Re:[Paddlewise] 80 Degree Feather Versus 60 Degree Feather

Duane wrote:
<SNIP>
>>I just bought a new paddle, and like most new paddles, it came with a
feather
of 60 degrees.  What a relief!  I just paddled 16 miles feathered without a
hint of a wrist problem, and the feather angle seemed natural as I paddled.
I can't imagine going back to 80 degrees.

If I recall right, someone, possibly Matt Broze, posted a while back that
the
60 degree paddles flutter more in a strong headwind than 80.  This would
make
since because the upper blade is at more of an angle on a 60 degree paddle
than an 80.  I'll have to test this some time.<<

It isn't flutter, it is that one blade climbs when going into a strong
headwind and the other dives. Both tend to tip you to the same side and make
the paddle much harder to control in those conditions.. 45 degrees is about
the worst here. This is unfortunate because as you discovered somewhere
between 45 to 60 degrees is about the easiest feather angle for gripping a
paddle with both hands and not having to bend the wrist or lift the elbow
during a  medium to high angle power stroke.

I think a better solution than unfeathered, or 45 to 60 degree feather, is
to use "low hand control". The lower hand is the one that grips the paddle
and the upper hand is somewhat open with the paddle free to rotate and pivot
in it. This way the push can be done much like a straight punch without
bending the wrist up, down or sideways throughout the pushing phase. This
takes a little practice, but once learned will result in far less wrist
problems and a more powerful stroke. Try immobilizing the wrist on the
"control" hand and paddling. When you lift the forearm of the "control" side
you put a rotating motion on the paddle. Loosening your grip for a fraction
of a second just before burying the other blade allows this rotation to
continue the 15 to 30 extra degrees needed to not bend your wrist while
pushing (the major cause of wrist problems in paddlers in my opinion).

I paddle 75 degrees left feather (I'm right handed), but can paddle 60 to 90
degree paddles without having to consciously adjust using these techniques.
At 75 degrees the only time I notice it is less than 90 degrees is when I'm
quartering into a high wind and the climbing side is into the wind. The
lifting here is slight and easy to control so I don't see it as reason
enough to go back to a higher degree of feather angle.

Matt Broze
http://www.marinerkayaks.com

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