>

> Stick your paddle in the water just behind you and use it as
> a rudder. Be carefull on how much twist (steering) you give it, the
> forces get big as your boat picks up speed. Also watch for when you
> start, don't leave too late as your boat will be nearly vertical as
> the wave breaks. I've seen a kayaker impale the bottom with his bow
> and then finish up on his head in the sand. Ouch that's hard on the
> neck. We were all paddling 17' touring kayaks and were loaded up.
> Later when empty there were only minor upsets. We were on 4 to 5 foot
> waves on the west coast and on a sandy beach. Bram

I was able to hold it for a while trying to use the paddle as a rudder but once I got going fast it was hard to control. I went with an empty kayak to get as much flotation as possible. I've heard that if you start to pitch over you should do a very quick hip twist so at least you land on your hull not your head! Mark