Improving technique without flat water?

Edit: Decided to shorten this up-

What are some good ways to practice good stroke technique in mixed up conditions?

(I know the typical ones you practice in flat water, but looking for any ways to practice in fairly hectic conditions. On all the videos I see its people practicing in flat water, which makes sense since you can concentrate fully on the stroke and forget about the water.)


Thanks,

David

Question - how to maintain good technique or practice technique in mixed (very shitty by the sounds of it) conditions. Simple answer would be to practise in those conditions until you have mastered them.

But maybe Police Chief Brody had it right ."You're gonna need a bigger boat!" If conditions are pushing you around so much you can't get regular rhythm and consistent technique then you need a more stable platform. You haven't mentioned what you're paddling paddling davgdavg and I know it's not just a matter of popping down to the local Kauai ski shop and going 'hey I'll grab that fat one'. But as you point out, when you have to compromise your paddling just to stay upright then the problem seems beyond your technique. A more stable platform - wider boat - would allow you to better focus on how you can paddle more efficiently/effectively.

To what end? You say that after focusing on your technique you are notably faster. Faster for what? Are you racing and want to be faster to improve your time/placing? What sort of racing? If downwind racing then you're currently maximising difficult conditions skills.

Easy to be a know-all/smartarse but googled Kauai Island (hey an amazing x10 of Christmas Island where I suffered NOT for three year) and southside there are protected areas where you can paddle on the flat (it seems). Not practising mixed conditions but technique yes.

What about one of the lagoons like at Anini beach?

The reason for choosing flat water to work on technique is...as you guessed... to be able to focus on technique, and not on stability. Therefore, one way arounf that is to find (rent, borrow or buy) a stable surfski.

You can choose early morning for calmer waters, but if all fails, slowly work upwind and the focus on breathing and paddling technique. Do not focus on trying to go fast.

Fath2o wrote: What about one of the lagoons like at Anini beach?

I'm on the other side of the island, but ya the North Shore has lots of good spots. Better winds and windswell too.

I was and probably still am a self taught surfski hack.
I finally participated in a forward stroke paddling clinic with Brent Reitz.
Wow, what a difference. I can't emphasize enough how important that experience was and what an improvement it made. The clincher is, IMO, you have to practice in flat water! I know it is a bit of a drive to the north shore, but, well worth it.
Do you know Dylan Thomas at surfskikauai.com. He's on the north shore and can hook you up with anything surfski related you need.
He is a real gentleman and an elite surfski paddler. I had the great pleasure of doing a 9 mile downwind with him from Anini beach to Tunnels, FANTASTIC!
Good Luck!

Fath2o wrote: I was and probably still am a self taught surfski hack.
I finally participated in a forward stroke paddling clinic with Brent Reitz.
Wow, what a difference. I can't emphasize enough how important that experience was and what an improvement it made. The clincher is, IMO, you have to practice in flat water! I know it is a bit of a drive to the north shore, but, well worth it.
Do you know Dylan Thomas at surfskikauai.com. He's on the north shore and can hook you up with anything surfski related you need.
He is a real gentleman and an elite surfski paddler. I had the great pleasure of doing a 9 mile downwind with him from Anini beach to Tunnels, FANTASTIC!
Good Luck!

Cool, thanks for the advice. I'm self taught too (only a few people on this island who paddle skis anyhow, and they're on the N. Shore.). Its all been just watching videos of good paddlers and trying to emulate that. Thank goodness for the internet.

Anyhow, ya I know Dylan, good guy, he's who got me started on skis in the first place.