Sea Kayaking: Rough Waters (Paperback)

~ Alex Matthews (Author) "Without a doubt, your body is your most important piece of paddling equipment..." (more)
Key Phrases: brace lean turn, capsized kayak, foam pile (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description

Whether your interest is in paddling in more challenging conditions, or in learning new skills and concepts that will boost your confidence for more sheltered paddling, Sea Kayaking: Rough Waters will help you get the most out of your time on the water.

With stunning photography by Jock Bradley and Paul Villecourt, fun illustrations, and a gold mine of knowledge passed on by expert paddler and instructor, Alex Matthews, Sea Kayaking: Rough Waters is a must-have for all sea kayakers.

YOU'LL LEARN ABOUT:

• Choosing and caring for equipment
• Optimizing your strokes and paddling techniques
• Rough water safety and rescue
• Navigating through tidal currents
• Paddling in surf zones
• Dealing with wind
• And much more...

About the Author

ALEX MATTHEWS is also the co-author of Touring and Sea Kayaking: An Essential Guide, and the award-winning DVD Sea Kayaking - The Ultimate Guide. As a contributing editor, his articles have appeared in many prominent paddlesports publications, and he has worked in kayak design for leading paddlesport companies. It is no surprise that his sign of the Zodiac is Pisces - the fish.

Product Details

• Paperback: 144 pages
• Publisher: Heliconia Press, Inc. (June 15, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1896980260
• ISBN-13: 978-1896980263
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 7.9 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 13.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #460,905 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

  Popular in these categories: (What's this?)

  #23 in	Books > Outdoors & Nature > Outdoor Recreation > Kayaking > Whitewater Kayaking
  #42 in	Books > Sports > Water Sports > Sea Kayaking

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great Reference, January 29, 2008

By	Strider244 (Colorado USA) - See all my reviews

As a dedicated sea kayaker, I found this book to be an excellent addition to my library on sea kayaking. It's beautifully illustrated with numerous high-quality photographs. I wouldn't characterize it as an instructional book but more of a celebration and introduction to kayaking in challenging "big water" conditions. There's enough information to get one's appetite engaged and probably enough to get one started in learning the techniques needed to manage those conditions. However, it shouldn't be regarded as a substitute for formal instruction and practice.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Beautiful but disappointing, October 13, 2009

By	Haris Subacius - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Amazon Verified Purchase

No doubt one of the better produced books. Unfortunately, the content does not live up to the glimmer of the pictures and illustrations. If motivation is your goal and you get it by looking at excellent images of sea kayaks in rough conditions, then by all means get this book! If you already have a solid grasp of sea kayak basics and consider yourself an intermediate paddler, you will not find much new information in this book. Pages and pages are spent on detailed descriptions of paddling techniques and gear that you can find in any other book. Here and there a sentence or two sneak in trying to apply the descriptions to rough water but they rarely exceed the level of common sense.

There is a table of for distance covered in a certain amount of time when traveling at a certain speed. If you look up a cell that corresponds to 4MPH speed and 2 hours the answer is 8 miles! WOW! The author recommends that you tape this table to your kayak! Are you kidding me? Haven't most kayakers passed 4th grade multiplication and division?

Another disappointment is at the end of the book. I always go there for a good index that makes for efficient use of material. In this book, you'll find numerous pages of advertisements and no index.

In summary, I found that this book covers what every other book on the market covers and does not contribute anything to the literature on sea kayaking. The title jumped out at me as there is a gap in the literature on rough water and surfing. Having read the book, I am deeply disappointed! Good pictures but little else to recommend it!

5.0 out of 5 stars Good information, May 7, 2009

By	Mark E. Armesto (Hamburg, NY on Lake Erie) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

There is no doubt about the authority of the author. His experience is our gain. Even if you are a flat water boater, the information in this book can save you a lot of grief.