Michael Daly wrote: > > From: "John Fereira" <jaf30_at_cornell.edu> > > > > Did the instructor also cover the sweep stroke? When doing a sweep stroke > > the most effective part of the stroke is the last half. If you're doing a > > forward sweep, the greatest turning motion is achieved when the paddle > > blade is the water from about the cockpit back towards the stern. > > I know one BCU instructor that states quite emphatically that this is completely > wrong. He says that the water is too turbulent near the rear of the hull for the > stroke to be effective and insists you stop just past the hip. I think he's wrong, > IMNSHO, because the turbulent water is very close to the kayak and you'd have > to whack the kayak with the blade to get into that region. I think the the potential increase in cadence is a far better argument than turbulence, lift, whatever. > > Personally, I have a real problem with all these explanations. If you do a sweep > stroke from the torso, with hands low (paddle shaft close to horizontal) and in a > more or less static position relative to the body, you are applying a constant > moment (torque)* that will turn the kayak regardless of the point where the paddle > is inserted! Or to get to the point, the stroke is just as effective in turning at the > front as at the back. and now for something completely different- I was taught (ACA/BCU) the the primary sweep power is at the bow til 2:00, forward from 2-4:00, then strong sweep from 4-6:00. the best way to do this is as you express in the next quote: > > I always do a sweep with a full rotation (as close to 180 degrees as I need) and > often do a return stroke as a low brace. The latter keeps me confident if on a > hard edge. with the addition of that nice skimming brace that I was introduced to just last year. > > Mike > > *Technically, this is a wrench rather than a moment. You are generating a moment > and a linear force simultaneously. In this case, the linear force changes direction > continously, so you slide away from the stroke side of the kayak at the start of the > stroke, forward in the middle of the stroke and toward the stroke side at the end, > assuming you go roughly 180 degrees. > > *************************************************************************** > 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/ > *************************************************************************** -- ¤ Gabriel L Romeu ¤ http://studiofurniture.com + /diary or + /paint *************************************************************************** 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/ ***************************************************************************Received on Thu Jun 14 2001 - 00:10:36 PDT
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