Re: [Paddlewise] sculling brace

From: "PeterO" <rebyl_kayak_at_iprimus.com.au>

> One of my problems is that the blade tends to dive when using the power face
> down on the water as the text books advocate. When using the power face
> upwards, sculling seems much more stable as the blade tends to automatically
> find the right planing angle. Although I still can't get right down in the
> water and maintain the brace.

I learned the sculling brace correctly after struggling with it for
a while.  I took lessons from Ray Killen at the East Coast symposium 
in South Carolina last spring.

The secret is to turn your body in the cockpit so that your butt
is on the side of the kayak (ie, where your hip paddling goes)
and your back is in the water.  Trying to twist at the waist won't 
give you enough rotation and will keep your center of gravity too high.  
If you can do that, the brace is almost superfluous, since that's the 
balance brace position.  You'll also have to arch your back a bit to 
ensure that the kayak is not flopping deck-down in the water.

As far as the problem with paddle diving, I'd say beg, steal, borrow
or make a Greenland style paddle and use it until you've got the
sculling brace down pat.  Then go back to the old paddle when you
only have one problem to fight.

You can keep the power face down and not have it dive by exaggerating
the angle of attack a bit.  Make sure that the leading edge is out
of the water for the whole stroke.  That means a lot of wrist action.
You also want your inboard hand as low as possible - you can do the
stroke with the inboard blade on your chest.  In fact, you can even
lower your inboard hand to the water surface so that the paddle is
parallel to the water surface.

Mike
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