Gerry wrote; >I have new narrow blade graphite Eddyline Windswift and a new wood Superior Greenland >paddle. Both 7'6". I studied VanDoren's Greenland style video and use that technique >with both paddles. While the wood paddle is better for sculling moves, the lighter graphite >is more pleasant for long distances. >Has anyone else experience with both modern and old-fashioned Greenland style >paddles? Please don't consider aesthetics in your comparison, only paddling feel and >utility. Most modern blades lack the foil shape (thickness) of a wood paddle. The result is less lift when sculling and possibly some loss of control due to the sharper edges. Lightweight is a virtue in paddles and the very thing that might make the modern paddle less suitable for rolling makes it better for straight ahead paddling. I.e. the flatter blade face increases the drag coefficient. This means you need less velocity to generate the same drag and this can reduce the velocity to that which is more in tune with your natural cadence. Another factor may be the difference in rigidity. Some people prefer a flexible paddle and this does seem to alleviate some shoulder problems although I have yet to see any controlled studies to show why or if this is actually true. Of course, this assumes that all other factors like blade area etc.. are equal. If they aren't, then the difference may not be in the construction or even shape and may be in the area or distribution of area. It is a mistake to isolate one variable as being the determinant variable without considering other variables that may not be constant. The feel of paddle is so subjective that you should be cautious in accepting any paddler's verdict other than your own. While Jerry asked that aesthetics be left out of this I am not sure they can. My favourite story (that bears repeating) concerns this very topic. Some years ago I took two canoes to a canoe symposium. I told a group of expert paddlers that they were slightly different versions of the same boat and that I was curious which they thought was best. Both boats were made in the same mold and of the same construction. The difference was that one was red with wood trim and the other was white with aluminium trim. It was unanimous that the red boat was faster and more responsive. I chuckle every time I recall it. Similar studies have been done by advertising firms to show that the same product will have variable reception depending upon presentation. A classic is the green steak test where normal and green steaks are served to diners. The green steaks always taste terrible although both will taste good when the diner is blindfolded. . Oddly enough people are reluctant to admit that they like a paddle just because it looks good and will manufacture all manner of pseudo technical reasons why it is wonderful. It seems to me that paddling an aesthetically centred activity, enough to like the look of a thing and unnecessary that it be "better" than other objects of the same type. Of course, it is nice if it really is "better" and that is what boat builders and paddle makers try to do - make a better mouse trap that is more appealing to the mouse. Cheers, John Winters Redwing Designs Specialists in Human Powered Watercraft http://home.ican.net/~735769/ *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List Submissions: paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net Subscriptions: paddlewise-request_at_lists.intelenet.net Website: http://www.gasp-seakayak.net/paddlewise/ ***************************************************************************Received on Thu Mar 26 1998 - 05:14:40 PST
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