Up Close With The KAYAK

Here's how it's done: Putrajaya Lake Club coach Abd Halim Aziz giving me a brief introduction of the various kayaks.

Padding Up My Paddling Skills with Some Theoretical Knowledge

THE practical segment of the Kayak Workshop in Putrajaya on Feb 24 was exhilarating and I thoroughly enjoyed the adrenaline rush.

At the same time, I wanted to know more about kayaks, kayaking and the sport from an overall perspective. First and foremost, I wanted to know the difference between canoes and kayaks.

The National Canoe Education Manual loaned to me by Malaysia Canoe Association (Masca) deputy president Capt Subramaniam Raman proved extremely useful. Masca is the governing body for the sport.

The comprehensive manual was put together based on the National Canoe Education Curriculum designed by Masca, Youth and Sports Ministry and Sultan Idris Education University (UPSI) in Perak.

From the manual, l learnt that canoes and kayaks were originally used as a mode of transport.

A canoe has an open cockpit with the canoeist paddling in a kneeling position on one bended knee. The kayak belongs to the canoe family but the kayaker usually sits in a closed cockpit. Single paddles of different kinds are used for both.

Early inhabitants who lived in tropical forests used logs as a mode of transport. These dugouts were known as kolek, perahu and sampan in Malaysia.

Canoes built differently in Europe were called Canadian canoes while Eskimos in the Arctic travelled on inuits.

Canoeing and kayaking have long existed but it was a British seafarer of Scottish descent called John MacGregor who popularised kayak activity as a sport.

Kayak was introduced as an official Olympics event in 1936 and became popular in Malaysia in the 1980s.

One Thursday evening just before touching base with the Putrajaya Lake for the second time, I decided to have a look at the different kayaks available at the Putrajaya Lake Club with a short introduction on each by coach Abd Halim Aziz.

First up was examining the basic anatomy of a kayak.

>> From front to back, I learn about stern, toggle, aft deck, keel, seat, deck eye, cockpit, hull, footrest, buoyancy, water line and bow. <<

Out came the paddle next for a closer look at the front and back of the blades, dripper ring, hand grip, bar, neck and metal tip.

In its kayak holding area, the club has polo kayaks, sprint kayaks, ocean kayaks, slalom kayaks and the standard sit-on-top kayaks.

The polo kayak is used for polo games in a lake or swimming pool; the torpedo-like sprint kayak is used in competitions; the wider and bigger ocean kayaks are for the open seas and slalom kayaks are for rapid waters.

Naturally being a rookie, l opted for the safest best, the sit-on-top kayak.

Club staff Rostam Kassim pointed out the different paddles used for the various kayaks as well as the varying blades.Honestly, I could not tell the difference at first glance.

Rostam who loves the water gamely demonstrated the Eskimo Roll, the technique of bringing up a capsized kayak without coming out of the kayak, it would take months of practice !

Equipped with basic knowledge of kayaks and kayaking, I ventured out to the Putrajaya Lake once again, this time with club staff Ridzwan Ismail leading the way and instructing me.

I hope to head out on my own the next time. Wish me luck!

Varied: Rostam with some of the different kayaks available at the club. The public can rent plastic and fiberglass kayaks while the more expensive ones are only used during championships.