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Many nautical terms not defined. Much information specific to "British" kayaking. Pros: A very detailed and technical section on strokes. Enjoyable reading.Cons: Dated. Not a single mention of how to tie a knot.
Derek's got a great British sense of humor too. Plus the drawings are done in an ingenious way to actually depict what to do. Of course, a book is not a sole substitute for time on the water, but it has helped me with my rolls, knee hanging, paddle-supported extreme turns, confidence, injury avoidance and bracing. Clearly my favorite of the four or five guides that I own on sea kayaking. You can actually learn paddle tips from this book (5th Edition) because Hutchinson is one of the "granddaddies of sea kayaking" and his tips, analogies and descriptions give you a clear picture of how to perform different moves, including rolls. If you sea kayak and you want a overall guide in your library, the 5th Edition is the only one you need to own.
A very good introduction to basic and advanced techniques by an author with tremendous seas kayaking experience. Lots of good diagrams, clear discriptions, nice layout.
He & his book are both a must for serious sea kayakers. Read his book and took his class. Don
Overall, I was disappointed with the quality of instruction presented in this book. The book does cover a complete range of topics relevant to the sea kayaker: all topics just mentioned plus weather, tides, navigation, wind, etc. This book reads like a laundry list of things to do in a kayak: equipment choices, paddle strokes, rescue techniques, rolling, surfing maneuvers, etc.; without rhyme or reason as to their purpose or when they should be executed. I did learn quite a lot from the sections on turning strokes and eskimo rolling, but not as much as I feel I should have and not enough to know where or when to use a particular technique. Derek Hutchinson has led kayaking expeditions around the world and teaches highly regarded seminars on the sport. However, he seems unable to clearly translate this teaching ability to print. Unfortunately, many sections are out-of-date, such as the equipment section; a lot of information, such as that on nautical charts and on weather, is specific to kayaking in Britain; and some information, such as that on tidal currents, is just plain wrong.
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