The Riding Position

The Natural Position

Riding is the most stable and comfortable  position, and it offers best control over your boat and the most leverage on your paddle.

Riding (mounting) the W saddle

Your legs are on both sides  of your body, and your feet are in a direct line below your  body.
For  Fishing, Riding is the preferred position,  rivalling only with standing. When you cast riding you have more power than when casting in the sitting position.

Riding a W  Kayak is similar to mounting a pony:  Your upper body rests on the saddle  and your thighs hold its sides, while each foot rests firmly on the bottom of a hull, as it would in a stirrup.
This position is similar to the riding  position used in other high performance vehicles such All Terrain Vehicles  (ATV), Snowmobiles, and Jet skis.
In  the Riding position your thighs, legs and feet are positioned directly below  your body and take active part in all your efforts: Balancing, Control and  Paddling.
Riding is the best position for  beginning W Kayakers. It is also the best position in  white-water and surfing applications.

Sitting

Leisure Positions

Sitting means having your legs positioned in front of your body. Sitting positions are less stable and powerful than Riding, and not recommended for beginning W Kayakers, or  for paddling in moving water.
The  sitting positions are good for relaxing on flat water.  Adding a back rest  (lumbar support) is not necessary in the W kayak, and few W kayakers choose to  outfit their boat with such an accessory.

Variations:
1. Regular sitting,  which is similar to sitting in a canoe
2. Sitting with both  legs stretched forward
3. Mixed: one leg in the regular  position and the other stretched forward

Kneeling

For Seasoned  Canoeists
A paddling position used by some racing and white-water canoeists.
You can kneel on one knee (‘High Kneel’) or on both knees.  You may use either a double blade or single blade paddle.
If your knees don’t reach the bottom of the hulls you can use padding as seen in the right side image
In the W kayak, Kneeling doesn’t offer any particular advantage, and you get both more power and stability in the Riding position.

Standing

The Stand Up Kayak – For Real
Unfortunately, stand up paddling is often described as a feature offered by many kayaks and stand up paddle boards
out there, but nothing could be further from the truth –
In fact, when it comes to normal paddlers and anglers, who are neither lightweight nor extremely athletic, only W kayaks offer the possibility to paddle and fish standing up in comfort and confidence, and only W kayaks offer a critical safety feature in the form of a 14″ high saddle to fall on, in case you lose balance.
To understand what standing up in a kayak really means from all aspects, including ergonomics, safety, stability and balance, go to this website’s
Stand Up Paddling and Fishing section >>
You can paddle on both sides of the boat or just on one side- in parallel and with a J stroke.
After some practicing you can try to paddle standing in moving water and in the surf.
Fishing: Standing is a natural, preferred position that offers both leverage and height. If you find it hard to fight a strong fish and balance the boat while standing you can switch to Riding instantly and effortlessly, which is a unique safety feature that only the W kayak offers.
NOTE: Very tall, heavy and elderly people should expect a longer learning period.

Additional Positions

Mixed Riding and  Sitting
You can paddle and fish with one leg in the Riding  position and the other leg placed forward in the regular sitting position, or  entirely stretched forward.
Such positions are quite powerful, and can be  useful for counteracting a lateral current or wind, and as yet more options for  reducing fatigue in long trips.

One Leg Folded on the Saddle Top
This position can be pretty comfortable when you spend time in  one place and need to operate a fishing rod or a camera on one side of the  boat.
It is sometimes useful when two people paddle in tandem using single  blade (canoe) paddle – each on a different side of the boat.

The Worlds Most Stable Boats and Kayaks