>What did you learn about bracing from Maligiaq? I've been told that George >Gronseth emphasizes bracing with the Greenland paddle blade completely >submerged, and using a sweep component to generate lift. Thus a Gronseth low >brace with the Greenland paddle resembles a shallow U as the paddle dives, >sweeps backward, and comes up again. Does this in any way resemble >Maligiaq's braces? Hi Chuck, I only remember Maligiaq performing sculling braces, side and chest, and bracing into a wave while surfing. If I observed a dynamic low or high brace with a sweep and hipsnap then I found it completely conventional for it did not make an impression. On the other hand his (above water) sculling stroke is unique in that he turns his upper hand over and holds the underside of the blade in his palm (like holding the neck of a guitar). This is clearly shown in "Rolling with Maligiaq". I recall Derek Hutchinson loudly correcting a classmate of mine for doing this years ago; "its a paddle, NOT a Cello, Love!". Maligiaq's chest scull (paddle and body both perpendicular to the keel, requiring a change of hand position) is also quite different than the technique demonstrated by John Petersen in "Greenlander's at Kodiak". Petersen holds his head just above the water while making long, powerful sweeps with his torso and applies pressure to the extended outboard blade. Maligiaq on the other hand, keeps his head underwater and uses the inboard blade while making short, quick strokes. His outboard blade is completely out of the water and does not contribute to the stroke. >From your description, I don't know how my personal bracing technique compares with what George teaches. I also use a strong sweep or sculling motion with varying degrees of hipsnap to recover but I don't worry at all about keeping the blade submerged, in fact I try to keep the paddle near the surface as this makes recovery easier. Whether rolling or bracing if you are putting any pressure on the blade at all it will be at least partially submerged and the Greenland blade develops so much lift that you have a great deal of latitude for personal variations. Rather than keeping the paddle too near the surface, most folks have the opposite problem, the blade dives or sinks too deep which makes recovery difficult. Final recovery from a high or low brace with a Greenland paddle is different than often taught for a "Euro-blade" in that you do not rotate the paddle blade 90 degrees and slice it out of the water. You keep the business end in contact with the water and slide the paddle shaft across (and above) your foredeck. This acts as a strong brace and keeps your paddle blade in the water in case you need to add an additional sculling stroke or sweep. If I recall correctly, there is some good footage of John Petersen practicing some braces in the bay during the last half of "Greenlanders at Kodiak". Greg Stamer *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - All postings copyright the author and not to be reproduced outside PaddleWise without author's permission Submissions: paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net Subscriptions: paddlewise-request_at_lists.intelenet.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************Received on Tue Feb 22 2000 - 18:17:00 PST
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