Re: [Paddlewise] "Regular" paddle stroke

Matt Broze wrote:

>I can't quite figure out how you got to here from what I said. The paddler
>in either end of the canoe mostly only moves the end they are in. In
>general, when the canoe is moving forward the stern paddler can move the
>stern end more than the bow paddler can move the bow end because of the
>relative water pressures on each end. Since either paddler turns the canoe
>when they move their end to the side, the stern paddler can turn it more.
[...]

You are confirming here mostly what I meant, only your conclusion is
different, based probably on the fact that I see 'control' as being able to
make really tight maneuvers for instance. Although the stern may turn
easier/more than the bow, that still does not move the bow (enough).
And that is what I would not describe as easier control from the stern
(paddler) as you did. If I want to move the bow, the bow has to be
maneuvered, not the stern. (A lot of ships have bow thrusters for that
same reason.) But maybe the maneuvering I (have to) do is a lot tighter?

[...]
>The bent shaft on canoe paddles (and wing racing kayak paddles) is there
>so the blade is most vertical at the position where the particular racer is
>the strongest.
[..]

Although I do use a bent-shaft paddle (mostly), I have my doubts about
this explanation of the advantage of the bent-shaft paddle.
I have given it a lot of thought and reading, but my own assumption,
so far, is to describe the effect as that the bent-shaft paddle gives the
last part of the forward stroke more effectiveness than a straight shaft?
(But I admit that the reason I prefer a bent-shaft is because it
_feels_ more effective.)

But as you said yourself:

>Some folks were trying to separate the physics from the biomechanics
>earlier to simplify the issues but I think biomechanics are important
>here as well.
[...]

The problem indeed is that we frequently 'forget' that we are separating
the physics from the biomechanics, which often does not give the right
explanation of how things really work in paddling.
Not to mention the fact that we are describing things with words,
which often tends to make it a sort of 'language' problem too.
So to clear up possibly one language question that you asked about:
when Niels Blaauw was talking about 'bow strokes',
I think he meant bow sweep strokes?
When I say 'bow strokes', I mean (all) strokes done at the bow,
like bow sweeps and bow draws, and their stationary versions
respectively bow rudder and bow post, with their crossover
counterparts.

Dirk Barends



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