Re: [Paddlewise] Greenland paddles

Julio wrote;

->
>The feather is one reason. If you try the low Greenland stroke with
>a feathered paddle you are likely to ruin your wrists.
>But the main reason why it is difficult (I am not saying impossible) to
>do Greenland style paddling with a modern blade is that the Greenland
>paddle has a symmetrical hydrofoil shape --a wing-- and modern paddles
>do not.

My modern blade is not feathered and I know that some builkders don't mind
making unfeathered paddles. Why can't the modern blade be made with an
airfoil shape?
.
>
>Another thing that one has to watch out is that true Greenland paddles
>have a short shaft, and the paddler is always partially gripping the
>blade directly, there is no confusion on the position of the blade
>at any time. Commercial Greenland paddles have a long shaft and the
>paddle puts his/her hands in a round portion of the paddle. That can
>make rolling pretty confusing, and so is bracing and paddling affected.

Anyreason why a locator can't be put on modern shafts or that the shaft
can't be oval?

>
>Racers race, Greenlanders tour or hunt. That is what the wing paddle was
>designed for, racing. Atheletes would use kayaks specifically designed
>for racing, and use wing paddles designed to optimize the efficiency of
>motion, with the sole purpose of moving forward faster than any one.

I am not sure why racing needs to be different. If you run do you not run?
Do you learn inefficient running because you don't race? Ditto with skiing?
Maybe the requirements are more extreme but does it make sense to try learn
the skill properly no matter what you are doing?

>
>> And in response to Dana:
>> I am confused. If the Greenland paddle slips through the water more
easily
>> then isn't more energy lost? If so, why does it use less energy? Seems
to
>> be contradiction.
>
>The issue is not whether or not a paddle uses more or less energy,
>is how it uses it.

I don't understand this.

>
>It might be phychological; faster and shorter strokes with less force
>are probably more comfortable for the spirit of many humans. Being calm
>and relaxed conserves energy, and paddling with a succession of
'umpfs -umpfs'
>(pulling hard) drains mental and physical energy together.

My question was why a modern blade could not duplicate the characteristics
of the Greenland blade. Is that not possible or is it impossible?
>
>Again, modern paddles lack the symmetrical foil shape. You can try
>to paddle with a model of a Greenland paddle without the foil shape
>and find out that it does not take you anywhere.

Why doesn't it work if it is flat?

>I am under the impression that Greenland paddles work like wing paddles
>but flying through the water upside down (they dig down as they enter
>the water, and that force is used with the torso rotation to aid
>in pushing forward)

Sorry but I am dense and don't comprehend.
>
>The Greenland paddle flies through the water, the lift component that
>is used to push the boat forward is more important than the side
>component used by the drag of the blade alone.

In other words you are saying that th Greenland paddle works like a wing
except in a horizontal direction instead of vertically?

>
>A good scientific way to improve Greenland paddling would probably be
>to experiment with NACA foils, and decreasing angles of attack towards
>the ends, like airplane propelers. Maybe one could get to the most
>efficient Greenland paddle for Greenland racing, if there ever is
>that discipline.

Suppose someone said that they had done this test already and discoveredf
it was not valid?

Cheers,
John Winters
Redwing Designs
Specialists in Human Powered Watercraft
http://home.ican.net/~735769/


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