Re: [Paddlewise] Switching paddle types

From: Nick Schade <schade_at_guillemot-kayaks.com>
Date: Tue, 17 Sep 2002 14:18:26 -0400
At 8:35 AM -0700 9/17/02, Shawn Baker wrote:
>Nick Schade <schade_at_guillemot-kayaks.com> wrote:
>>Why can't you "cant" a euro paddle? Seems to me that I do and when I
>>look at other euro paddlers so do they.
>
>I can't seem to find success canting a Euro as much as the Greenland
>Paddle.  I seem to get more ventilation, possibly due to the rib on the
>back face of the blade when the paddle is canted to 45†.
>
>So...you can, but why would you?
>
>Again, you could build a euro with the same profile and action as a
>GP....but most manufacturers _don't_.
>

The reason you would use a canted blade with a euro is the same 
reason you would with a GP. The improvement you see with GP when you 
switch from un-canted to canted also occurs with the euro. It 
decreases flutter and more importantly it forces the water to flow in 
on direction around the blade. This increases mass of water you are 
pushing against. As a result the blade works more efficiently.

One interesting often sited result of the canted stroke is it makes 
the GP feel like it is placed in concrete. To me this sounds like it 
makes it harder to pull. If the goal of a paddle was to make it 
easier to pull (more comfortable), I would think people would want to 
avoid the canted stroke. But most people intuitively understand that 
the "in concrete" feel is a good thing.

Next time you go out with a euro paddle take a look at the blade as 
you paddle. I bet you will see that the upper edge of blade is canted 
toward your bow. Maybe it is not as much as with your GP, but I doubt 
it is perpendicular to the water surface. A clean entry and release 
almost demand a canted stroke. I think most people end up doing it 
without even realizing.
-- 
Nick Schade
Guillemot Kayaks
824 Thompson St
Glastonbury, CT 06033
(860) 659-8847
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Received on Tue Sep 17 2002 - 11:19:04 PDT

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