My two cents: I enjoy paddling with Greenland paddles. Are they more efficient than modern styles? I don't know, but I think that to a certain extent efficiency depends more on paddling style than on the paddle. Because I made the looms on my first paddles too short, I use the East Greenland sliding stroke in which, during the forward stroke, the paddle is passed back and forth through the hands a distance of six inches to a foot -- or more, if some bracing is required. I don't know that this stroke is more or less efficient than other strokes, but one advantage is that it allows more of the blade to be planted in the water, and so allows the use of a paddle that is shorter than normal. Doug Van Doren once told me that John Heath says that this stroke was typically used with paddles that were a little shorter than normal. Another advantage is that because with practice the sliding motion becomes largely automatic, sliding the paddle out even more for an extended brace requires hardly any thought. So John Winters can use a shorter Greenland paddle without being unauthentic. ;-) Maybe it is a whitewater legacy, but most kayakers seem to be taught -- whether consciously or unconsciously -- to keep their hands in one place. This appears to apply to most Greenland-style paddlers, too, except for braces and rolls. In fact, Van Doren was not even aware that the East Greenlanders incorporated a partial slide into their forward stroke until I brought it to his attention last year. (Even then he had to confirm it with John Heath before he would accept it.) Maybe I will drop the sliding stroke myself when I finally finish my new paddle, which has a longer loom. ;-) However, one of my favorite scenes in Palos Brudefaerd is a closeup montage of the heroine's brother cruising along with a graceful, effortless-looking sliding stroke, and one of my goals -- rarely achieved -- is to bring my own technique to the point where it looks like that. FWIW, most of the sea kayaking instructors in the Twin Cities area prefer the Greenland paddle for their personal use, and at least one applies what he has learned from using a Greenland paddle to his teaching for all paddle styles. I know of only two who do not prefer a Greenland paddle: Don Dimond and Bill Newman, who have made a hobby of paddling across the Great Lakes. (Bill also has a strong whitewater background.) One thing I have noticed is that my Greenland paddle does slip more in the water than my old 245 cm Wind Swift, which I bought on bad advice about length. On the rare occasion when I paddle with the Wind Swift, I am surprised by how much better it grips the water, but also by how small and uncomfortable the loom feels. If it were shorter, I might use the Wind Swift more, but in truth I prefer the more comfortable and secure grip of the Greenland paddle. This slippage does make it harder to accelerate with a Greenland paddle. The trade-off, as others have noted, is that there is less stress on my paddling muscles, so they never feel more more tired than the rest of me at the end of a long day, yet my average cruising speed with a loaded kayak is about the same as others -- about 3 to 3.5 mph. And of course it is a great rolling paddle, as even the Winters brothers have conceded. BTW, the Wind Swift is an ounce or two lighter than my lightest Greenland paddle. There are at least two authentic Greenland forward strokes. The one with the paddle held low is often thought to be the quintessential Greenland forward stroke. However, the Greenlanders also used a higher stroke with the paddle planted closer to the kayak when they were in a hurry, and I have been told that this high stroke was typically used with the storm paddle. I have a high intensity acquaintance who uses a wing paddle. He paddles mainly for exercise, and is always in racing mode. He is a straight-ahead paddler with little interest in just fooling around in his kayak. So far as I know, his bracing skills are rudimentary and his roll nonexistant. The wing paddle is the perfect paddle for him. But not for me; I like to fool around in my kayak, and on Wednesday evenings I spent almost as much time upside down as I do right side up. For me a Greenland paddle is the perfect paddle. I guess it's a matter of different strokes for different folks. Chuck Holst *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List Submissions: paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net Subscriptions: paddlewise-request_at_lists.intelenet.net Website: http://www.gasp-seakayak.net/paddlewise/ ***************************************************************************
On Wed, Jul 22, 1998 at 01:09:53PM -0500, Chuck Holst wrote: > Maybe it is a whitewater legacy, but most kayakers seem to be > taught -- whether consciously or unconsciously -- to keep their > hands in one place. Why, yes, of course we do. Moving one's hands around on the paddle shaft accomplishes nothing but to waste energy that's better directed into propelling the boat, so I'm surprised to hear that anyone would actually *deliberately* do so. What would be the point? ---Rsk Rich Kulawiec rsk_at_gsp.org *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List Submissions: paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net Subscriptions: paddlewise-request_at_lists.intelenet.net Website: http://www.gasp-seakayak.net/paddlewise/ ***************************************************************************
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