G'Day, I'm practicing bracing at the moment - particularly the sculling brace. My ambition is to get to a more or less horizontal position in or under the water while maintaining the scull. Its one of those techniques, which looks effortless in skilled hands and is a complete "dogs breakfast" when I try it lying horizontal in the water. 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. Can anyone tell me what are the disadvantages of breaking the rules and using the power face upwards during a sculling brace? 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/ ***************************************************************************
Peter writes: > Can anyone tell me what are the disadvantages of breaking the rules and > using the power face upwards during a sculling brace? Disadvantage: having to change your grip on the shaft. You'll want to maintain the same, normal grip so you don't spend time changing back and forth. Imagine having to spin your paddle 180º everytime you wanna brace? learn to feather your blade angle and all is well. It only takes a slight change in wrist/elbow position to make the desired change in blade angle. Then to go from brace to forward or reverse paddling is a snap. Or get a (symetric) Greenland paddle! ;-) 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/ ***************************************************************************
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 *************************************************************************** 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/ ***************************************************************************
I've exhausted my search skills and wondered if anyone has seen images/articles online of any Feathercraft's with their sail (the spinnaker/genoa not the spirit sail) up. Or anyone online writting their sailability. The most I've ever seen is images with the mast up but the sail stowed, and authors discussing trips where the wind was insufficient for them to make much use of the sail. There's all manner of stuff to read on Folbots and Kleppers, etc. And yes I've have your book Ralph... Just puzzled why Feathercraft owners seem to be less prone to write up about their sails. The few images I have seen, mostly K1's, had batwings or some other homemade sail. -- Craig Bowers *************************************************************************** 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/ ***************************************************************************
----- Original Message ----- From: "Craig Bowers" <craig_at_bowers.net> > I've exhausted my search skills and wondered if anyone has seen > images/articles online of any Feathercraft's with their sail (the > spinnaker/genoa not the spirit sail) up. Or anyone online writting their > sailability. The most I've ever seen is images with the mast up but the > sail stowed, and authors discussing trips where the wind was insufficient > for them to make much use of the sail. > Just puzzled why Feathercraft owners seem to be less prone to write up > about their sails. The few images I have seen, mostly K1's, had batwings > or some other homemade sail. I don't have images of the Feathercrafts using their Genoa factory sail. But I did two extensive articles with illustrations on the Batwing adapted to the K1. The Batwing, as you know, is not a homemade sail but rather a commercial product from Balogh Sail Designs. Feathercraft, to my knowledge, has yet to come up with an upwind sail. It has been talked about but not moved far yet. People continue to try to adapt sails like the Batwing to Feathercrafts. The latest I know of, which is still in the fiddling around stages, is to attach one to a Kahuna. Its likeliest mounting point will be behind the cockpit. Something like this was done by Mark Balogh with the Short Touring Feathercraft, a model discontinued a while ago. The rear mount was necessary because of concern that the power of the sail would drive the bow into the water. This setup sailed surprisingly well once the person sailing got used to doing everything backwards and developed a sixth sense of what was going on behind him. ralph diaz *************************************************************************** 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/ ***************************************************************************
At 05:07 PM 1/8/03 -0500, Michael Daly wrote: >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. >... ... >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. I spent a few hours with Ray Killen a couple of summers ago and did some informal training. He was standing in the water a dozen or so feet from shore next to me and first asked me to show him a roll. I did a roll then he said "let me see your paddle" (a lightning standard). I handed it to him and he tossed it to shore and handed me a greenland paddle and said, "try using this instead". In an hour or so he had me doing a deep water sculling brace, a sweep roll, pawlata roll, butterfly roll, and the beginnings of a balance brace. *************************************************************************** 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/ ***************************************************************************
PeterO wrote: 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. Hi Peter, I had a very strong sculling brace on my right side (control hand) but couldn't manage it on the left. A visiting BCU Level 5 coach asked me to try it with the back of the blade. Surprise, surprise, it worked. He pointed out that showed the problem was I didn't have good enough control of my blade angle using my left hand. Since then I have noticed how much more accurate I am with strokes on my right, and it is something I'm working on. I overcame the sculling brace problem with a paddle float and an extended paddle. This allowed me to ensure all other movements, body position etc. were correct. Once the blade angle was the only problem I taped a block of closed cell foam on the BACK of the blade. This meant I could plane the blade correctly, but it had sufficient buoyancy to support me if needed. Not perfect yet, but working on it. On another subject, there has been discussion on the advantages of day hatches over deck bags. Here's my two cents. On my Arluk 1.8 I have two net bags. The one behind my cockpit holds two para flares, a paddle float, a stirrup, and secures the blades of my split paddle. The front one holds a hand flare, water bottle, pump, sunscreen, snacks, and a Nikonos 3. In the event of a surf landing my cap and sunglasses quickly go in as well. During rescue training I go around and gather up all the flotsam lost from under others deck bungys. I've just returned from a paddle in my kevlar Nordkapp, which has a day hatch. This boat has been in a state of repair since 1998, and I finally got around to finishing it. The launch was last Sunday, and what a pleasure. The kayak is bare, except for deck lines, and with no net bags every thing has gone in the day hatch. Tried it out in a gentle SW (cold front, 15-20 kts), and with care I could use the day hatch. Today is a little different. The conditions are best described as boisterous, and progress was challenging. Mind you, the surfing home was great. Trouble was, I couldn't get at my water or food, and had I been paddling for longer than the hour I was, this would have been a problem. I probably could have opened my hatch, with care, but the waves breaking around my waist would have immediately flooded the compartment. Carrying safety gear like flares or a VHF in there would be madness, because if they are needed then things are out of your control. This would not be a time for careful balancing. I will be putting net bags on the Nordkapp, and I would love a day hatch in the Arluk. Both bags and hatches have their uses. The bags hold the stuff I want to reach NOW, and the hatch holds things that would be good to have at hand. An important difference. Cheers John Kirk-Anderson Banks Peninsula NEW ZEALAND *************************************************************************** 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/ ***************************************************************************
In a message dated 1/8/2003 5:29:08 PM Eastern Standard Time, jka_at_netaccess.co.nz writes: > I will be putting net bags on the Nordkapp, and I would love a day hatch in > the Arluk. Both bags and hatches have their uses. The bags hold the stuff I > want to reach NOW, and the hatch holds things that would be good to have at > hand. An important difference. G'day with a thought or two, John. There might be an alternative for the Nordkapp, assuming it has an "ocean cockpit" -- a Kevlar Nordkapp must be fantastic, so you're probably driving it without a skeg and with the original (small) cockpit --- and carrying it home in one hand! The first mod (of many) that I did on my Pintail was to install a four inch Viking deckplate and "skinny" bag in the foredeck as my "glovebox". The orange bag hangs down into the cockpit just about between my knees, and holds a few small items. The alternative "fat bag" holds a lot more, but that's a mixed blessing in a Pintail. The foredeck has to be pretty flat to do this, but it's the best solution for me --- nothing on deck that would challenge survival if lost, and a nice clean deck --- except for the black deckplate. (Viking and Beckson make plates for the US market, Viking the only plate with the flange and the bags, but there must be something available down your way. Another option for your Nordkapp is a kneetube. A good, solid one for bracing and rolling. VCP quality, hopefully at some reasonable price. Cheap and easy to make. Yes, you'd have to pop the skirt at the front to get into the kneetube, but (1) you can see the stuff you want, (2) the water that gets in can be foot-pumped (or, for y'all, electric-pumped) out easily --- assuming you don't have a pump in the day hatch, and you're adding strength to your bracing skills. And not clobbering the deck. The only concern with any of these on- or under-deck schemes: immediate separation from your boat if you swim would mean that all that good emergency equipment is separated from you, too. (I've done a bit of research on kayaker deaths in single-boat accidents, and in every case I can recall, the boat was recovered with a lot of usable safety equipment aboard and the paddler's body usually had little in the way of protection or signalling equipment.) What conditions would knock you out of your boat, and what would those conditions do to you and the boat if you were separated even for a second or two? Stuff to think about. The equipment I really need is in my PFD or in the pocket on my skirt (Palm makes nice big pockets.) But that's me. Good luck with the storage plans. My vote would be the kneetube and the dayhatch --- the tube for vegemite sandwiches, and the dayhatch for the Brie and crackers. Nordkapps are too pretty to be turned into SUVs. Joq *************************************************************************** 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/ ***************************************************************************
What exactly is a vegemite sandwich? ----- Original Message ----- From: <JCMARTIN43_at_aol.com> > Good luck with the storage plans. My vote would be the kneetube and the dayhatch --- the tube for vegemite sandwiches, > Joq *************************************************************************** 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/ ***************************************************************************
You don't want to know, or more correctly, you don't want to eat one, that is unless you grew up with vegemite. Worse than liver and onions <grin>. At 07:57 AM 1/9/2003 -0500, jfarrelly5_at_comcast.net wrote: >What exactly is a vegemite sandwich? " At this time I seem to have been only like a boy, playing on the sea shore whilst a great ocean of truth lay undiscovered before me" ---Sir Isaac Newton ********************************************************* John S. March, MD, MPH Professor and Chief, Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences Duke Child and Family Study Center 718 Rutherford Street Durham, NC 27705 919/416-2404 (P); 919/416-2420 (F) Email: jsmarch_at_acpub.duke.edu Website: http://www2.mc.duke.edu/pcaad ********************************************************* *************************************************************************** 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/ ***************************************************************************
Vegemite is the Australian equivalent of the more famous Marmite (but there is a taste difference and I prefer Marmite). It is a yeast extract made into a kind of viscous brown spread that is particularly good on toast, and as an addition to soups. I hear that it is made from the dregs of beer processing vats, but this is only a vicious rumor (or rumour). It is really an acquired taste, that a lot of people in the UK and Australia (NZ too?) grow up with. I think it is considered healthy. I acquired the taste many years ago because I was around a lot of British people, but everyone else in my family finds it quite objectionable. Moreover, many are very passionate about this stuff. I was in Gallipoli a few years ago, site of the courageous but ultimately failed attempt by the allies in WWI to establish a beachhead on the Turkish mainland. Australian and New Zealand troops participated in that battle, and many are buried there. Anyway, before I get into too much of a history lesson, it is a site of solemn pilgrimage for Aussies and Kiwis, but is a fairly rural and isolated place. I was pleased to see a sign that said, "Vegemite sold here!" Josh At 16:39 09/01/03, John March wrote: >You don't want to know, or more correctly, you don't want to eat one, that >is unless you grew up with vegemite. Worse than liver and onions <grin>. > > >At 07:57 AM 1/9/2003 -0500, jfarrelly5_at_comcast.net wrote: >>What exactly is a vegemite sandwich? ============================================================================== Dr. Joshua Teitelbaum, Senior Research Fellow Tel: [972] 3-640-6448 Moshe Dayan Center for Middle Eastern and Fax: [972] 3-641-5802 African Studies Tel Aviv University Ramat Aviv, Tel Aviv 69978 Israel E-mail:teitelba_at_post.tau.ac.il www.dayan.org ============================================================================== *************************************************************************** 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/ ***************************************************************************
Re: I would like to try vegemite, out of curiosity. As for English food...I was there for 2 weeks in June and lost 20 pounds. I almost ran out of a cafeteria screaming when I asked for salad dressing and the attendant looked at me oddly and pointed to some packets of malt vinegar. I have relatives over there, and they introduced me to scones and creme, which make up for the otherwise tasteless cuisine. Marsanne > I > acquired the taste many years ago because I was around a lot of British > people, but everyone else in my family finds it quite objectionable. > > *************************************************************************** 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/ ***************************************************************************
In a message dated 1/9/2003 10:40:41 AM Eastern Standard Time, firefly_at_eatel.net writes: > As for English food... The thing about British food is that they've imported some great ethnic chefs, and you can get good to great Italian restaurants and wine bars there. Even in Scotland!! So eat "European" --- a careful distinction because Brits refer to the people living east of them as European, while they are simply British. French restaurants --- little ones, relatively inexpensive, have all the good stuff available because of the free trade bit. But if you do want to diet, you can always have haggis, tatties and neeps! Delightful. Just don't think about what you're eating. >From the epicure who shamelessly confused Marmite with Vegemite, so use caution. Joq *************************************************************************** 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/ ***************************************************************************
> The foredeck has to be pretty flat to do this, but it's the best solution for > me --- nothing on deck that would challenge survival if lost, and a nice clean > deck --- except for the black deckplate. What I have done with my own design (It is easier to do up front rather that retrofit) is to use a small hatch in the deck immediately in front of the cockpit. If I did this again I would use a Kajak 6" hatch. The angles make it difficult to get your arm to the end of what I am describing with a 4 or 5 inch opening. Then I created a fiberglass glove box that is a little bit bigger that a big loaf of bread and glassed it to the underside of the deck. This actually runs all the way to the front bulkhead. This is like a knee tube but it opens up onto the deck. This provides a very convenient place to store things that are needed while kayaking, without having to violate your spray skirt. Problems are: 1. You need a fairly flat deck 2. People use the same area for charts and may perceive a "conflict" 3. Fiberglassing is not much fun and this requires some experience to create the glove box and then stick your head into the upside down kayak and actually glass it into place. Sized properly, it does not get into the way of your feet. Obviously this will vary depending on the height of your deck and the length of your feet and how wide you make the box. I never even know it is there getting in and out of my own boat. *************************************************************************** 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/ ***************************************************************************
This does not refer to the position of paddle, but the key that unlocked the door for me with a sculling brace was when I really learned to arch my back. With a good arch I can keep the paddle still and have a balanced brace, The result? All that trouble I had with the diving blade disappeared. The friend who taught me to roll and to scull kept mentioning arching the back, and I really didn't pick up on it -- and all that time I was either under water or madly thrashing the paddle around and barely staying afloat. When I started to relax and really concentrate on arching my back, both my scull and my roll became much easier and reliable. A byproduct of the back arch was that it really drove my knee up -- which lifted the boat. I think I spent too much time thinking about paddle position, and not enough thinking about body position, and when the latter fell into place, the former was far less important. All the best to you too! Dee on 1/8/03 3:42 PM, PeterO at rebyl_kayak_at_iprimus.com.au wrote: > I'm practicing bracing at the moment - particularly the sculling brace. My > ambition is to get to a more or less horizontal position in or under the > water while maintaining the scull. Its one of those techniques, which looks > effortless in skilled hands and is a complete "dogs breakfast" when I try it > lying horizontal in the water. > > 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. > > 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/ ***************************************************************************
At 07:42 AM 1/9/2003 +1100, PeterO wrote: >G'Day, > >I'm practicing bracing at the moment - particularly the sculling brace. My >ambition is to get to a more or less horizontal position in or under the >water while maintaining the scull. Its one of those techniques, which looks >effortless in skilled hands and is a complete "dogs breakfast" when I try it >lying horizontal in the water. There are a few of tricks for a sculling brace. First, just try sculling the paddle back and forth from bow to stern and back , drawing a large "C" in the water. The first trick to sculling is maintaining a climbing angle on the blade the entire time the paddle is in motion. Try to move the paddle back and forth *slowly*, keeping the trailing edge of the blade just a tad deeper in the water than the leading edge. The most important part of the stroke is at the transition, when the paddle changes direction. It's actually easier to reset the climbing angle of the blade if you make long, slow, strokes. A fast scull doesn't keep you from sinking. It's the climbing angle of the blade, as it's moving through the water that give you lift. Think of what happens when you stick your hand out a car window and point your fingers forward. Tilt your fingers up, ever so slightly, and your hand raises up. Start to point your fingers down and your hand dives. The same thing happens with a paddle blade as it's moving through the water. As your sculling the paddle back and forth try adjusting the paddling angle a bit. If the blade is too flat (parallel with the water surface) it's easy for the leading edge to catch and cause the paddle to dive. Too much angle and you start pushing a lot of water back and forth without getting much lift. It's like spreading peanut butter on a soft piece of bread. The next trick is that in order to get to a horizontal position you really have to commit to going over. I find trying to do deep scull while slowly edging the boat over is actually more difficult. Try reaching forward with your paddle, as if you're about to take a forward stroke. Now fall over sideways. As you're falling over, rotate your torso so that your back is on the water and look up at the sky. At the same time, sweep back with the paddle with a climbing angle and you should drop into the water in the right position. Quickly change the paddle blade angle and move the paddle back toward the bow. Make long, slow strokes back and forth. Try arching your back a bit , lay your head back and keep looking up at the sky. The floatation in your PFD actually makes sculling easier if your body in the water. Try to keep your elbows and wrists loose. Remember, you're sculling with the paddle in a high brace position so keep your elbows below your wrists. Try adjusting the angle of the boat to that water with your hips until you find the most stable position. When you're ready to come up, time a sweep of the paddle with a hip snap and come up as your finishing a roll. > >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. > >Can anyone tell me what are the disadvantages of breaking the rules and >using the power face upwards during a sculling brace? > >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/ ***************************************************************************
In a message dated 1/8/2003 2:46:22 PM Central Standard Time, rebyl_kayak_at_iprimus.com.au writes: > I'm practicing bracing at the moment - particularly the sculling brace. My > ambition is to get to a more or less horizontal position in or under the > water while maintaining the scull. Its one of those techniques, which looks > effortless in skilled hands and is a complete "dogs breakfast" when I try > it > lying horizontal in the water. > > One of my problems is that the blade tends to dive when using the power f > ace > 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. > > Can anyone tell me what are the disadvantages of breaking the rules and > using the power face upwards during a sculling brace? > A lot of good advice from those commenting on the thread. I too find the GP an easy sculling device. I would like to add however, that their are many different ways to scull: High brace, low brace, Greenland and Greenland chest sculling, to name those that I know. If you would like to use your power face upward, try a low brace scull. At first you might want to grip the paddle shaft in or around the center and your off hand grabs the blade. Keep the off hand gripping the blade over your spray deck or even extended into the water beyond that. Make certain your shaft is parallel to the water surface. A raised inboard hand will cause your blade to dive. Scull down while simultaneously driving your knee upward, preventing the boat from coming over on top of you. Roll your wrists appropriate to keeping a smooth climbing angle (someone mentioned peanut butter spreading on soft bread). Drop down gradually until your elbow is wet and the spray deck has 50% immersion. When you wish to return upright drive your knee up, sweep and keep head down. You can adopt the same profile with the paddle power face down, and I think it's easier to feel the lift of an appropriate climbing angle. Have fun with it, scull down smoothly, kiss the water and scull back up smoothly. Or, Scull for 10 seconds at your maximum downward reach until you can do it for as long as you feel like. Then try, scull down til your head lies in the water, drop under the boat and scull up to the other side, stopping as you break the surface for a few seconds, sweep up. Finally, scull while totally immersed, then scull under the boat, break the surface on the other side, drop back under and scull to the other side, lather, rinse, repeat. Gradually, as you improve, try to adopt a standard grip on your paddle. Learn one method and move to another. I prefer the Greenland method where the back is arched and flat to the water, the paddle parallel to the boat. Incidentally, this method is easy with a euro blade gripped in the standard manner with no extension. It doesn't have to be GP. Cheers, Rob G *************************************************************************** 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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