William Malone <wmalone_at_mediaone.net> wrote >>>>>>>>I am very impressed with Mr. Kruger's paddling and design skills. He says " Whether paddling the Sea Wind canoe or the Dreamcatcher kayak, the single blade canoe paddle increases your efficiency. A double bladed paddle is necessary for other kayaks because their hull form is unstable and requires bracing on either side in certain conditions. Also, many kayaks don't have a rudder or the rudder is an afterthought. The extra weight of the off-side blade swinging through the air accumulates over several thousand paddle strokes in a day to sap your energy."<<<<<<<<<<< Canoe strokes are more efficient for the reason Verlen stated, and the weight of the blade that must be lifted as well. However the higher sitting position in one of Verlens very kayak like "Canoes" is why a wider boat is needed and braces are still necessary as Verlen himself found out off the Oregon Coast in the early eighties. I guess only one capsize in 28,000 miles is not unreasonable, but without his partner Steve Landick, Steve's kayak paddle, an EPIRB, the Coast Guard, and some good luck he wouldn't have survived. his kayak was recovered eight days later well offshore. A reporter who paddled with him about that time later stated that Verlen did not have a brace and would get repeatedly dumped in the surf during a training session he was a part of in preparation for the West Coast leg of the 28,000 mile paddle. >>>>>>>>In a magazine article he talked about a group of canoeist leaving a group of experienced kayakers behind over a several day trip.<<<<<<<<< Individual paddlers vary in strength and skill so this means nothing. Steve Landick was both a canoer and a kayaker and had both paddles with him on the 28,000 mile trip. He said he could make more miles per day using the canoe paddle and I believe him. I paddled his Monarch for a while (with my kayak paddle) and it didn't seem especially efficient to me (as one might expect with a 28" wide hull). He also says "Contrary to what some may believe, a larger, longer boat paddles easier, safer, and with better handling characteristics than many smaller less stable craft. For all its size and stability the Dreamcatcher is as fast as some of the marathon racing C-1's." I doubt this but I have never paddled a Dreamcatcher. Verlen was a top marathon racer himself so I'm sure he could outpace most paddlers in a marathon C-1's. Verlen also had the advantage of using a rudder so he didn't have to switch sides every eight strokes but only when he felt like it (marathon C-1's don't use a rudder). >>>>>>>>I would be interested in what some of the more knowledgeable members of this group have to say about the relative speed of the Dreamcatcher and about the endurance speed of the canoeist versus the Kayaker. I hope Matt Broze will comment.<<<<<<<< Okay, you sucked me in to responding this time. In 1984 at the Maine Symposium my roommate, Verlen Kruger, had the loudest snore I have ever heard before or since. It sounded something like an intermittent chainsaw. it was hard to carry on a conversation with a third party during the wall shaking resonance. Good thing, I was very tired and also a sound sleeper. Matt Broze http://www.marinerkayaks.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/ ***************************************************************************Received on Sun Oct 14 2001 - 23:49:57 PDT
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