Edging is a key technique for sea kayaking but can also be used in a K1 in certain circumstances.

Putting your kayak on an ‘edge’ helps with turning and can either be very subtle for slight changes in direction or, especially when combined with a steering stroke, can really speed up turning.

The easiest and least tiring method of edging your kayak is to put weight on one bum cheek so the kayak is tipped to one side. The key is to keep your torso as upright and over the centre of gravity of your kayak as possible, so you are ‘hinging’ at the hip. This will maintain your stability.

If you edge as you paddle along, the kayak will turn in the opposite direction to the edge. Edge left and your kayak will turn to the right and vice versa (if you’re a cyclist then it’s the opposite – I don’t recommend practicing edging on your bike!) If you want to just change direction slightly, keep paddling normally and put in a slight edge. For a faster, more aggressive turn, add more edge and combine it with a turning stroke such as a sweep stroke.

In a K1 you generally don’t need to edge during normal paddling as you will be steering with your rudder. However if you want to turn sharply, edging can speed up your turn.

Practice edging by finding the limit of your edge on each side – how far can you edge the kayak over before you need to support with your paddle.

Here’s a video illustrating edging in a sea kayak: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fdrBT4HuejA