Falcon 9781493025701 The Art Of Kayaking

I did get some good information from this book, although it tries to cover too much in a small volume and lacks some important descriptions that needed to be graphically represented by something like line diagrams in addition to pictures of a paddler. Very difficult to understand some of the maneuvers without more depth to the subject.

Nigel Foster is an 34;artist on the water34; who has paddled thoughtfully and shared his artistry with many paddlers around the world for a long time. His former book, 34;Sea Kayaking34; was brief but intensely written and full of terse nuggets of insight into fine points of paddling. The Art of Kayaking is a delightfully expansive follow up containing much more practical information than the former book and significantly more and detailed information than the average paddler might feel the 34;need to know34;. On the other hand, for one who would master the art I have never seen a better or more intricate breakdown of skills or of their application in diverse, real water scenarios. Mr Foster has 34;been there34; and survived, taught widely and long, and having long studied the crafts of paddling and writing he has combined them to give the kayaking world this clear and meaty guide.

A way to really live, vicariously

Nigel Foster is both fun and an expert.

This is THE comprehensive guide to everything Kayaking! Nigel walks you through skills, equipment, planning and more with detailed instructions and very helpful photos. His storyteller writing style guides the reader to understand the 34;how34;, as well as the 34;why34; behind each concept; with variations to technique and circumstance. What I found most helpful is that in each section, Nigel includes a blue box with bullets of key points. It's the perfect way to quickly revisit and recall what you have learned before an outing. Can't wait to get out on the water now!!

Yesterday, I attended a seven hour class with Nigel Foster. He has an easy to understand teaching style and a relaxed manner that puts everyone at ease. Best of all, he has an absolute wealth of knowledge regarding kayaking techniques. I’ve kayaked for many years, attended classes, and read numerous books. Yet, the skills we learned worked beautifully and were completely new to me. We learned techniques for turning around in a strong wind (gale conditions according to the NOAA website), along with a variety of advanced ruddering and edging techniques. He truly is an artist with a paddle. By the end of the day, I was eager to learn more, and I knew Nigel had a lot of information there wasn’t time to cover in a seven-hour class. Lucky for me, Nigel mentioned he had just published this book the day before (4/1/2017). I’m ordering it and will update this post once I read the book. Update: Like Nigel himself, this book is an absolute wealth of information regarding sea kayaking, including beginner to expert techniques, trip planning, equipment, weather and more. Each section is well explained and accompanied by excellent photos, diagrams, and charts. There is so much material here that it took me some time to finish the book. During a trip to the Oregon coast last month, I ventured out into the surf and really regretted that I hadn't yet read the section on kayaking in 34;the surf zone.34; I did make it back to shore in one piece, but I could have saved myself a difficult swim if I'd read that section first. In the accompanying picture, Nigel is the one holding the paddle.