Customer Reviews

Beyond the Cockpit - featuring Derek Hutchinson [VHS]

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Great review of the best paddling techniques. Practice, practice, practice.

In Beyond the Cockpit, kayaking legend Derek Hutchinson demonstrates how much more there is to paddling than just sitting upright in a kayak. And thats why every kayaker should own it.
Beyond the Cockpit is the third in the superb series of sea kayaking instructional videos from Wayne Horodowichs University of Sea Kayaking. Waynes first two volumes, Capsize Recoveries and Rescue Procedures, offer comprehensive techniques to capsized paddlers who must re-enter a kayak likely to be overturned and filled with water. In Beyond the Cockpit, Derek carries forth the series quality.
The inexperienced become courageous and the experienced learn finesse, says Derek at the start. And that hooked me. Stuart will confirm my recent obsession with being able to lean my kayak over so far that Id have my face in the waterand recover. Dereks tape gave me the courage and the finesse to know that with enough practice, I would do that.
Beyond the Cockpit is all about leaning and edging our kayaks so that theyll dance in the water. There, Derek proves himself an aquatic Fred Astaire.
Kayaks turn faster and more easily when leaning than when straight uprightbecause a leaning kayak presents a shorter waterline to the water. Guess theres no getting away from those laws of physics. In edging, the paddlers body remains over the boat, in the classic J-shape. Remaining perpendicular to the water, the paddler thus retains a stable posture. In leaning, the paddler leans away from the boatand bracesin a stronger, even more stable posture. Thats because the paddle provides all the support. And thats what Beyond the Cockpit is really about. Its about teaching us to overcome our fear of leaning away from the kayaks protective stability.
Stuart particularly enjoyed Dereks antics in his How to Annoy Friends and Create Envy section. Ive even caught Stuart trying to copycat Derek, by practicing a high-brace turn, paddle behind his neck, and doffing his bright yellow hat with his free hand. Derek Hutchinson, watch out!
Students learn when having fun and Derek, who spent an entire career as a teacher, knows that. He breaks each stroke down into small, logical steps so that the viewer never feels overwhelmed.
Derek teaches an important and sometimes overlooked concept: the paddles leading edge is determined by the direction in which we move it. Leading edge up creates stability; leading edge down causes unintended swimming.
At the recent Jersey Paddlesport, we met and had dinner with Derek. Hes a kayaker extraordinaire. But everyone in the sport knows that. Not everyone knows that hes also a world-class stand-up comic. He tells the tales of his real-life paddling adventures with unrivaled skill, detail, and comic timing. Beyond the Cockpit treats us to some of those tales. We wish only that it could have treated us to more.
In the future, Stuart and I look forward to participating in some on-water classes with Derek. Until then, its high-quality videography, and editing make Beyond the Cockpit the next best thing.
We own every book that Derek has written. We especially treasure the one that he so graciously and so personally autographed at Jersey Paddlesport. Beyond the Cockpit is a welcome addition from the man whos made so many contributions to our sport.
Beyond the Cockpit has fulfilled its mission. We both paddle with more courage and more finesse.
Well paddle more safely and more confidently. Nobody can ask more from an instructional videotape.
Thanks, Derek.