PaddleWise by thread

From: Jim Champoux <jim_at_sigall.com>
subject: [Paddlewise] stroke poll...aw, c'mon
Date: Wed, 23 Jun 1999 09:06:29 -0400
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?

faithfully
jim



***************************************************************************
PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List
Submissions:     paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net
Subscriptions:   paddlewise-request_at_lists.intelenet.net
Website:         http://www.paddlewise.net/
***************************************************************************
From: Barbara Kossy <bkossy_at_igc.org>
subject: Re: [Paddlewise] stroke poll...aw, c'mon
Date: Wed, 23 Jun 1999 06:38:03
I think the reason few answered is that is so damn tedious to write about a
paddle stroke. It's technical writing.  Videos are better.
Barbara



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?
>
>faithfully
>jim
>
>
>
>***************************************************************************
>PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List
>Submissions:     paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net
>Subscriptions:   paddlewise-request_at_lists.intelenet.net
>Website:         http://www.paddlewise.net/
>***************************************************************************
>
>
Sea Kayak Italy http://www.seakayakitaly.com
tel. 650-728-8720 fax 650-728-8753
bkossy_at_igc.org
***************************************************************************
PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List
Submissions:     paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net
Subscriptions:   paddlewise-request_at_lists.intelenet.net
Website:         http://www.paddlewise.net/
***************************************************************************
From: John Waddington <waddinj_at_recorder.ca>
subject: Re: [Paddlewise] stroke poll...aw, c'mon
Date: Wed, 23 Jun 1999 12:14:07 -0400
Jim Champoux wrote:
> So, why no takers on my stroke poll? I received two responses to my stroke
> question

Due to a shoulder injury several years ago, my stroke is somewhat messed
up.  For a few years I paddled sort of one-armed, then for several years
was not able to paddle at all.  I have only been paddling again for
about a year and am working hard to overcome some really ugly habits
formed when my shoulder didn't work very well.  I too was hoping that
Jim would get some answers and was looking forward to how others do it. 
Stoke that is.  I mean stoke with their paddle (when they're paddling
their kayaks!).

John
***************************************************************************
PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List
Submissions:     paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net
Subscriptions:   paddlewise-request_at_lists.intelenet.net
Website:         http://www.paddlewise.net/
***************************************************************************
From: Steve Jernigan <jernigan_at_chester.uccs.edu>
subject: Re: [Paddlewise] stroke poll...aw, c'mon
Date: Wed, 23 Jun 1999 10:20:01 -0600
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.
***************************************************************************
PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List
Submissions:     paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net
Subscriptions:   paddlewise-request_at_lists.intelenet.net
Website:         http://www.paddlewise.net/
***************************************************************************

This archive was generated by hypermail 2.4.0 : Thu Aug 21 2025 - 16:33:00 PDT