# Cartwheel Tips



## kevintee (May 7, 2007)

whitehouse3001 said:


> Can anyone give me some tips for working up to bow stalls and cartwheels? So far I think I have decent edge control, and I can do a decent double pump, but I can't seem to get the front end under for a bow stall/cartwheel. I have a dagger g-ride 6.5 which is a river-running playboat, but I'm sure it's cartwheelable with the right technique.
> 
> Is it easiest to learn in a hole, so you don't have to do as much work, or should I just keep practicing in flat water. (Or just take a playboating class?)


That boat is hard as hell to flatwater stall/cartwheel. I bet if you hopped in a straight up playboat like a ZG or project or allstar, S6, Kingpin etc or even an EZG you'd be cartwheeling in minutes.

But you really just gotta get your weight out over the edge, and pick a spot on the water and try to kiss it, that will help you keep your weight out there and help get you all the way up.


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## whitehouse3001 (Jul 6, 2007)

Thanks for the insight - I'll have to try out a true playboat and see if I have better luck. Maybe once I get the technique down, I can come back and show this g-ride who's boss.


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## whitehouse3001 (Jul 6, 2007)

Wow, I demo'd an Agent 6.2 at golden tonight - what a difference. I could put the bow under with almost no effort. I couldn't really stay up in a bow stall or anything, but it was a huge difference. Now that I'm economically stimulated, I might have to look into a real play boat.


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## Electric-Mayhem (Jan 19, 2004)

Tips for Flatwater Cartwheeling:

- First off, Lead with your head. In other words, once you get onto your nose, look over your shoulder and spot where you want your stern end to land. This promotes proper rotation and such.

- This part is hard to explain without showing you, but it makes things much much easier. Everyone knows the first part, where you do a small front stroke to sink the stern, and then quickly reverse it to smash the bow down, aka Double Pump. The key to this move is to get the paddle perpendicular to the water as you initiate the bow smash with the back blade of your paddle. This makes it so your body is the ideal position and gets you ready to either go into a bow stall or continue the cartwheel.

- Having the right boat, as was said before, when you are learning is a big help. Once you get the feel of it, you'll be able to do higher volume boats more easily. Its all about getting the balance (remember that J-lean). You have to be comfortable holding your boat on edge without having to rely on your paddle to really get this down.


Tips for Cartwheels in Holes:

- The tip of leading with your head is even more key with this. Keeping up with the boat is the hardest part of this, and spotting where the boat is going is key.

- Don't try too hard. Whereas the flatwater cartwheel is all about brute force and hard work, Cartwheeling in a hole is about finesse and feeling what the water wants to do. Some boats will almost do it themselves, and others are a bit more work and like to be manhandled a bit, but it will never take as much effort as doing it on flatwater. Try to hard and you'll just go way too fast and get flustered.


Those should be some good starting points for sure. Hope they help a bit. If you are ever at Golden, come ask me for pointers if you want to. I paddle a Yellow Drago Rossi Thruster and have a Red Astral Rescue PFD. I go once or twice a week usually.

Cheers, 

Josh


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## goldcamp (Aug 9, 2006)

*Cranium*

I think the problem is your extremely large cranium. The weight of your mega head must be throwing you off.


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## whitehouse3001 (Jul 6, 2007)

One plus side is that I don't need to wear a helmet. When your skull is solid bone, rocks bounce right off.


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