I saw the most amazing kayak balancing feat this morning.

[Darth-Baiter]

I went fishing.  
 

let me say, I can stand up fine.  I can cast, flip, even set the hook and fight a fish while standing.  Today, I was blown away.  I saw a younger guy standing and pitching for bass.   No big deal.  BUT!   He could pedal his kayak around while standing.  Same kayak as mine. HOBIE Outback. He would stand up, stick one foot in one side of his pedal drive, and work it back and forth like that. He looked like Captain Morgan!  
 

im gonna try it in the summer, when I’m wearing swim trucks and don’t have a phone in my vest pocket. I tried just putting a foot on one pedal and all the weight shifts to the side with the foot planted on deck. I almost went into the 51 deg water. My friend yells at me, “dude! That guy is in his twenties!”  
 

not sure even in my 20’s……

[flyfisher]

nice!!  When floating downstream in my ATAK 140 I routinely use a foot to push a pedal to change the direction of my motor in a pseudo rudder like fashion.  I'm not in my 20's but have been blessed with good balance lol 

[Deephaven]

I stand cast out of a Eugene Jensen racing canoe that most people get freaked sitting in....but years of rock climbing and watersports make it a wee bit easier.  Pedaling is a new one though 

[Alex from GA]

I met my buddy on the river standing and fishing in a class 1 rapid over 10 years ago.  He fishes out of a Caper and can stand in my 10' Pescador that I have trouble sitting in.  I'm over 80 and he's in his 40s.

[Bankc]

Here's this photo of Kristine Fischer standing on the bow of her Hobbie.  I can't help but think there's no way I could do that.  Even if balance wasn't an issue, I'm positive it would cause that thing to nose dive and slide me off the front.  

 

 

There are some people out there with extraordinary balance.  If you want to see something really crazy, check out Red Panda.  She makes her living doing halftime performances at NBA games.  I've been lucky enough to see her a few times.  It's the only half time performance you'd rather miss part of the game to see.  

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YKD_vR5NFb4

[J Francho]

Hmmm...I never thought to try that in my Compass.  I bet if my plant foot was in the middle I could do it.  

[Darth-Baiter]

17 minutes ago, J Francho said:

Hmmm...I never thought to try that in my Compass.  I bet if my plant foot was in the middle I could do it.  

Do it!   And film it for us.

24 minutes ago, Bankc said:

Here's this photo of Kristine Fischer standing on the bow of her Hobbie.  I can't help but think there's no way I could do that.  Even if balance wasn't an issue, I'm positive it would cause that thing to nose dive and slide me off the front.  

 

 

There are some people out there with extraordinary balance.  If you want to see something really crazy, check out Red Panda.  She makes her living doing halftime performances at NBA games.  I've been lucky enough to see her a few times.  It's the only half time performance you'd rather miss part of the game to see.  

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YKD_vR5NFb4

I’ve seen her pedal her Hobie with her shins.  She stands up and pushes the drive by undulating her legs pushing forward with her shins.  
 

a PA 14 is like small floating dock.  I think I could stand on the nose. And I’m fat. Fischer is like a water nymph.  A buck twenty five Max.  How she gets on her kayak from shore is awesome.  She pushes it off into the water and runs onboard from the nose.  

[J Francho]

24 minutes ago, Darth-Baiter said:

Do it!   And film it for us.

I might need that hand to balance though, lol.  Maybe I'll try it in the pool when it warms up again.

 

25 minutes ago, Darth-Baiter said:

I’ve seen her pedal her Hobie with her shins.

I've done this, or just reach down and give a couple pushes.

26 minutes ago, Darth-Baiter said:

How she gets on her kayak from shore is awesome.  She pushes it off into the water and runs onboard from the nose.

I do this too, but from the stern.  It helps having the SeaMat surface so you don't slip.  I prefer the stern because there is a skid plate there.

[Darth-Baiter]

1 hour ago, J Francho said:

I might need that hand to balance though, lol.  Maybe I'll try it in the pool when it warms up again.

 

I've done this, or just reach down and give a couple pushes.

I do this too, but from the stern.  It helps having the SeaMat surface so you don't slip.  I prefer the stern because there is a skid plate there.

d**n. I bet you can do the one foot thing!!!

[J Francho]

I think it helps that I'm only 5-7 and around 160 lbs.  I also skateboard regularly, so maybe I have a different sense of balance.  I don't consider myself very coordinated - actually a bit clumsy.

[TnRiver46]

My wife does paddleboard yoga

[Koz]

4 hours ago, J Francho said:

Hmmm...I never thought to try that in my Compass.  I bet if my plant foot was in the middle I could do it.  

Standing is hard enough, but moving at all makes it harder. I'd set the hook and fall off the other side.

[flyfisher]

A big part is actually knowing your secondary stability in your kayak.  I have been fishing out of my ATAK140 for 5+ years and I launch by pushing off and walking from the nose to my seat.  I have no issues moving around on it while fishing or landing fish.  Nothing better than floating down a river while standing and fly fishing.  I will sit if I see some water ahead that I need to maneuver but for the most part I just float and turn and face whichever way I want to cast.

[TnRiver46]

On 11/29/2021 at 4:47 PM, TnRiver46 said:

My wife does paddleboard yoga

Disclaimer: she has fallen into the water before 

[dickenscpa]

I have incredible balance, especially for a new inductee to the 50 yr old club, I can still do a standing splits. However, I'm also north of 200# so I can't stand on the bow like Kristine Fischer. BTW, I met Kristine Fischer at one of my local tournaments and talked to her once. She is TINY. She is also one of the most genuine and sweet people you'd ever meet.

 

Before I bought my Hobie PA I had a kayak with traditional bicycle style pedals. Being an avid cyclist for so long and still today I have a blue million sets of clipless pedals laying around. I had the bright idea that I could stand, clip in one foot and pedal. Standing and balance no problem - steering was a problem. I scrapped it pretty quickly because cycling shoes wreak havoc on your deck and no traction whatsoever with a sole made of metal and carbon fiber. LOL!

 

It was kinda one of those ideas I had that was the classic "looks good on paper" not in reality. I have not even entertained this in my Hobie. I love my Hobie but being so in to cycling for so long the way you pedal a Hobie is still not instinctual to me.

[Darth-Baiter]

I did stand the other day and put one goot up on a pedal.  Pushing and pulling didn’t feel like an option considering water temps. 
 

summer. I’ll try. 
 

id love to meet K Fischer. I’d be love to fish with her and her man.  They do so well. 

[the reel ess]

I have no desire to stand in a kayak. I have to look down when I walk to avoid falling.

[Jigfishn10]

10 minutes ago, the reel ess said:

I have no desire to stand in a kayak. I have to look down when I walk to avoid falling.

I’m guessing chewing gum and walking is out of the question? ?