| Stern-dip or Stern Squirt |
A stern dip is a move which most people find very easy to learn nowadays, particularly as in playboats its easy to practice on flatwater. Try learning the feeling on flatwater before taking it on to eddy lines and moving water. Paddle forwards until at a stead speed, put in a large sweep stroke on one side to start the boat rotating, then switch to a reverse sweep on the opposite side rotating your body and putting your weight back slightly. As you put in this stroke, tilt your hips away from the paddle (but not too much) which will make your stern go under water and bow lift. The more you edge your boat the higher the bow will rise, however the water will also give more friction so either more speed or strength is needed to overcome this. If you edge your boat too much, it will stall and you'll most likely capsize. The best way of find the best angle is through trial and error. Don't be scared of going over! To take this skill on to an eddy-line makes things much more fun, as the flow can send you really vertical, without much effort at all, as long as your technique is right. Paddle in an arc across the eddyline. As your hip passes over the eddyline put in a reverse sweep on the downstream side, increasing the edge upstream on your boat a little, as practiced on the flat.
