Remounting

Instructional videos of ski remounting show some variations in technique. All the ones I’ve watched include the same prone-across the cockpit phase.

But for paddle placement before getting to that position, I saw that at least one demonstrator held the paddle across the front of the cockpit, with the frontmost arm. Others have the paddler holding the paddle in the rearmost arm, with the elbow bent and in the bottom of the bucket (which is how I hold it).

Another difference is whether—after attaining the prone position—the body is rotated so the legs are dangled over the ski’s side (either both on the  same side or one on each side) before putting butt in bucket.

I move from the prone position to having both legs inside in one move, but this is in calm water.

What way do you do it? Next time, I will keep the legs first on one side as the OC videos show, using the paddle to help stabilize if necessary. That would seem to provide a second chance to check everything before bringing one or both legs in. The way I’ve been doing it makes the transition from prone-across to sitting in bucket a crux move instead of allowing a second chance to check what’s going on around me.

And are there yet other differences in technique, other than trying to remount from directly in back of the stern, which didn’t work for me because I couldn’t sink the stern down low enough?

I remount from the left side, right arm holding the paddle right at the bucket and my left arm about where my knees would be when sitting or maybe a bit behind that. 

I never skip the "T/X" portion of the remount even if it's just for a split second then rotate my butt in and do 1 stroke per leg to finish.

When doing both legs at once then I have to take some weak strokes while putiing the leash right-side up.  If there's a wave right there to get going as if nothing happened then I fix the leash whenever I catch a little break going with a wave or between one. 

I never stay in the butt in legs out position to look at my footstrap gizmos, as I'll be more balanced move/press anything when I get back to the proper paddling position anyway

I have never found success doing the cowboy remount. 

What really helped me was to routinely work on core exercises.  I started doing planks, toes to bar, and L sits, and this improved my remount ability greatly.  I can remount either side without preference, the side saddle in one smooth move, with one leg in, then paddling the other leg in.  I supposed the core exercises are like working the same muscles, just not in the water.