Re: [Paddlewise] BCU&ACA Paddles of-a-feather...

LedJube_at_aol.com wrote:

>     I was recently told that one of the requirements of BCU Coach awards is
> the use of a feathered paddle. Someone else told me last night that the ACA
> requires the same of it's instructors.
>     I have paddled unfeathered since my start in this sport, because is
> seemed more logical than the use of a feathered paddle. I still believe that
> there is no significant advantage to the use of feathered over unfeathered.

When I took the BCU coach II assessment we had someone there with a Greenland
paddle and they made them take the entire assessment over the next day with a
Feathered Euro-style paddle.  The BCU in general seems to have a strong bias
toward paddling feathered the ACA less so.  Regardless as an instructor you need
to be able to explain the advantages and disadvantages of both and teach both
feathered and unfeathered paddle technique.  When I teach an ACA 8 hour course I
usually start with the students paddles unfeathered, since they have an easier
time intially with an unfeather paddle, but then make them switch to feathered at
the end of the on the water session.

I started out first in my parents folding boats, then whitewater,then sea
kayaking, but always from age 3 paddled a feathered blade.  It is awkward for me
to demonstrate paddling unfeathered but I think you owe it to your students to
decide for themselves.  Since I paddle feathered I am sure my class gives the
students a bit of a bias toward paddling feathered, but I would never dream of
only demonstrating and teaching feathered paddling.

Also the BCU and ACA differ in what they teach for certain techniques like the
T-rescue.  If teaching the ACA format I show them the ACA version and explain
what I do or don't like about it, but I also show the BCU way and teach them when
and where I would prefer using their version of the rescue.

I feel you need to teach the format of a given BCU or ACA course, but you owe the
students your personal experiences and the methods and techniques that you have
learned from other programs and other paddlers.  You have every right to teach
them what you prefer and why, but try not limit them with your own preferences or
predjudices.  What works well for one person may not work for another - make sure
the student gets to know all of their options.

>
>
> ***************************************************************************
> 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/
> ***************************************************************************



***************************************************************************
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/
***************************************************************************