JD, After reading various articles and your side drifting book — as well as watching the side drifting video by Amato Publications — I have side drifting down fairly well. The one technique i still cannot find info on is how to scull. I have looked everywhere and I cant seem to find out just how to do this. Any chance you could try and explain how? Thanks a ton!
–Ryan
Ryan,
Sculling is really something that you have to get out on the water and do…it’s pretty tough to tell you how to do it in print.
Let’s try to get the basic concept here, though….Sculling a driftboat while side-drifting is something you do with only one oar, which will be in a more vertical position than when you’re rowing normally. It’s mainly a wrist rolling motion that gives you much more fine control of the boat’s drift (read: speed) than a conventional stroke. It’s all about keeping your lines in the right position!
The best way to learn is to book a good side-drifting guide in your neck of the woods and take lots of notes of his/her technique throughout the day. And then, practice, practice, practice. It feels weird at first, but you’ll get it over time.
Hope that helps a little! –JD
