Peter said: When stationary I can get a forward sweep to move a sea kayak about 45 degrees but when moving the forward sweep gives only about 20 degrees - less on choppy water unless I'm on top of a wave. This compares with 90 degrees rotation for a reverse sweep whether moving or stationary. My reply: The engineers will tell if I'm correct, but I'm pretty sure that a boat moving forward will resist turning, which is why long, skinny flatwater racer boats have rudders to turn with. [forgive the lousy grammer, please] A reverse sweep kills the forward momentum, allowing the boat to turn more easily. My sermon on the forward vs reverse sweep has been preached in these pages before, so let me summarize by betting that a stationary boat turns better with a forward sweep than a reverse. Which suggests that it is not the sweep that is the problem. In slalom racing there are three forward sweeps: bow, stern and full. Hardly any slalomist uses any but the bow. It starts at the bow, hence its unusual name, and ends at 90 degrees or so to the keel of the boat. This usually allows balance to be maintained pretty easily. Peter, is your balance problem related to the part of the full sweep that takes the paddle past your body? The bow forward sweep is quite strong if the legs are engaged - push the feet away from the paddle using your waist muscles. Good luck Jim Tibensky _________________________________________________________________ Get your FREE download of MSN Explorer at http://explorer.msn.com/intl.asp. *************************************************************************** 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/ ***************************************************************************
And don't forget the lean. Heavily onto your paddle side. This will get some of that long, straight turn-resistor out of the water. I have to comment on Jim's advice on leg engagement. Very good, and I generally follow it. Had a sheepish moment this fall in strong N/NW winds on a long skinny lake - got the the south end quickly pushed by the wind. Went to turn 180 to port to avoid getting pushed into the rocky shore. Sweeping like crazy and the (usually nimble) boat is resisting my every attempt, barely coming around. Leaning and pushing like nuts on the right side. Begin cursing. Remember that I had actually dropped my usually strapped-up rudder to keep course in the quartering wind without constant correction. Relax and push on the LEFT foot. Voila! Boat turns! I just know there's a moral to this story but I won't fan the flames of Rudder v. Not. Let me just say that it is easier to turn a QCC 600 AGAINST its rudder that it is to turn some other boats I have paddled normally. And it may be a great way to practice strong sweeps :). Jennifer --- James Tibensky <jimtibensky_at_hotmail.com> wrote: > Peter said: When stationary I can get a forward > sweep to move a sea kayak > about 45 degrees but when moving the forward sweep > gives only about 20 > degrees - less on choppy water unless I'm on top of > a wave. This compares > with 90 degrees rotation for a reverse sweep whether > moving or stationary. > > My reply: The engineers will tell if I'm correct, > but I'm pretty sure that > a boat moving forward will resist turning, which is > why long, skinny > flatwater racer boats have rudders to turn with. > [forgive the lousy > grammer, please] A reverse sweep kills the forward > momentum, allowing the > boat to turn more easily. My sermon on the forward > vs reverse sweep has > been preached in these pages before, so let me > summarize by betting that a > stationary boat turns better with a forward sweep > than a reverse. Which > suggests that it is not the sweep that is the > problem. > > In slalom racing there are three forward sweeps: > bow, stern and full. > Hardly any slalomist uses any but the bow. It > starts at the bow, hence its > unusual name, and ends at 90 degrees or so to the > keel of the boat. This > usually allows balance to be maintained pretty > easily. Peter, is your > balance problem related to the part of the full > sweep that takes the paddle > past your body? > > The bow forward sweep is quite strong if the legs > are engaged - push the > feet away from the paddle using your waist muscles. > > Good luck > > Jim Tibensky Send FREE video emails in Yahoo! Mail! http://promo.yahoo.com/videomail/ *************************************************************************** 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/ ***************************************************************************
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