Special Water Sports Equipments of Lake Balaton

Visiting Lake Balaton, swimming is not the only activity you can do, there are many other opportunities to spend your free time in water. Everyone, I suppose, has already heard about pedalo or kayak but there are some other special sport activities that aren’t common yet, itthon.hu reports.

SUP, or rowing in a standing position

The first one is the stand-up paddle-or SUP- which is a mixture of surf and canoe. Essentially it is standing on a giant surfboard and propelling yourself along with a single ended paddle. It’s not just extremely big waves that SUPs can deal with: you can also catch waves that are way too small for conventional surfing – or too ‘messy’. It is a new water-sport that can be enjoyed by everyone. It can be a serene and peaceful form of gentle exercise or exciting and physically demanding, however you do it, it is great for your body. Lighter than a Kayak and easier to store, with no moving parts it is more simple than windsurfing, it is safe and does not require expensive lessons or special conditions such as kite-boarding, much cheaper than sailing. It is a great way to introduce water-sports into your life and enjoy the nature around you.

You can try SUP in Tihany which is an excellent place for stand up paddling. It is safe, not to mention the beautiful landscape.

Dragon boat: which is big enough for the whole community

The next special water sports equipment is the dragon boat which was traditionally made in South China. The crew of a standard dragon boat is typically 22, comprising 20 paddlers in pairs facing toward the bow of the boat, 1 drummer or caller at the bow facing toward the paddlers, and 1 sweep (a steerer) standing at the rear of the boat. The exciting activity requires high energy yet can be enjoyed by people of diverse ages, abilities, and fitness levels. It is known for building better teams, improving communication, strengthening relationships and giving a real and lasting sense of achievement. It is not about individual skills, but everyone pulling together as one.
Dragon boats are so-called because they are typically rigged at their ends with decorative Chinese dragon heads and tails. The team members use light paddles (not oars) to propel the boat. The drummer sets the rhythm to ensure the paddlers’ strokes are in synch and the steersperson ensures that the boat stays in its designated lane.
You can try dragon boat in Balatonfured.

Proa, as a DIY sailboat

Last but not least, proa is worth mentioning. Proa in Western languages has come to describe a vessel consisting of two (usually) unequal length parallel hulls, a very fast and stabile water sports equipment. Proa got to Hungary as a result of an odd thought: the person wo thought out the idea wants to bring sailing closer to the people. It is more cost effective than the maintenance of a bigger sailboat and you can build it yourself. Of course, this requires there to be sufficient facilities nearby.

You can try proan in the Badacsony area, but later it might be possible to try them at more locations.

based on article of itthon.hu
translated by GAnina

Photo:
Dragon boat – www.sarkanyhajofesztivalok.hu
SUP – csabapeter.hu

Source: http://itthon.hu/