Re: [Paddlewise] stroke poll...aw, c'mon

At 09:06 AM 6/23/99 -0400, Jim Champoux wrote:
>So in the two years that I have been with you all, I have endured endless
>conversations about various esoterica...paper or plastic, roll or fries
>etc. and loved every minute of it.
>
>So, why no takers on my stroke poll? I received two responses to my stroke
>question, and one of them was from someone named "toki" who offered to
>*sell* me the answers for $10.00 (canadian of course).
>
>email me privately if your afraid of being publicly exposed as having a
>"wrong" stroke....all I want to do is compare myself against some known
>paddle techniques.
>
>c'mon
>
>...please?

Well, since you asked so nicely . . .
On flatwater: If I am in a hurry, or beating against a significant
headwind, I will switch sides on a 2-3 or 3-4 pattern using a short quick
forward stroke with no correction and as much power at the "catch" as I can
wind into it. I use either a Zaveral carbon (light) or a Bending Branches
wood (pretty light, more blade) bent paddle. If merely loafing along,
fishing, or traveling with a current, I use either a J or C stroke, or
sometimes just the front 1/2 of the C, on whichever side lets any existing
breeze do most of the correction for me. If I'm dragging a lure, I prefer
to paddle on the same side as my fishin' pole, as then I can watch the tip
and regulate my speed for best lure action. Sometimes I will spin the boat
around and paddle backwards for a change of pace, using a reverse J, which
for some strange reason works really well for me.
On faster moving water, where there are strainers, rocks, undercut banks,
etc. to avoid, I pretty much do whatever seems prudent at the time to stay
out of trouble. I use a straight paddle, and try to set things up so as to
avoid having to switch sides at an inopportune time. I generally prefer a
back ferry over a front ferry, and usually get better results from a
cross-bow duffek as opposed to the on-side version. An exception is when
pulling out of an eddy into a real brisk current, where the offside duffek
might trap my paddle with embarrassing (to say the least) consequences.
I paddle a wenonah solo boat with absolutely no rocker, and I'm sure that
this affects my preferences. I keep my butt firmly planted in the tractor
seat, and brace my knees against foam pads glued just below the gunwales. I
have tried bicycle style toe clips on the footbrace, but can't really say
how much they help. Kneeling doesn't seem to help much, as there is nothing
to rest my fanny against. 
I paddled a WW 'yak once many many summers ago, but chiefly remember being
concerned with keeping the closed side down, and not fouling my shorts at
the time ;-)
Not really what you asked for, but hope it'll stimulate some more
discussion at least.
ByeBye! S.
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