Legs cramping - what to do?

I've got a problem. My legs cramp up with some regularity while paddling. I think I've associated it with rougher  conditions, which kinda makes sense - rougher conditions engage your core and legs much more to maintain balance. I occasionally get cramps in lighter conditions though, so its not 100% rough conditions causing it.

Depending on the day, I've gotten cramps in different areas,my toes, calf's, upper thighs, and inner thighs. Where it happens is somewhat unpredictable, but most often it's the upper or inner thighs near my crotch. Is there any advice to reduce the chance of cramps? Training,stretching, diet/food, warm up, different bucket shape...any tips on what to
try?

Thinking about it now, it may be slightly worse now in my old Fenn XT with its steeper bucket hump compared to my previous Stellar SR g1, so bucket may play a role, but cramps happened in both boats so its more than the bucket.  

Thanks!

A few years back I was having the same issues. I found it to be mineral depletion. I started using Osmo Active Hydration, osmonutrition.com and the problem went away. Also available at Amazon.com. 

When I get random lower body cramps like you described its usually when some muscle group is not able to relax due to conditions.  For example, if I'm in really strong side winds and working one of the rudder pedals constantly, the arch of the foot seizes up.  When it happens it calls my attention to the fact that I was pressing too hard.  So the cure, for me, is better technique in which I fully relax the muscles not engaged in forward propulsion.  In tough conditions I think we get tense and the legs/feet aren't really fully relaxed on the "off" side, they just stay rigid and that leads to the cramp. 

Cramping  during a long race seems to be a different issue, after the 2.5 hour mark occasionally get leg/ arm/ chest cramps that resolve after slurping down some seawater and focusing on relaxed technique, so don't know if it's the salt or the relaxation that helps.  Some guys are never able to fully solve this problem and will be flying along in the Molokai crossing for example, only to have the whole body seize up to the point where they need to get pulled out of the water by the escort crew
- Patrick 

Cerca Trova wrote: A few years back I was having the same issues. I found it to be mineral depletion. I started using Osmo Active Hydration, osmonutrition.com and the problem went away. Also available at Amazon.com. 

for me it is also to do with hydration and electrolytes. This solves the issue for me

www.isostar.com/ww-en/ww-powders-hydrate...form-lemon-400g.html