters, where the athlete completes spins, flips, turns, etc. With modern playboats it is possible to go the kayak and the paddler completely airborne while performing tricks.^[ane] The competitive side of playboating is known as freestyle kayaking (formerly called rodeo).

Playspots [edit]

Playspots are typically stationary features on rivers, in item continuing waves (which may be breaking or partially breaking), hydraulic jumps, 'holes' and 'stoppers', where water flows back on itself creating a retentive characteristic (these are often formed at the bottom of small drops or weirs), or eddy lines (the boundary betwixt slow moving water at the rivers' edge, and faster h2o).

Moves [edit]

Basic moves consist of forepart- and back-surfing, spins through whatsoever of the three axes; air screws, cartwheels and air loops (invented past Clay Wright), stalls with the kayak vertical on either end, and getting airborne (bouncing the boat on a moving ridge, or submerging role of the kayak so that it pops out when it re-emerges). The playboater usually aims to stay surfing the feature later on performing each move (as opposed to being done off). More circuitous moves are made up of combinations of these moves.

These moves were more than popular earlier curt playboats were invented, just remain the foundation of several current moves.

Motility	Description
Original (old school) play and eject moves ^{[note i]}
Ender	An ender is performed by sinking the bow of the boat deep into swift moving h2o, causing the boat to go vertical.
Popup	A popup is an ender, followed by chop-chop leaning back to cause the boat to popular upward out of the h2o like a cork.
Pirouette	A pirouette is when the boater turns during an ender, with the gunkhole as the axis.
Eject	A bones squirt is performed when crossing a strong eddyline. As soon as the torso crosses the eddyline, a back sweep is performed while dropping the upstream edge of the stern. The stern of the boat should sink, and the boat volition rotate in the direction of the currents. You can and so develop this into a cartwheel.
Double pump	This is the move at the beginning of a cartwheel making the gunkhole get upward on its side and on the front into a bow stall.
Mystery Move	The paddler completely submerges the kayak and themself.
Surfing
Front Surf	A front surf involves remaining on a feature of the river (such as a wave or a hole) without beingness washed downstream. From this position, many moves tin be initiated.
Back Surf	A back surf is identical to the front surf, but with the boat facing downstream. This is virtually ofttimes accomplished by transitioning through a move such as a spin, cartwheel, or blunt. Back surfing is slightly harder than front surfing.
Side Surf	A side surf is done with the boat oriented perpendicular to the current. The paddler must lean downstream and raise their upstream edge to maintain this position. This motion is easier to learn because it is the natural position a kayak will motility, due to its buoyancy if a moving ridge or hole has any shape to it.
Etching	Carving involves moving back and forth across the face of a feature. This is accomplished past tilting the boat at an angle while using the paddle to printing against the h2o near the downstream stop of the boat. Carving may exist gentle or ambitious, depending on the intended consequence.
Carpet Roll / Window Shade	The paddler catches an edge while surfing and flips over unintentionally no matter how much they claim they were attempting an orbit.
Grind	On a very large wave the kayaker turns sideways into a side surf, just slips down the face of the wave to the trough or up the oncoming h2o.
Spinning
Basic Spin	Involves rotating the boat parallel to the surface of the h2o while surfing a characteristic. The rotation must be greater than 180 degrees to count every bit a spin. Performing a 180 degree spin is similar to beginning an aggressive cleave, transitioning through a side surf, and ending in a dorsum surf.
Make clean Spins	A make clean spin involves using a single stroke to spin through multiple ends.
Flatspin / Super Clean Spin	A flatspin / super clean spin involves lifting the upstream edge of the boat from the water during the spin. This is accomplished by showtime the spin with a slight bending to the water.
Shuvit	A 180 degree spin and then a 180 degree spin back the way the paddler came from. It is considered less hard than a 360 degree spin.
Cartwheels
Double Pump	A double pump is the basic movement to sink, or initiate, one end of the boat. The boater begins past simultaneously putting the boat on border, making a quick forwards ability stroke, and leaning backwards. Immediately after this stroke, the boater leans forward, switches the blade from a forward to a back stroke at the stern and pushes down hard using the cadre muscles on the same paddle blade. The gunkhole should now be perpendicular to the surface of the h2o, with the bow down in the h2o and the stern up toward the heaven.
Basic Cartwheel	A cartwheel is a motility performed while surfing a hole or on flat h2o, in which the gunkhole rotates perpendicular to the surface of the water. The paddler's torso functions equally the axis. The move is initiated with a double pump, though on more powerful features niggling initiation will be necessary. Once vertical, the paddler continues the rotation, alternate ends. The paddle is used to press down on the water on the downstream side of the gunkhole, alternating hands as the boat changes direction.
Flatwheel	A flatwheel is a cartwheel performed on flat h2o. The motility is usually initiated with a double pump, simply may also be initiated from a stall.
Wavewheel	A wavewheel is a cartwheel initiated at the peak of a wave while the paddler is quickly moving downstream.
Clean Cartwheel	A make clean cartwheel is performed without using the paddle to printing down on the water, and instead using torso weight transition, remainder, and core body strength to execute this move.
Splitwheel	A splitwheel is done while cartwheeling, and involves using a half pirouette to transition from one edge to some other while vertical, usually when the bow is down. For instance, if the boater is using the right edge of the bow and left edge of the stern while cartwheeling, they will rotate to the right when the bow is down and brainstorm using the right border of the stern, followed by the left border of the bow.
Tricky Whu	A tricky whu starts out equally a splitwheel, yet, information technology adds an additional 180° pirouette on the stern end. The entire sequence is done using only ane paddle bract.
Airwheel	An airwheel is performed when the boat is forced unusually deep into the h2o equally in the loop technique and shot clear of the water, at that point, the boat is rotated through 180 degrees effectually an border (as distinct from the loop which rotates about the deck of the boat), as to state on the opposite end and potentially continue cartwheeling.
Blunts
Blunt	A edgeless is similar to a cartwheel in appearance, simply is performed on a wave, and it is uncommon to link more than ane end at a time. The boater begins at the pinnacle of the wave, moving downward with forward momentum. When the boater nears the trough, they place the boat on edge, lean frontward, and printing down on the downstream blade. The current will sweep the bow downstream, quickly rotating the gunkhole 180 degrees to state in a dorsum surf.
Poo Turn / Roundhouse	Similar to a edgeless, a poo turn / roundhouse is also performed on a wave, even so with the boat rotating at an angle lower than 45 degrees. It scores lower than a blunt in contest.
Air-Blunt	An air-edgeless is similar to the blunt in fix but a much bigger move in magnitude. On a smaller moving ridge the kayaker will start at the top of the wave then while accelerating into the trough they will give an aggressive forwards stroke on one side of their gunkhole while driving their bow downward into the water on the same side. After this drive and push button the kayaker will lean back to neutral and over to the other side of their boat putting their paddle nether their bum on the side of the boat reverse from the previous forrad stroke. This action will force the bottom of their gunkhole into the air, and if the initial bow bulldoze was hard enough their toes volition resurface, and the entire gunkhole will exist airborne, giving information technology the stardom of an Air-Blunt. The finishing of the motility is for the kayaker to motility the bow of their gunkhole towards the bract that is currently engaged in the water. The bow of the boat will hit the water and the stern of the boat will come up from over the kayakers head, to backside him is a quick motility, leaving the kayaker back surfing. If the kayaker keeps rotating the gunkhole over their torso they Pan-Am. On a larger wave the blunt tin be initiated past a bounciness, without forward stroke or carve.^[3]
Pan-Am	A pan-am is like to an air blunt merely the kayak is over ninety degrees of verticality.
Backstab / Back Blunt	A backstab is identical to a blunt, but is performed backwards. The boater begins from a back surf and initiates the stern, ending in a forepart surf.
Back Pan-Am	A back pan-am.
Switch Pan-Am	A switch pan-am.
Flips
Airscrew	The airscrew is the easiest of the total vertical axis rotation wave moves. It begins with the same set up as a blunt with a drive downwards from the height of the wave to the bottom usually accompanied with an aggressive forward stroke and strong initiation of the bow on the side of the boat opposite to the management of the movement. Subsequently the bow is driven down on the off side information technology will begin to shoot support, during which fourth dimension the kayaker rotates his entire torso to face up the water hands outstretched in front of his caput while they rotate their hips to get the dorsum deck of their boat as close to their dorsum and caput equally possible. In essence, it is an airborne back-deck roll with the prime objective being hopping the boat into the air and rotating it over the body before it lands.^[four]
Back Airscrew / Switch Airscrew	This is the same as a Donkey Flip / Airscrew, just the back of the paddler is pointed upstream the unabridged fourth dimension. Some people claim they can do i, merely information technology turns out to be a relatively straight back pan-am, (yet not straight enough to be a Dorsum Airscrew) though they try to cover it upward by quickly moving into a straight angle at the cease. Only with good practice, i can actually perform 1.
Pistol Flip	The pistol flip is like a back panam combined with a McNasty with the difference existence the boat comes correct over the kayakers head, much like a Pan-Am. It is often initiated with a bounce to rotate the boat over the head, with the front to back centrality merely being rotated when the kayaker is upside downwardly, where they appoint one paddle blade and use the stern of the gunkhole to right themselves.^[five]
Sidekick	Begins much similar an airscrew, however at the moment of inversion (anywhere between 90 and 180 degree, with more being better) the paddler reverts the gunkhole back down the aforementioned way, reversing the boats momentum.
Helix	A helix is a full 360 degree trick, of which 180 of which must be fully upside downwards and aeriform.
Felix	A felix is the same every bit a helix except non airborne.
Flip Turn	The Flip Turn is very similar a helix, and needs air. All the same, instead of being fully inverted, the paddler is between 90 and 150 degrees inverted.
Front end Loop	In a loop, the boater does a consummate flip, landing in the aforementioned management that the move was initiated. Loops are unlike near other moves in that the bow is initiated flat to the water, with no border. The movement is begun like a popup, with the paddler driving directly and apartment into the nigh powerful role of the current on a feature. The boater leans forward, and the bow is swept down and the stern up. Once vertical, the paddler chop-chop leans backward to pop upwardly out of the water, then powerfully drives forward to intentionally cause the boat to become over-vertical. If done properly, the stern should grab in the current and the gunkhole will return to its starting position.
Back Loop	A back loop is identical to a front loop, merely is performed backwards, both starting and ending in a back surf.
Flat Loop	A flat loop is a loop done on flatwater. To accomplish this, the paddler stops in a forepart stall, before billowy on terminate and "plugging" the hull deep in the h2o, and using the pop to throw the gunkhole clear of the water and subsequently loop.
Mad Hatter/Hat Trick	Invented by David Silk, the paddler leaves a helmet floating upside down in the h2o next to them, then performs a flatwater loop into the helmet, coming support with the helmet on. Only usable as a "party pull a fast one on", as it requires the paddler to non be wearing a helmet to practise.
Infinite Godzilla	An off axis front loop, tweaked to either side. A infinite godzilla is initiated like a loop by plowing the bow into the oncoming water but as the bow pops out of the water the paddler turns xc degrees and so does what looks like a midair inverted cartwheel.
Phonics Monkey	Was invented by Billy Harris and named by his kayak schoolhouse students at New River Academy, refined at the Kaituna Pigsty in New Zealand. The Phonics Monkey is a combination of two moves. Performed within a hole or "stopper" in which the paddler begins a bow stop through a crossbow stroke and turns it into a pirouette, eventually facing back upstream. At this point instead of dropping into a regular surf upon facing upstream again, the paddler uses the pop created during the pirouette to perform a loop. Kelsey Thompson does a slap-up video [i]
Back Phonics Monkey	Outset in a dorsum surf the paddler drives the stern into the oncoming water, does a pry stroke of the stern which aids in a 360 degree pirouette, and finishes with a dorsum loop to a dorsum surf.
Moving ridge Monkey	A motility that is part edgeless and part mcnasty. It is performed on a wave. First the paddler performs an air blunt, merely before the paddler lands the paddler takes the bract used for the edgeless out of the water and put across their bow to the other side of the kayak. As the paddler lands in a back surf the blade that was put beyond the bow catches the h2o to perform a 180 degree pirouette past the fourth dimension the oncoming h2o brings the paddler to the pinnacle of the wave. From the top of the wave, the paddler performs a front loop. This movement is considered a bays move.
McNasty	A combination of a spin and a loop. The paddler begins in a back blast or a back surf and begins a flat spin, but once the spin is commenced the bow is driven under h2o and the stern gradually rises out of the water during the spin. The paddler uses the pop coming out of the spin to complete a loop.
Orbit	An orbit is pretty much a front surf to a stern eject to a front surf. The paddler starts in a front surf so carves to about 45 degrees dips the upstream edge into the water letting the current catch the stern while doing a pry stroke on the downward stream side. This will put the paddler into a stern eject where the paddler volition accept some other with the aforementioned blade to bring the gunkhole dorsum effectually to a front surf. This is also 1 of the excuses used for a window shade (see window shade/carpet ringlet).
Lunar Orbit	It is the same equally a 180 orbit except it ends with a front cartwheel terminate or back loop. From the indicate of the paddler beingness in a stern squirt the paddler throws bow down into the h2o to exercise a bow end or back loop.
The Slim Gamble	Invented past Bren Orton, this is a back loop to loop out of the pigsty. It isn't on a scoresheet. Variations include the "Lunar Leap" (Lunar orbit to loop out of the hole).
Jedi Flip	Invented past Stephen Wright, this trophy motion involves plugging for a loop, but instead of throwing frontward, twisting around 180 degrees to do a sort of areal pooturn or roundhouse in the pigsty. The paddler then immediately plugs the stern and throws a back loop.
Yoda Flip	Like a Jedi Flip, this Jason Craig invention involves doing the crossbow pirouette for a Phonics Monkey, so instead of going over vertical and looping, once over again twisting an extra 180 degrees to plug the stern and dorsum loop.
Combo moves
Breadstuff and Butter	Invented by Patrick Camblin,^{[ citation needed ]} the Bread & Butter is widely recognized as the commencement combo move. The paddler completes a Pan Am and uses the bounce created from landing the move to throw a backstab or possibly dorsum Pan Am.
Kay Y	Invented by Anthony Yapp,^{[ commendation needed ]} the Kay Y is when a paddler completes a edgeless or possibly make clean edgeless and uses the coinciding bounce coming from the landing to throw a pistol flip or Mcnasty.
Flashback	The flashback is completed by beginning to perform a spin and midway through driving in i of the outer edges of the kayak into the wave and using the coinciding pop to complete a clean backstab. It is the easiest fashion to perform a clean back roundhouse or backstab merely also more than fun.
Stone moves
Splats	A splat is performed by getting vertical confronting a solid object in the water like a stone or wall, then stalling in place. Unremarkably a "pillow" wave formed in front of the obstruction allows the paddler to get vertical past paddling difficult at the obstruction and leaning backwards.
Grinding	Grinding is splatting a large bedrock or wall while remaining in the downstream current, and subsequently "grinding" along the face of the obstacle.
Rock Spins	Mounting a rock and so that the boat is clear of the water, and so placing the paddle into the water and pulling on it to rotate the gunkhole through 360 degrees or greater earlier sliding into the water
The Boof	Boofing is when there is a big rock right beneath the surface of the water, with a great bargain of water going over information technology, the playboater so uses this stone to project himself into the air past start leaning forwards and downwardly, and then upwards and backwards when coming over the rock. Information technology is named for the sound the boat makes on the landing when done correct.
Other
Stalls	A stall is a flatwater move where the gunkhole is stopped while vertical, and the boater balances, using their body and the paddle for command. A stall may exist performed from whatsoever motility that gets the gunkhole vertical, usually either a flatwheel, a double pump, or by simultaneously leaning forwards and paddling forward. A stall may be performed on either the bow or the stern.
Kickflips	A kickflip can best be described as an aerial roll performed off the crest of a wave while moving downstream. Information technology is similar to a wavewheel in that information technology is performed at the height of a wave while moving downstream, but the techniques are very unlike. For a kickflip, the paddler does a frontward stroke and leans back, and then that the boat is offset to go vertical at the crest of the wave. Equally they laissez passer the crest, they apply the paddle to pull the boat upside down and around, which places the paddle in position for a back deck roll. In one case the roll is performed, the boater will terminate upright, facing downstream, with the opposite blade in the water than the beginning of the move.
Macho Move	The kayaker enters and sustains a bow stall while globe-trotting towards a wave or pigsty. As their boat enters the trough of the characteristic they pull downwardly, driving their boat vertically into the h2o. As they move to the peak of the wave or hole the boat will also be ascent from their pull down and they tin perform a loop over the feature itself. Timed correctly the kayaker can accomplish a higher trajectory loop than in apartment water considering the feature helps launch the boat.
Soaring Hawkeye	Invented past Holden Dewey on the Primary Salmon River, the Soaring Eagle is performed identically to the Macho Movement, but the kayaker faces upstream during the bow stall, throwing their loop off the crest of the characteristic and looping towards information technology. The soaring eagle tin oftentimes arm-twist greater air than the Macho Motion, but it is harder to set up because you are looping into the back of the feature.
Entrance Moves	Kayakers can perform a variety of moves as they begin a surf on a wave if they are approaching it from upstream. It is considered an entrance move if the trick is the initiated or completed using the first contact with the feature and they stay on the feature afterwards. Archway moves include, forepart loops performed past hitting the hole stern first, back loops initiated by hitting the hole bow up, and a variation of the boot-flip, the wingover, every bit the paddler paddles aggressively into the foam pile of a hole at an angle and uses the pinnacle departure to throw their boat over their body often landing in a side surf.
Dock Stall	A kayaker performs a bow stall while their hands are on a dock. So, pushing on the dock the kayaking creates momentum to propel themselves upwards and out of the water to get on the dock. The all-time way to do this is to twist your body and leap towards the dock. The kayaker then ends upwards sitting flat on the dock. The main purpose of this is to easily remove the kayaker from the h2o.
Pogo Flip	The Pogo Flip is a movement performed off a dock, rock, or platform that is a few feet over the water. A kayaker then leans frontward while sliding off, catches their bow, and performs an aerial front flip.

Popularity [edit]

Playboating has grown in popularity in recent years due to innovations in boat design. Mod playboats are made from plastic which is much more robust than glass fibre or woods. Playboats typically have much less volume in the bow and stern than dedicated river-running kayaks. This allows the paddler to easily dip either end underwater.

Despite sales of playboats increasing, it is regularly claimed^{[ past whom? ]} that participation in playboating events is decreasing (that "rodeo is dead"). However, events such equally the National Pupil Rodeo have seen entries increasing year on year, and that interest in the sport is as high equally it ever was.

Playboating is mainly washed for fun, but competitions are besides popular. Paddlers have a fix fourth dimension to perform as many moves equally possible, and score additional points for mode.

Visiting a playspot where you practice not need to commit to a full river run to get there (which involves shuttling cars to the lesser of the river) is frequently referred to as 'Park and Play'. Playboating can often be more than convenient and tin can in some circumstances tin be considered safer than river running - in particular if the play spot is in an accessible area every bit opposed to numerous whitewater runs which exist in remote and inaccessible (in instance of injury or rescue) areas.

Etiquette and culture [edit]

Right of manner [edit]

Playboaters nonetheless generally follow correct of way conventions that are commercially established. The vessel upstream of a feature has right of way over a vessel in the feature. This means that if a kayaker is surfing a wave, and a kayaker or a raft is coming downstream, the surfing kayaker should give way to the upstream paddler[s].

This general convention still is overlooked in many scenarios nowadays in playboating:

If the characteristic has eddy admission a kayaker approaching from upstream should boil out and arrive the line to surf the wave, instead of using their right of manner to grab the wave on the fly as this is seen equally 'budging'.
If the kayaker is approaching a play feature that does not have eddy admission they do not accept the right to push a kayaker surfing on the wave off. They should expect until the kayaker flushes then continue downward to surf the wave.
A kayaker may not enter a play characteristic that some other kayaker is surfing unless they are invited on for a 'party surf'.
A kayaker loses their right to stay on the wave if they stay on too long. Generally rides extending longer than 2 minutes are frowned upon and sometimes a kayaker having a long ride will be 'dropped in on'.
On some rivers that are heavily commercially rafted, rafts are privileged with skipping the line considering they are on a timed trip and demand to hit the wave many times in a short period. On other rivers, however, rafts that merits this privilege—especially without asking the other paddlers—are heavily frowned upon.
Rafts coming downstream are given right of manner considering they are typically less active to change their course than a kayak. Also, they are larger and heavy which makes being run over not much fun.
If the feature is at a specially designed site e.g. Holme Pier Bespeak, Nottingham, England then the paddler in the hole or wave has right of way (excluding rafts).

Culture [edit]

Playboaters are a very various oversupply, primarily because of the broad range of skill levels playboating can conform. Generally in regions where playboating is more pop than creeking or river running due to the surrounding rivers, beginners will enter the sport of kayaking in a playboat, or a cross over boat. This group of kayakers if oft supported by either a paid teacher, club, or skilled paddling friend who often supplies pedagogy, gear, rubber and clean upwardly back up. Beginners, lodge paddlers and lesson groups are generally friendly and welcoming to newcomers, and typically merely paddle in warm weather months to avoid the need of buying expensive cold water gear.

The civilisation of playboaters also encompasses a group of kayakers who are called 'pro boaters' short for professional person kayakers. These kayakers generally aspire to, or do, make money off of competitions, sponsorships, or media created on their playboating skills. There is a stereotype of 'pro boaters' to exist elusive, self indulged, and wild; a stigma oft enforced by the media the group produces. Professional kayakers generally range betwixt the ages of 16 to 35, and more often than not practice non brand more average income per year.^{[ clarification needed ]}

The last major facet of playboaters that do non belong in the beginner / group civilisation, or the 'pro boater' civilisation is the local playboater. This blazon of playboater is usually good to advanced in skill level, and by and large is a graduate of the beginner or grouping culture scene. They are identified by a tighter knit group of friends, and their noesis of the play waves in their expanse. It is not uncommon to see local boaters and pro boaters surfing advanced waves, with a singled-out differentiation between the ii cultures identified past their equipment, their lack or presence of media equipment, and general attitude around the feature.

Notes [edit]

^ These moves are scored by the International Canoe Federation, and are used in official competitions worldwide.^[2]

References [edit]

^ "Canoe freestyle". canoeicf.com. Retrieved 28 March 2020.
^ http://world wide web.canoeicf.com/?page=1980 ICF Official Freestyle Rulebook.
^ http://world wide web.freestylekayakmoves.com/edgeless.php Step past footstep Edgeless and Air Blunt instructional reference
^ http://www.jacksonkayak.com/techniquesjk/technique.cfm?technique=donkey-flip Archived 2009-05-09 at the Wayback Machine Donkey Flip Instruction
^ http://vimeo.com/3153050 visual reference of how to pistol flip

External links [edit]

International Canoe Federation (ICF)
Freestyle (competition) rules of the International Canoe Federation
Playak Kayak and Canoe News
Kayak Session magazine