The traditional kayak is a simple watercraft design believed to be nearly 4,000 years old, and in its simplicity, it has proven to be a great resource for survival. If you live near a large body of water, knowing how to kayak is wise—even if you don’t own your own, you may be able to appropriate one as a means of transport if SHTF. Then again, kayaks are inexpensive to own or rent, so you might consider integrating one into your bug-out plan (or back-up plan).
Like any watercraft, there’s some technique and skill involved in using a kayak. Fortunately, we recently found an excellent resource for anyone interested in learning: KayakPaddling.net. This free guide walks you through 21 different kayak maneuvers, from simple balancing to complex recovery rolls, with animations and text captions for each. It’s certainly worth a quick browse—even if you never plan on using a kayak, it’s always good to know. Click here to visit the KayakPaddling.net interactive guide.