Re: [Paddlewise] Kayak surfing question - low/high brace

On Wed, Jul 19, 2000 at 04:47:59PM -0500, Bob Klemick wrote:
> Is there a website on bracing that shows drawings or photos, I'm a  novice and
> some of the jargon is difficult to follow........bob klemick

I dunno if there's a web site for this -- though a lot of books cover it.

Try this on for size:

Sit down, as if you were in the boat.  Pretend to hold a paddle (or
really hold one).  Now bring both elbows in so that they're against
your ribs, and hold your hands out in front of you so that they're
at the same level at your elbows.  (You should look sorta like a cramped
piano player at this point. ;-) )

If you now relax a bit, allow your elbows to move out a bit maybe your
hands to move up or down a little, you're in just about the same
position you'd be if you were doing a low brace.  If you're using
a kayak paddle, you can either use the power or back face of the
blade -- I tend to use the power face when bracing right, off face
when bracing left because it's easier on my wrists.

To simulate a high brace, go out to your garage and put your
paddle on top of the roof of your car.  Get in and open the
sunroof.  Now reach up through the sunroof and grab the paddle with
both hands. ;-)   [Note that it would be difficult to rotate the
paddle enough to use the "off" face in this case!]

This is one of those things that engenders debate every time it
comes up, but one thing to note is that when you're in the low
brace position, there's a lot of slack in your shoulders and elbows;
when you're high-bracing, they're isn't.  Low-bracing takes longer
to master, but it does seem to protect folks from injury (at least
in my experience); it leaves you closer to being set up to roll
if the brace doesn't work; and it's an easier to position to get
to when interrupting yourself mid-stroke to brace.

(Forget the stuff I said about C-1/C-2, it'll just confuse you
at this point.  Heck, sometimes it confuses me!...said confusion
is usually followed by the sound "Oh sh...", then the sound "splash",
then the sound "glug", then some random thrashing around upside-down,
and then maybe the sound "ugh" as the hip-snap finishes a successful
roll...or not...)

---Rsk
Rich Kulawiec
rsk_at_gsp.org
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