Paddling technique – boofing

A ‘boof’ according to the New Zealand Whitewater Guide by Graham Charles is an onomatopeia for the sweet sound a boat makes after clearing a nasty drop. Boofing can be a bit tricky to start with but once you get the hang of it you can have a lot of fun launching your kayak through the air and skimming out instead of practising rodeo in the bottom of recirculating drops. I don’t claim to be a boofing zen master or anything like that, I just wanted to share a few simple tips that helped me a lot when I was first learning.

Approach: as you near the drop wait till you see the edge you want to boof from then lean forward and plant your paddle in the lip. Rail towards the side you are boofing on, keeping your paddle vertical for maximum power. Timing is more important than speed and I find it easier to button off paddling a meter or so before the lip in order to place the paddle in the best spot rather than charging in at full tilt and trying to line up your boof stroke at the last minute.

Remember as you boof you will probably turn the nose of the kayak away from the side you are boofing so you can compensate by having your nose turned slightly towards the side you are boofing on.

 

As you pass over the lip of the drop pull hard on your blade using not just your arms but your whole body and thrust your hips forward.

Now look for your landing spot, when you land you want to be leaning forward. This protects your back by putting it in a stronger position for impact. It is good to have your weight forward as you land because it decreases the likelihood of being back looped into the drop and also puts you in a strong stable position for your next paddle stroke.