Matt Bouman - Wake Riding

"Riding wash" is when a paddler positions his/her boat on the wake of another paddler's boat. A similar concept to "drafting", a common practice in cycling and motor sports, riding wake allows you to maintain a higher speed with less effort. It is an accepted practice in most flatwater racing, and adds an exciting tactical element to the race.

Matt Bouman provides some more insight.

What are the most ideal conditions for riding wake? When do you get the most benefit?

Wash riding is only beneficial when the water is flat enough. When there are any sort of decent runs, it becomes difficult and often detrimental to stay on another paddlers wash. It is much better to find your own rhythm and pace once the runs are involved.

Which is the best position: off the stern or bow wake?

Unless you have a bunch of boats, at least three or four, side wash is better. Side wash is also a tactically superior position to be sitting, as you have time and space to counter any attacks. Sitting on the stern wash when paddling into a head wind is not a bad idea. If you are in a group of three boats, it's nice to sit on the stern of the lead boat as you benefit from the side wash of the other boat, as well as getting a bit off assistance form the lead boat. Just remember, you have to be aware of what's going on around you.

The ultimate wave is sitting "diamond". This is when you are on the stern wash of a lead boat and there are boats on either side of the lead boat. This position is probably another 15% easier than sitting side wash.

Is wake riding a good way to train with a group? Can it be a more effective way to interval train by resting on another paddlers wake?

At some stage, you do need to train riding washes. How else are you going to learn how to do it? It's a skill which you have to develop if you want to be successful at racing. However, it can also be the lazy way of training, so you consider it a skill to practice instead of conditioning. You should always be trying to sit in open water when training. Of course it would be cool to train on the wash of someone who is a superior paddler, but be honest!

Can slower paddlers get faster buy riding a stronger paddlers wake for a workout?

If it makes you hurt, it's likely to be making you stronger. Perhaps the best way to approach it would be to start in your own water and when it is clear you are losing ground and can't keep up the pace any longer, go for the wash.

When training in a group, how should paddlers pack up to maximize wake riding? How often should paddlers rotate up to the front to pull?

The ideal group is 4. Pull time depends on the strength of the paddlers in the group. If you are all of a similar strength, then the etiquette is to share the pull equally. Usual protocol is to allow the paddler who has just pulled to slip back into the diamond position after a pull, to recover.

What is your opinion on the etiquette of wake riding in a race?

All is fair in love and war. Just don't cut anyone off by pushing them into banks, pier's buoys, etc. The polite method is to share all work, but this seldom happens when everyone is going for the win.