What does the crosswind effect do to a kayak?

• A. Causes kayak to spin in place
• B. Pushes bow into the wind
• C. Pushes kayak sideways, weathercocking
• D. Pulls the kayak backward along its course

Answer: (C)

Crosswinds push the kayak sideways across the wind, creating a lateral drift called leeway. At the same time, the wind tends to turn the boat so that the bow points into the wind, a behavior known as weathercocking. So the main effect is that the kayak is pushed sideways while it tends to yaw upwind. This is why paddlers often angle the bow into the wind or use edging and corrective strokes to counteract the sideways push and keep a straight course. The other ideas—spinning in place, simply driving the bow into the wind, or being pulled backward—don’t capture the combination of sideways movement and the yaw toward the wind that the crosswind typically produces.