Re: [Paddlewise] ACA Greenland certific

From: Nick Schade <schade_at_guillemot-kayaks.com>
Date: Thu, 15 Jul 1999 18:01:11 -0400
At 12:43 AM -0400 7/13/99, Greg Stamer wrote:
>At 09:08 AM 7/12/99 -0400, Nick Schade wrote:
>>"Narrow Blade Style"  raises no objections from me. I do think most of the
>>techniques associated with narrow blades are very applicable to wide
>>blades, so basing the name on one particular kind of paddle is limiting.
>>But it is a way to teach people who want to use a narrow blade how to use
>>it.
<snip>
>I disagree with you however, about most techniques for narrow versus wide
>blade paddles being basically the same. Have you ever seen an experienced
>"Europaddler" charge off with a "Greenland stick" for the first time. What
>a disaster. Nothing but excessive slippage, flutter (and often a stream of
>obscenities) due to incorrect technique. There are different forward stroke
>techniques to learn, the paddle is held quite differently, the shape of the
>stroke is different, the paddle sensations are different, recovery from
>braces is done differently (you don't feather the paddle vertically to exit
>as with a "Euroblade"), and so on. Nothing mysterious or difficult mind
>you, just different.
>
<snip>

I did not try to say that "Euro" and "Greenland" are the same.  They are
different, but many of the extended paddle and sliding stroke techniques of
the "Greenland" style are applicable to "Euro" paddles. I often use a low
paddle stroke with my "Euro" blade which is very similar to the "Greenland"
technique. There is no magic about the narrow blade which makes it so the
skill learned while using a "Greenland" paddle can not be adapted to good
effect with a wide "Euro" blade and vice-versa. The same laws of physic
apply. All paddles function in the same universe and anything you can do
with one paddle you can find a similar function with a different paddle.
The different paddles will do things differently, but in the end they are
still paddles with more similarities than differences.

Nick



Nick Schade
Guillemot Kayaks
10 Ash Swamp Rd
Glastonbury, CT 06033
(860) 659-8847

Schade_at_guillemot-kayaks.com
http://www.guillemot-kayaks.com/

>>>>"It's not just Art, It's a Craft!"<<<<


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Received on Thu Jul 15 1999 - 16:29:05 PDT

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