Ralph wrote; - >1. Interesting to have an arbitrary 210 cm dividing point when it is >generally quite difficult to find any manufactured sea kayak or touring >paddle below 220 cm. I am not arguing with the 210 cm divide. Just >that it doesn't seem to conform with the real choices a paddler has when >he or she wanders into a shop. It's like sitting in Brooklyn and >deciding to categorize people as either Finnish speaking and English >speaking. There aren't that many Finns around. I have no problem with any other cut-off point that anyone wants to suggest even if it's use remians confined to this mailing list. The terms "long" and "short" have so little meaning and some kind of agreed upon cut-off would do wonders for making discussion more clear. > >2. I doubt that there are universal biomechanics at work since human >builds vary so greatly as does strength, stamina, motivation, etc. >Perhaps kayak shops should have some measuring devices as do shoe stores >to at least narrow needs in paddle length and blade shape. Methods exist to size all kinds of things from clothing to tennis grips I would be surprised to find out that kayaking could not be handled similarly. Of course, people are different but one has to wonder if nothing would provide a better fit than something. Imagine buying a pair of shoes if there were no standard sizing. I know I really need a size 12.36 but 12.5 isn't all thta bad. :-) > >3. Certainly a longer paddle begets flatter paddling and flatter >paddling beckons for longer paddles. Same with shorter paddles, i.e. >calling for closer more vertical strokes, etc. I think what happens in >these arguments is that we stack up all those points that confirm our >own style and paddle choice is "best." I think those who do ergonomic studies might wonder at whether "best" is what you like or whether what one likes devolves from familiarity rather than the mechanical realities. All of us have seen that the "best" of many things has changed and evolved. I suspect that change results from someone asking "How can this be done better?" rather than "What is best?" What is best is what we think is best based upon experience but how can we know that something isn't better when we cut off inquiry by assuming the absolute? 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 Sun Sep 27 1998 - 17:03:40 PDT
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