Re:[Paddlewise] Cockpit Depth for Greenland Paddling]

Mark,

I think I get what you're talking about..........except I'm not sure
about how
the length of the cockpit factors in. Although if you're reaching in
front of the cockpit with your hands during your stroke, you may have a
technique issue here. Hard to say without seeing you paddle. How long a
paddle are you using?

The Arctic Hawk should be a good boat for Greenland technique. I know
several people who paddle them with Greenland paddles, and haven't heard
a complaint. I used to paddle a Necky Narpa, and was constantly banging
my knuckes on the cockpit rim. So much so that I have scars on my
knuckles from it. I now paddle a CD Caribou, and no nuckle-dragging. I'm
almost certain that it's deeper than the Hawk is.

Bottom line is if you like the boat you're in, and you have to pick up
your
stroke a little, so be it. I use a near-vertical stroke with my
Greenland paddles to accelerate or to sprint. Works well.

Wayne Smith



MJAkayaker_at_aol.com wrote:

> I am 5'-7.5" tall, 145 lbs and am currently paddling an Artic Hawk.
It is
> 22" wide, has the 24" long cockpit, and the inside depth of the
cockpit at
> the front is 10.75".  With the 24" cockpit my front hand at the end of
the
> stroke is actually a couple of inches in front of the cockpit.  I have
been
> test paddling some other boats and have run into a problem with most
of them.
>  For the one's with the 29"-31" cockpits, if the cockpit depth is 12"
or
> greater, I either hit my knuckles or have to change my stroke to the
point
> that it feels more like Euro-touring stroke (more vertical, not as
much
> paddle in the water, and top hand just below eyelevel).
>
> Questions:
> 1. Can a person my size still effectively use Greenland technique with
these
> deeper, longer cockpits?
>
> 2. Does it sound like I am currently keeping my hands too low for
proper
> technique?
>
> 3. Is there anything to watch for to tell if the deeper cockpit  is
changing
> the stroke enough to make a significant difference in my efficiency?
>
> 4. Would having a shorter cockpit (like the 20" on some of the Valley
kayaks)
> allow for keeping the lower hand position that I am use to even if
they are
> deeper than the 10.75" in the Hawk?  (I do not want to make a 3-4 day
trip to
> test paddle one of these if its not likely to be any different than
the boats
> I have tried).
>
> 5. I am looking for a more manuverable (better suited to surfing)
kayak than
> the Arctic Hawk.  The only ones that I found with lower cockpits are
the
> Mariner Elan-10.75" and the Dagger Meridian SK-S -11.25" (a cutdown
version
> of the Meridian SK).  Are there some other's out there that I should
be
> considering?
>
> 6. What are the cockpit depths for the Valley Pintail and Avocet?
>
> I would appreciate any information you could give me.
>
> Mark J. Arnold

--
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Wayne Smith
wsmith16_at_snet.net

Check out my sea kayaking & homebrewing page:
http://pages.cthome.net/wsmith16/home.html


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Date: Mon, 16 Oct 2000 23:02:45 -0400
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Subject: Re: [Paddlewise] Cockpit Depth for Greenland Paddling
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Mark,

I think I get what you're talking about..........except I'm not sure about how
the length of the cockpit factors in. Although if you're reaching in front of the
cockpit with your hands during your stroke, you may have a technique issue here.
Hard to say without seeing you paddle. How long a paddle are you using?

The Arctic Hawk should be a good boat for Greenland technique. I know several
people who paddle them with Greenland paddles, and haven't heard a complaint. I
used to paddle a Necky Narpa, and was constantly banging my knuckes on the
cockpit rim. So much so that I have scars on my knuckles from it. I now paddle a
CD Caribou, and no knuckle-dragging. I'm almost certain that it's deeper than the
Hawk is.

Bottom line is if you like the boat you're in, and you have to pick up your
stroke a little, so be it. I use a near-vertical stroke with my Greenland paddles
to accelerate or to sprint. Works well.

Wayne Smith



MJAkayaker_at_aol.com wrote:

> I am 5'-7.5" tall, 145 lbs and am currently paddling an Artic Hawk.  It is
> 22" wide, has the 24" long cockpit, and the inside depth of the cockpit at
> the front is 10.75".  With the 24" cockpit my front hand at the end of the
> stroke is actually a couple of inches in front of the cockpit.  I have been
> test paddling some other boats and have run into a problem with most of them.
>  For the one's with the 29"-31" cockpits, if the cockpit depth is 12" or
> greater, I either hit my knuckles or have to change my stroke to the point
> that it feels more like Euro-touring stroke (more vertical, not as much
> paddle in the water, and top hand just below eyelevel).
>
> Questions:
> 1. Can a person my size still effectively use Greenland technique with these
> deeper, longer cockpits?
>
> 2. Does it sound like I am currently keeping my hands too low for proper
> technique?
>
> 3. Is there anything to watch for to tell if the deeper cockpit  is changing
> the stroke enough to make a significant difference in my efficiency?
>
> 4. Would having a shorter cockpit (like the 20" on some of the Valley kayaks)
> allow for keeping the lower hand position that I am use to even if they are
> deeper than the 10.75" in the Hawk?  (I do not want to make a 3-4 day trip to
> test paddle one of these if its not likely to be any different than the boats
> I have tried).
>
> 5. I am looking for a more manuverable (better suited to surfing) kayak than
> the Arctic Hawk.  The only ones that I found with lower cockpits are the
> Mariner Elan-10.75" and the Dagger Meridian SK-S -11.25" (a cutdown version
> of the Meridian SK).  Are there some other's out there that I should be
> considering?
>
> 6. What are the cockpit depths for the Valley Pintail and Avocet?
>
> I would appreciate any information you could give me.
>
> Mark J. Arnold

--
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Wayne Smith
wsmith16_at_snet.net

Check out my sea kayaking & homebrewing page:
http://pages.cthome.net/wsmith16/home.html


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