The Hardest Part of the Day

By Jesse Metzger

Have you ever slipped and fallen while getting out of a kayak? Ever had difficulty hucking your dry exit at a stout take-out? Here's a comprehensive guide to styling what one clumsy paddling buddy of mine always said was the hardest part of his day: getting out of your boat. As with any technical skill in the world of whitewater kayaking, there are a number different methods that can be applied to mastering this move.

One of the most popular is the Scootch-n'-Step, a classic, versatile technique developed by some of kayaking's pioneering paddlers. To initiate it, grab the sides of the cockpit and scootch your butt backwards. With some boats you may be able to continue the move with your butt still in the cockpit, but many paddlers still swear by scootching all the way up to the top of the cockpit's back rim so that your rear rests partially on your stern. In either position, your next step is to slide one leg out and step onto the ground aside your kayak, still gripping the cockpit rim. It is recommended that you move your other foot up close to the seat of your boat for added stability while making the initial step. Finally, slide the foot that remains in the kayak onto the seat, stand up while continuing to use the cockpit rim for support, and step out of the kayak. The Scootch-n'-Step is by far the most stable way to exit your boat in a conventional situation.

The Backdeck Exit provides a tried and true way to get out of your boat on one side. While difficult to master, it can be used with amazing results when practiced correctly. Initiate the exit just as in the Scootch-n'-Step, but quickly scrunch both legs up so that your knees tuck into your chest. From there, turn your body towards your take-out. Proper edge control is crucial at this point in your movement. Place the forearm of your aft arm across the stern of your boat, lean towards shore, and plant the hand from your other arm firmly on the ground beside your kayak as close to your stern as possible. Finally, roll your hips over the edge off the cockpit rim closest to shore and plant first one then both feet on the ground. This can be linked with emptying the water out of your boat for a Backdeck Exit-Dripdry combo.

Another solid method is the Crab Leg, which has become especially popular in recent years. After scootching as in the first step of the Scootch-n'-Step, slide both legs out and plant them on the ground on either side of your kayak with your hands grasping each side of the cockpit rim. Shift your weight forward and move one hand so that it grasps the very front of the cockpit rim and place your other hand on the back end of the rim. For the final step, gradually stand up. This method is only useful at a relatively flat take out. It makes the kayaker vulnerable to tipping in its earliest stages, but once the legs are planted the technique offers unparalleled stability.

The final technique covered in this guide is the Extra-Terrestrial Phoenix Orangutan, a ground-breaking and controversial tactic that should be used only at the most demanding and dangerous of flatwater roadside take-outs. To complete it, simply lean back over your stern with your hands grasping the cockpit rim on either side, slide your butt out of the seat and onto the back of the cockpit rim, and place your legs on the top of your bow before rolling off one side of the kayak. Do this exit without gripping the cockpit rim for a clean ET Phoenix Orangutan.

So there you have it - a diverse list of exit techniques that, when all mastered together, can provide a solid skill set for taking on any Class 1+ takeout. Be sure to look out for next week's installment in which we will discuss what to do when you've got that really bad itch on your leg but you don't want to pop your skirt to itch it cause you might start to float out of a really tight eddy but it still itches so bad.