Jed wrote > I heard things a bit differently. Steve Scherrer taked about > moving the stern rather than the bow. I'll let him go into it > in greater detail but I agree completely with his explaination. > I will say just this, to turn the boat while moving forward > one must move the stern, not the bow. To try and move the bow > is a waste of time. G'day, Jed, Steve, The idea that the first half of the sweep is ineffective seems to contradict the idea of leaning far forward to start the sweep stroke. Does reaching forward only apply to boats with rocker or which are stationary? Does this mean I could turn just as well on the move by starting from the middle and only carrying out the last half of the sweep. Alternatively does it make sense to use the first part of the turn to lean the boat well on its side while using a support stroke and then kick in with the vertical stroke for the last half at the same time as starting to hip flick back into upright? By the way thanks for giving me the 90 degree goal to aim for!! All the best, PeterO *************************************************************************** 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/ ***************************************************************************
Hi Peter, Jed wrote > I heard things a bit differently. Steve Scherrer taked about > moving the stern rather than the bow. I'll let him go into it > in greater detail but I agree completely with his explaination. > I will say just this, to turn the boat while moving forward > one must move the stern, not the bow. To try and move the bow > is a waste of time. Peter wrote >The idea that the first half of the sweep is ineffective seems >to contradict the idea of leaning far forward to start the sweep stroke. >Does reaching forward only apply to boats with rocker or which are >stationary? True, this does present a contradiction with respect to how one is taught to turn a stationary boat. Degree of rocker will affect how easily a boat can turn on an even keel but doesn't change the basic theory involved. The whole story is that for a stationary boat, the most effective forward sweep will move from bow to stern with both the beginning and the end of the stroke being equally effective. If the boat is moving forward only the last half of the stroke (closer to last third) is effective. When the boat is moving backwards, the last half (1/3rd) of the reverse sweep is the most effective part. Peter wrote >Does this mean I could turn just as well on the move by starting from the >middle and only carrying out the last half of the sweep. Alternatively does >it make sense to use the first part of the turn to lean the boat well on its >side while using a support stroke and then kick in with the vertical stroke >for the last half at the same time as starting to hip flick back into >upright? My technique is this: knowing I have to turn left, things actually start with my last forward stroke on my right. I edge the boat proportionaly to the sharpness of the turn required. As my forward stroke ends I turn my torso aggressively as I try to hit the stern of my boat with a stern draw. The speed of the stern draw is dependent on my forward speed. If I'm moving slowly the stern draw can be performed more slowly but if I'm moving quickly the stern draw is done with speed and purpose. I strive to balance my boat on edge while I keep my paddle blade perpendicular to the path of the paddle. From here I can either hold the boat on edge and wait, as the boat turns itself, or I can help things along by adding a bow rudder. If I let the boat turn (by keeping it steeply on edge) I can get about 90 degrees out of the turn. If I add a bow rudder I can usually get 180 degrees. Both of these turns however require the paddler to wait and let the boat do the work after edging and the sweep (stern draw). If I drop my edge and let the boat go to an even keel, then the turning stops. This is the technique I was taught by the local BCU guys during 4* training. It doesn't sit well with folks that still have the "bow to stern" part of the stationary sweep ringing in their heads but it does work, at least for me.. No doubt I will be taught a clearer way to explain this in the future. >By the way thanks for giving me the 90 degree goal to aim for!! Please keep in mind the sweep only initiates the turn in this case. It's the boat being held on edge that allows the boat to carve the 90 degree turn. By the end of the sweep that boat has only tuned about 30 degrees or less. Then it's a matter of holding the edge and letting the boat turn by itself. Perhaps Steve and others can offer a clearer desciption of the actually forces involved. The above is just my understanding of the technique and how I use it. Have fun! Jed *************************************************************************** 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/ ***************************************************************************
Jed writes:>>Perhaps Steve and others can offer a clearer description of the actually forces involved. The above is just my understanding of the technique and how I use it.>> Dude, you hit the nail on the head! The strong stern draw action swings/ pulls the stern over into the soft eddy water and when you look back at the bow, guess what? New course. Whoo Hoo! Boat tilt and edging only adds to the speed at which it happens! The bow rudder component REALLY speeds up the process by pulling the bow over and is best done AFTER the hull is deep into the turn. I see people initiate their turn with a bow rudder sometimes and see a lot of stress on their arms/ paddle. No need for that if it's well timed. steve *************************************************************************** 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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