Re: [Paddlewise] Feathered v Unfeathered paddles

I think Timothy meant control hand and not non-control-hand. (Correct me if
I'm wrong) Once you loosen the hand grip of your "control hand" (the method
I advocate as well) it is almost as easy to let the paddle rotate to 75 or
even 90 degrees as to 45 or 60. Lifting the paddle from the elbow provides
the rotating momentum, loosening the hand allows the momentum to continue
the rotation to where you want the shaft to stop. Control the paddle with
the hand nearest the water. This works for unfeathered too. If you don't
release the grip on the upper hand of an unfeathered paddle this means you
must lift the elbow on the upper hand side to compensate for the natural 45
degree rotation of lifting the paddle into position to start a stroke. An
unfeathered paddler doing this looks like a boxer throwing hooks rather than
straight punches and lifting the elbow is a lot of extra work. Unfortunately
this is how most unfeathered paddlers paddle. Try "low hand" control and
letting the upper hand rotate on the shaft with unfeathered as well as
feathered for a more efficient and less damaging stroke. Loosen up your grip
and relax your fingers on the push, just hooking your fingers around the
shaft on the pull is usually all you need for control and helps lessen
strain and unnecessary motion on the pulling wrist.
Matt Broze
http://www.marinerkayaks.com
-----Original Message-----
From: Joe Pylka <pylka_at_castle.net>
To: Sandykayak_at_aol.com <Sandykayak_at_aol.com>; timothy.g.mattson_at_intel.com
<timothy.g.mattson_at_intel.com>; paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net
<paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net>
Date: Wednesday, August 11, 1999 1:10 PM
Subject: Re: [Paddlewise] Feathered v Unfeathered paddles


>><< And as someone brings up each time we get into this discussion, with
>proper
>> technique, you do not "cock the wrist" with each stroke on the
>> "non-control-hand" side.  I know, many of the books out there tell you to
>do
>> so, but if you watch a really good paddler who uses a feathered paddle,
>> you'll see that during a forwawrd stroke, the wrist is in a straight line
>> with the fore-arm.  Adjustments are made in the shoulder and elbow to
>> properly orient the blade. >>
>>
>>Oh, Oh.  You don't???   I'm 99.9% sure that I "rotate" my wrist.   Does
>this increase
>>the risk of carpal tunnel syndrome which, considering I'm a writer and at
>the
>>PC almost all day, looks as if I'll be lucky to escape?
>>Sandy Kramer
>
>
>        I just grabbed my paddle and looked at what I do.  No, I don't
>rotate the wrist of my non-control hand, but the control wrist does get
>pulled up a little (45 degree feather).  But then I don't adjust with
>shoulder or elbow either -- that could probably hurt....      What I do is
>loosen my grip and let the shaft rotate in my hand.  Wrist still stays
>straight.
>
>
>***************************************************************************
>PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List
>Submissions:     paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net
>Subscriptions:   paddlewise-request_at_lists.intelenet.net
>Website:         http://www.paddlewise.net/
>***************************************************************************

***************************************************************************
PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List
Submissions:     paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net
Subscriptions:   paddlewise-request_at_lists.intelenet.net
Website:         http://www.paddlewise.net/
***************************************************************************