Bruce Winterbon wrote: > > It's easy to keep a solo canoe going in a straight line: use a double-bladed > paddle. While you're at it, why not also add a rudder? Most flatwater cruising and marathon canoes are paddled from a sitting position with the feet set against a foot brace. It shouldn't be all that difficult to attach rotating rudder pedals to the foot brace (which would be superior to the sliding rudder pedals found on most kayaks). Then all you would need is a couple of rudder cables and a rudder assembly and you would have the ultimate in "cruise control". This would allow you to avoid using all of those pesky strokes. :-) The thing I like the most about canoeing is the elegance of the single-bladed paddle. Sure, kayaks are a bit more efficient, but it's easy to overstate the difference (assuming that one is willing to put in the time developing proper technique). I must admit, however, that as I become older and lazier I find myself increasingly in kayaks (both on flatwater and whitewater), as they are more forgiving of sloppy technique and do not require as much concentration. Maybe some day, when I am really old and decrepit, I will also start using a rudder. Dan Hagen Bellingham, Washington *************************************************************************** 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 Fri Jul 17 1998 - 09:05:16 PDT
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