James Durkin: This query has to do with switching back and forth between various paddle types and how frustrating or easy people have found it to be. Me: During the summer I paddle four or five days a week. My usual pattern is to run slalom gates one day with my slalom, European style, paddle. The next day, to use completely different muscles and for balance skills, I paddle my slalom kayak with a canoe paddle that is cut down in length. The third day in the cycle is an aerobic workout with my slalom boat and my Superior brand Inuit paddle, which uses different muscles than either of the other two paddle styles. I always use the slalom boat for daily paddles because it is so light and easy to carry [nine kilograms]. On camping trips I use both Inuit and European paddles, sometimes using both in the same session with my Romany. This past week I camped on the Mississippi River in Illinois. With my Inuit paddle I surfed a barge pusher's wake for about ten minutes. I found my acceleration feeling just as good as with my European style paddle, a Mitchell Sea Blade if that matters. I had no trouble catching back up to the boat with the Inuit paddle when I fell off the wake. Anyway, because I switch so often, I have no trouble at all making the transition from one blade type to the other to the third. In fact, on camping trips my spare is often the canoe paddle. Rolling is easier for me with the Inuit paddle but I haven't used it enough in violent water to be comfortable with emergency braces yet. And my Inuit boat is a skin on frame kayak that is 17.5 inches wide and 18 feet long, so wavy water really does require a lot of braces! So far I haven't been tipped over in the narrow boat, but the day is coming, I know. Jim Tibensky _________________________________________________________________ Chat with friends online, try MSN Messenger: http://messenger.msn.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 Mon Sep 16 2002 - 07:43:46 PDT
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