[Paddlewise] Different paddles, different strokes Re: confused Aussie :-)

I can't say one paddle is better than another unless I also specify the
purpose.
The more highly refined the paddle, the more narrow the purpose.
Applying information from racing to recreational pastimes is of limited
usefullness at best, and may be flat wrong at worst.

Even making choices for one type of racing based on another type of racing
is a very bad idea. A downriver racer will not likely use the same
equipment
as slalom racer. An openwater distance racer will use equipment different 
than either of them.

It gets worse!
An example from NASCAR.
Racers in NASCAR (good ones, $$$$$) have different engines for qualifying 
and for racing. Without the special engine for qualifying, you chances of
making the field are slim, and you have NO chance of being in the front
of the pack at the start.
That qualifying engine would NEVER last for a race.
Which engine is better?
None of those engines would be usefull at all on the street.

The test in racing is winning.
To win you must go as fast as possible while still being able to finish
the race. Efficiency only enters the equation in the being able to finish
part. Again from NASCAR, if the car runs out of gas on the way to victory
circle, great. If you run out of gas on the backstreach of the last lap
then your efficiency was not good enough.

When a human is the source of power it adds another factor.
Can the human train to the point where she/he can sustain the 'less
efficient'
but faster setup for the duration and thereby win?

jhecht_at_capaccess.org wrote:

> Of course there are differences among paddles.  An Eskimo paddle may be
> better for long steady paddles (though I don't like them for that or any
> other purpose) whereas a wider euro paddle might be better for racing.  Of
> course time trials are hardly a recreational setting, but that's not the
> point.  Different paddles are better for different types of paddling.  And
> a high stroke and wing paddle may be faster, and therefore used by racers,
> but that doesn't mean it will allow the average non-racing paddler to
> cover his or her maximum distance in a day.  

--------------------------------------------

> Regarding the original point that the paddle doesn't move, just the boat
> does - I have no idea whether that's true, 

To put it simply, it is NOT TRUE.

Both the boat and the paddle move, but the boat moves a LOT more than the
paddle. How much more? I don't know, has anyone done detailed studies?

I would guess that the ratio of boat to paddle motion is at leats 10:1, 
maybe more, even much more. I just don't know.

I will offer $100 US to anyone who can prove that the paddle does not move 
throught the water during a forward stroke in a kayak or canoe.
The paddle MUST move some to generate any force. A very good paddle
doesn't
need to move much.

I will end with a very old quote about boats that also applies to paddles.

"A good boat is one that brings pleasure to her owner"

michael

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