At 10:46 AM 10/15/98 -0400, Dan McCarty wrote: > >Feathered/Unfeathered Paddles: >Has anyone paddled into 20-30+ knot winds with a feathered paddle? I paddle >unfeathered but I think when the winds are in this range the only thing one can >do is make headway. Your body in the wind is just such a huge sail that the >paddle configuration is the least of your concerns.... Would an feathered >paddle make a difference? > I've used a Greenland paddle, unfeathered, in very gusty conditions. While there is more general resistance to the wind, strong gusts of wind do not grab at one half of the paddle, so you get a nice steady feeling, and no big paddle-wrenching surprises. Barbara Richmond, Calif. * -- * -- * -- * -- * -- * -- * -- * --*--*-- Barbara Kossy Communications voice: 510-234-3479 fax: 510-234-6615 * -- * -- * -- * -- * -- * -- * -- * -- *--* -- *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List Submissions: paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net Subscriptions: paddlewise-request_at_lists.intelenet.net Website: http://www.gasp-seakayak.net/paddlewise/ ***************************************************************************
In heavy winds a short Greenland storm paddle, used with a sliding stroke really shines. The sliding motion and the design of the paddle leaves very little blade exposed past the pushing hand to catch the wind. A full-size Greenland paddle will produce a noticeable amount of wind drag in a strong head wind but I agree with Barbara that handling in heavy winds is very predictable and this is a tremendous asset when fighting gusty beam winds. Concerning a feathered paddle in heavy head winds, John Dowd has written that your paddle may attempt to spin in your hands as the wind deflects of the varying paddle angles. Does anyone on this list have personal experience with this? Is this only a threat with a hard feather approaching 90 degrees? I never experienced this during my time with feathered blades (although a strong beam gust almost capsized me once). As a tangent, I was happy to hear that Maligiaq Padilla, the new Greenland National Champion has built a Greenland storm kayak. It was thought that this design and the knowledge to build it had become forgotten, lost to time and cultural change. According to H.C. Petersen in Skinboats of Greenland, Greenlanders used to have two kayaks, one for regular paddling and the other for storms. This kayak was reportedly so unstable that it would not sit upright if placed in the water by itself. Regarding the storm kayak Petersen notes "It was a narrow and deep type of kayak which could not be used as a simple replacement for a normal kayak." "When the wind pressed it down into the water it rode low and stable and its shape gave the kayaker complete mastery over its movements". The hull configuration was a narrow, very deep-V with a high center of gravity. I hope to get a photo and construction details when Maligiaq returns to Greenland. Greg Stamer Orlando, Florida >At 10:46 AM 10/15/98 -0400, Dan McCarty wrote: >>Feathered/Unfeathered Paddles: >>Has anyone paddled into 20-30+ knot winds with a feathered paddle? I paddle >>unfeathered but I think when the winds are in this range the only thing one can >>do is make headway. Your body in the wind is just such a huge sail that the >>paddle configuration is the least of your concerns.... Would an feathered >>paddle make a difference? >>At 10:09 AM 10/15/98 -0700, Barbara Kossy wrote: >I've used a Greenland paddle, unfeathered, in very gusty conditions. While >there is more general resistance to the wind, strong gusts of wind do not >grab at one half of the paddle, so you get a nice steady feeling, and no big >paddle-wrenching surprises. > >Barbara >Richmond, Calif. >* -- * -- * -- * -- * -- * -- * -- * --*--*-- > Barbara Kossy Communications > voice: 510-234-3479 fax: 510-234-6615 >* -- * -- * -- * -- * -- * -- * -- * -- *--* -- > >*************************************************************************** >PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List >Submissions: paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net >Subscriptions: paddlewise-request_at_lists.intelenet.net >Website: http://www.gasp-seakayak.net/paddlewise/ >*************************************************************************** > > *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List Submissions: paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net Subscriptions: paddlewise-request_at_lists.intelenet.net Website: http://www.gasp-seakayak.net/paddlewise/ ***************************************************************************
> >Concerning a feathered paddle in heavy head winds, John Dowd has written >that your paddle may attempt to spin in your hands as the wind deflects of >the varying paddle angles. Does anyone on this list have personal >experience with this? Yes. But I was a complete beginner in conditions way over my head due to total ignorance. A side gust ripped the exposed blade from my hand. I believe I would have died had I held on. I was on the exposed west coast of Vancouver Island in a boat with no bulkheads or floatation, no wet suit and no one around who had ever practiced a rescue. Jerry *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List Submissions: paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net Subscriptions: paddlewise-request_at_lists.intelenet.net Website: http://www.gasp-seakayak.net/paddlewise/ ***************************************************************************
Jerry wrote: > Yes. But I was a complete beginner in conditions way over my head due to > total ignorance. A side gust ripped the exposed blade from my hand. I > believe I would have died had I held on. I was on the exposed west coast of > Vancouver Island in a boat with no bulkheads or floatation, no wet suit and > no one around who had ever practiced a rescue. GOSH! Nice to have you here, Jerry ;-) Ari Fin-land *************************************************************************** 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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