As in…throw back your rod!
Is it 5:00 yet??!
We find this picture especially appropriate on this Friday afternoon because:
-happy hour is closing in on us
-with SEWE and Bassmasters Classic on the brain, the Edisto (and a good fishing hole) sound like the perfect weekend
Where will you (or–if weather doesn’t permit–would you) Folbot this weekend?
As Folbot prepared for the East Tennessee Fishing Show this week, we focused our blog posts on all things anglers. To close out our week on fishing, we’d like to share this pic of Will W. salmon fishing in his Greenland II Folbot on the Coos River in Oregon. Nice catch, Will!
This weekend, we’re packing up a few Folbots and heading to the East Tennessee Fishing Show in Knoxville, TN.
With that in mind, today’s “Faces of Folbot” is for the angler. Our Edisto and Sporting Life models are perfect for the paddler who likes to fish and hunt in his/her kayak. The open style provides plenty of space for gear (and a furry friend!) and the outrigger pontoons give extra stability. The low draw provides access to the most shallow water so you can fish until the last drop of low tide!
We hope to see old friends and meet a lot of new ones at the Fishing Show. Stop by and try out the Sporting Life! And follow us on Twitter, as we’ll be giving updates from the show.
Here at Folbot, we think kayaking is a great way to spend time outdoors, get a low-impact workout, and explore the natural world around you. For a beginner, learning to kayak might seem like a daunting task, but it’s actually much easier to master than you might think. Your first step is to decide what kind of kayak is right for you. Kayaks are built differently for different tasks—fishing, recreation, touring, expedition, etc—so make sure the kind of kayak you buy is appropriate for the type of outings you want to take. If you’re not sure, visit our website, or call us, and we can help point you in the right direction. We offer two great recreational kayaks, the Citibot and the Gremlin, but you can certainly use any of our other boats for a fine time out on the water.
What To Bring
Find A Trail
When looking for a good site to go paddling, start locally. Look for a flatwater lake, river, or inlet. It’s better to pick a spot that you’re a little bit familiar with so you’re more comfortable in the water.
If you want to try branching out a bit, trails.com has listings of flatwater paddling trails around the US. Just make sure to do some research on any site you choose before you go so you know what to expect.
Paddling Safety
Although it’s not necessary, it may be helpful to you to take a basic kayaking skills course if you’ve never been in a kayak before. This way you can learn how to stay safe on the water and you’ll know what to expect when you finally cast off on your own. The American Canoe Association has listings of various kayaking skills classes offered around the country. There are probably kayaking schools or retailers that offer lessons in your area, do a search and see what works best for you.
Getting In And Out
To get in and out of a kayak, remember to keep your weight low and centered. If you’re launching from a dock, hold onto the dock as you enter the kayak feet first, and slowly lower yourself fully into the kayak. To get out, you just do everything in reverse order. For launching from water’s edge, place your paddle in front or behind the cockpit opening, across the deck. Lean to one side so that the blade of your paddle is resting on the ground, steadying the kayak as you enter. Quickly enter the cockpit, crouch, and sit and use your paddle to gently shove you off. And to get out, you simply do everything in reverse order.
Basic Skills Techniques
Grip the paddle firmly with your thumbs under the bar, facing the water, at about arms length. Use your core to power each stroke in order to prevent strain on your arms and back. For a basic forward stroke, start by placing one edge of the paddle in the water and dragging it toward you until your hand reaches your hip, then repeat the process on the other side.
There are several ways to turn, but the most basic is to use your paddle as a rudder and drag it close to the kayak. The boat turns in the direction of the blade. This technique causes you to slow down a bit, so to keep your momentum, use a sweep stroke. A sweep stroke requires you “sweep” the paddle wide on one side of the kayak until it reaches the back of the boat (the stern) Alternate a forward stroke on one side of the boat with a sweep stroke on the other. Continue this pattern for a wide arc turn.
And that’s all you really need to get started. There’s plenty of time this summer to put a kayak to good use, so get out and get paddling and remember HAVE FUN!