[Paddlewise] Paddlewise: Paddle Efficiency

I've kayaked 150 days a year or more since 1966.  I love using a canoe 
paddle for my kayak because it requires a range of motion that I don't get 
with anything else [I usually use a canoe paddle with a very short shaft one 
day, regular paddle the next day and a Greenland paddle the third day to get 
maximum variation, flexibility and entertainment].  But most of my millions 
of strokes have been with a non-Inuit type kayak paddle.  My whole body is 
now put together to do one thing well: lie in hammock reading a book because 
of arthritis.  Seriously though,  it is kayaking.  Whenever I go long 
distance with the C-blade, my lower back hurts.  My muscles, tendons, 
ligaments and brain are just not as happy with a single blade.  But I 
believe the C-stroke allows me to lean my weight onto the paddle and saves 
effort compared to the double bladed thing.  Really long, long distance 
races [Texas Water Safari for instance] seem to be won by people with single 
blades for this reason.  It's a more natural motion, I think. Different 
strokes for different strokes always applies.

But I would never think that a C-blader could have have the higher stroke 
rate.  One of the most important lessons in sprint kayak racing is getting 
the lower blade out of the water as fast as possible and the upper one in as 
fast as possible.  Once learned, no canoist could keep up the momentum of a 
kayakist, could they?.  I've been in a K-4 three times doing the stunt of 
pulling a water skier.  The only canoe I've known to do this was a war canoe 
with eight or ten paddlers.  I bet a C-4 couldn't maintain the momentum to 
do it.

Waiting to be proven wrong [again!]..........

Jim Tibensky
_________________________________________________________________
Get your FREE download of MSN Explorer at http://explorer.msn.com

***************************************************************************
PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - Any opinions or suggestions expressed
here are solely those of the writer(s). You must assume the entire
responsibility for reliance upon them. All postings copyright the author.
Submissions:     PaddleWise_at_PaddleWise.net
Subscriptions:   PaddleWise-request_at_PaddleWise.net
Website:         http://www.paddlewise.net/
***************************************************************************