How to do 5 cool surf wave tricks - Dave shows you - with video too!

Kayak wave surfing is great fun and, once the basics are mastered (see this page), you can begin to up your skills by doing tricks too!

Below, we'll run through 5 tricks that you can learn and perform on your local wave. Remember, these tricks are not necessarily easy and will test your confidence and balance in the kayak.

Have fun - and always stay safe!

Before you start...

Before you start, you must set the kayak up.

The wave you choose should easily be able to hold the kayak in a relatively central and stable position. For safety, you should have plenty of space below the wave for rescue should you need it. Bankside safety is also recommended especially when you begin to learn the tricks.

If you are constantly having to correct the kayak as it moves back and forth, it's going to much more difficult to perform any tricks and it may be easier to try a different wave.

Keep you body weight central to the kayak and the kayak nose pointing upstream. Set the kayak by applying some corrective strokes either side of the kayak.

The kayak nose should be out of the water and the main part of the kayak sitting just below the trough of the wave.

As the paddle is used for the trick, you cannot use it to stabilise the kayak should it move too far left or right. You will need to make minor corrections with your body weight.

Trick 1 - Paddles out the water

This is an easy starter and leads you in to the next tricks.

The aim is to keep the paddle level just in front of your body.

An occasional paddle stroke is being used to straighten the kayak up.

See how long you can go without using the paddle.

Your balance and the control of the kayak is being done by lifting your left or right knee.

Trick 2 - Thumbs up

A simple trick achieved by removing your hand from the paddle and giving the thumbs up gesture - or any other gesture you feel befits the moment - keep it clean though.

What about the bear claw, the victory V or the rock and roll hand gesture?

It can be done quickly so you can get your hand back on the paddle.

Or, take your time and soak in the admiration from the crowd. This trick is great if someone is taking a photo. Remember to look to the camera!

Trick 3 - One hand off the paddle

Progressing on, this requires that you remove one hand from the paddle for a few seconds or longer.

For the first few times, keep your hand close to the paddle so you can easily grab it back if you need to.

As you progress, put your loose hand onto your spray deck as I am doing. This keeps your weight balanced and makes it easier to control the kayak.

Keep the paddle steady and clear of the water so it is easy to grab back when you are ready.

Trick 4 - Paddles skyward

When you are stable, thrust your paddles skyward.

This requires a little more balance as you are moving the weight of the paddles above your head which can give an imbalance to the kayak.

Keep the paddles as level as you can and move the paddle blades above your head in unison (to keep the weight central to the kayak).

As you progress, you can use the weight of the paddle blades to control any slight movement of the kayak. Dip the blades left or right in addition to lifting your left or right knee.

Trick 5 - Throwing your paddles

This is the most difficult trick in this list.

Once the kayak is stable, you should gently throw your paddles upwards and then catch them. The paddles must be level and thrown such that they fall back down towards your hands.

It is worth ensuring you have a rescue kayak in place because if you drop the paddle, you may risk a capsize and swim.

The good news is that you can easily practise the paddle throw on land before you try it on the water.

There you go - 5 cool tricks for when you are next wave surfing. Let me know how you got on.

See all the tricks demonstrated...

PS. Paddlesports can be dangerous.
Read our safety disclaimer - here

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