RE:[Paddlewise] skills-Long (so what else is new?)

Joan,

I just graduated from being a good strong intermediate paddler on an SOT
(20+NM ocean paddles, surf launches and landings, open ocean crossings of
13+ NM etc) to being a beginner again in a Gulfstream.

I purchased mine from a friend whom I've paddled with for several years and
I too was feeling the "tippy" feeling. My friend Pete kept telling me that
the boat has low initial stability but that the secondary stability is
awesome!!

The trick for me was when Pete suggested that I just get a lot looser in the
hips and let the boat do what it wants to do. His advice was that the boat
would not capsize unless the occupant (he said idiot-referring to me) in the
cockpit did something to make it capsize.

This weekend, I did my first surf launch and landing in it (I've only had it
for 2 weeks now), and I lost my reputation as the "holy roller" of our
club--I gained that reputation from some of the more spectacular surf
landings that I've attempted. On Sunday, I started to surf a wave in and
Pete had told me that this boat will broach every time and to not try and
fight it. I just slid my stern rudder stroke over into a low brace and rode
that wave in sideways. It even looked like I knew what I was doing.

Trust your boat--it's a great one and don't think tippy---think "it's really
easy to edge and control". ;-)

Steve Holtzman

>     It just couldn't be that simple. It just couldn't be. I ended
> up leaving
> because I had to see if this was the answer to the struggle I've
> been having
> for a year with my Gulfstream. I paddled out and looked for a
> wake or two to
> try this idea on. I tried edging, keeping a thought on where my shoulders
> were.
>     Maybe someone had tried to tell me this before but I didn't get it.
> Watching the display of what happened when Brian rocked Ruth's
> boat finally
> gave me an understanding of the dynamic of the balance. I was
> just floored. I
> was frustrated that for a change there were few boats out to rock
> my boat.
> So, the next day I went to the Potomac for the club paddle there.
> I got one
> good wake to ride there, again, not a bobble. It just seemed too easy an
> answer.
>     Sat. I'm out on the Bay with the wind making some of the water a bit
> lumpy. There is even a white cap or two for a few minutes.
> Nothing. I'm like
> a rock out there. I decided to test the theory by going back to
> my old way.
> Immediately I felt the tippy, unpleasant feeling. I can't be sure
> it isn't
> that I expect to feel that way so I do but I do know that the
> water I'm in
> would have made me at least concerned but I was out there feeling
> like I'm in
> my armchair.

>
> Joan Spinner



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