RE:[Paddlewise] : Motion of control hand in feathering

John wrote:
>>>>>After learning the conventional practice of keeping a constant grip on
the
control hand and cocking it back to stroke on the opposite side, I noticed
that my natural response to controlling a feathered paddle was to rotate and
re-grip the paddle on both sides, so that neither hand has a fixed grip. Is
there any downside to this? Orienting the paddle doesn't seem to be a
problem
with an oval shaft.<<<<<<<<<


It is interesting that you picked this up naturally. My advice to you is to
ignore most instructions regarding physical skills and trust your own body's
natural feel. You are a "Natural".

The following is from the "Paddling" manual on our website (about a third of
the way through--the last paragraph after the "Paddling Your Kayak"
heading.)

All of the strokes and braces are the most powerful when you are pulling one
arm back as though your forearm is a rope tied to the paddle by your fingers
and your pushing hand pushes directly in line with your forearm and wrist.
The paddle shaft, your wrist and your elbow should all be in a straight line
with your elbow leading (when pulling) or pushing directly behind your hand
much like making a straight punch. Any bend or angle (more commonly seen
with the pushing arm) will weaken a strokes power and effectiveness. Think
of it as giving your strokes and braces an added punch. Worse, bending your
wrist either back or side to side can lead to repetitive stress injuries. To
minimize the stress on your wrists do not bend the wrist back to "control" a
feathered paddle (as is almost universally taught) and also hold the paddle
with as loose a grip as you can. With any feather your wrists should also
not bend side to side to follow the changing shaft angle throughout the
stroke. In other words, the shaft should pivot in your hand and not bend
your wrist. This is important whether you paddle feathered or unfeathered.
With any feather angle control the blade with the hand nearest the water and
relax the upper hand so the paddle can rotate in the hand that is pushing.
This way you don’t bend your wrist when paddling feathered and you do not
have to lift your elbow out like a boxer’s hook if you paddle unfeathered
(to take out the 45 degree rotation you put on the blade by lifting the
upper hand from your elbow). With any feather it is more efficient to push
with your elbow starting at your side and the key to doing this is LOW HAND
control. [Tip: if you hold the paddle loosely between strokes the rotating
moment you put on it while lifting can be used to spin it a little further
into position with needing to bend your wrist at all.] A good paddle will
also make this adjustment to the angle if necessary as the blade enters the
water. If you have to physically immobilize your wrists with braces or tape
until you learn to paddle without bending them, do it.. They will thank you
for it later.

Matt Broze
http://www.marinerkayaks.com

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