Matt Broze http://www.marinerkayaks.com -----Original Message----- Greg Stamer wrote: >While paddling into a severe headwind is hard work for even a narrow >unfeathered paddle (except a storm paddle), one technique that I have often >used but have never heard discussed is to adopt a "racing bicycle" posture >where you bend at the waist and keep your torso low and extremely close to >the deck. If I recall correctly, there is some footage of Greenlanders >demonstrating this posture in John Heath's Kayak Qlubben video. > >This posture does inhibit some torso rotation but it so drastically reduces >windage on your body that it makes a tremendous difference in very strong >headwinds. I have not found this to be a viable technique for a feathered >blade since all the blade rotation would have to be performed by wrist cock >alone due to the extremely horizontal angle of the paddle shaft. Of course, >this posture gets uncomfortable after a short period of time but it does >have its uses. The bicycle racer technique is a good one as the benefit of reduced windage can out weigh the greater power of torso rotation into very strong winds. Funny you should think there is a problem doing this with unfeathered paddles though. I have paddled stooped over for hours into 35 to 40 mile per hour winds using a feathered paddle and little or no wrist rotation. As long as one is willing to rotate either upper hand on the paddle shaft you don't have to bend your wrist during any stroke, high or low. "Low hand control" may take a few hours to learn but I never had a wrist problem since I started paddling this way and I had a serious problem with my "control" wrist before. *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List Submissions: paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net Subscriptions: paddlewise-request_at_lists.intelenet.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************Received on Thu Aug 12 1999 - 23:16:53 PDT
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