Re: [Paddlewise] paddle sizing

From: Greg Stamer <gstamer_at_magicnet.net>
Date: Sat, 12 May 2001 13:18:19 -0400
At 11:52 PM 5/11/01 -0400, Bob Volin wrote:
>Greenland paddlers, correct me if I'm wrong -- I have the impression that
>Greenland paddlers incorporate a skulling stroke into bracing situations.
>As long as that Greenland paddle is moving across the water, it provides
>lots of lift.

Bob,

A sculling stroke provides strong lift for bracing, and I use this method,
but my preference is usually to perform a high or low brace (similar to
Euro-style but with an extended paddle) and then recover by simply sliding
the paddle (along its length) back toward and over the foredeck. At the
finish my torso is tucked low over the foredeck for stability. The paddle
blade is pressed against the water during the recovery, rather than being
rotated and sliced out. Although not a sculling motion, this does create a
surprising amount of lift, as your inboard hand is slightly higher than the
outboard paddle tip, so that the paddle shaft is at a slight climbing angle
as the recovery progresses. This works well for the side and chest
scull/brace positions and some folks use a similar method for "Euro"
paddles too. I have observed that many novice paddlers using a Greenland
"stick" brace with their hands in a normal (non-extended) position, then
rotate the paddle 90 degrees during recovery to slice the outboard blade
out of the water. This technique does not translate well for Greenland
paddles.

I generally use an extended paddle for all bracing, and extending the
paddle becomes second nature. When done properly, one hand is always in
firm control of the paddle. Hold the paddle firmly with the outboard hand
(the hand toward the water) and pull it through the relaxed inboard hand as
you lean toward the capsize. I avoid cupping my hand over the extreme tip
of the paddle, and this is frowned upon in Greenland, as it requires you to
remove one hand from the paddle (risky) and can break mortised paddle tips.

Greg Stamer
Orlando, Florida
http://www.magicnet.net/~gstamer/QK.html
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Received on Sat May 12 2001 - 10:12:15 PDT

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