Re: [Paddlewise] Paddle advice for the wife) (was wing theory)

From: Matt <mkayaks_at_oz.net>
Date: Mon, 9 Jun 2003 19:47:17 -0400
I wrote:
> paddlers because they tend to pry one hand open on the push side of 
> your non-feathering hand.

Mike responded:
>>>>>>>I always open my hands on both sides, so I've never noticed such a 
thing.  If you set the feather to the correct angle for your stroke, 
there's no need to have a control hand.<<<<<<<<<

Just where was it that I wrote I had a "control hand" again. I think you are
misinterpreting what I wrote. In fact, I was very careful to word that
sentence without using "control hand" because I wanted to point out which
side had the problem without implying there needed to be a control hand. It
doesn't matter what feather you use, you don't need a "control hand" (the
"correct angle" for my stroke might work fine in calm conditions but is hell
into headwinds). I use 75 degrees of feather because much shallower feathers
start climbing and diving going into strong winds. I have advocated
controlling the paddle with the hand nearest the blade in the water for
about 20 years now. George Gronseth (who prefers unfeathered) even agree on
this and I now call it "Low hand control". For unfeathered paddlers it
avoids the energy wasting elbow lift "hook" style stroke caused by having to
adjust for the roughly 45 degree rotation of the paddle caused by just
lifting the hand for the next stroke if you don't release your grip on the
"high" hand. Of course with a low Eskimo style stroke this is less
necessary. 

I open my hand on the push side too but on one side the bent shaft angles
downward from the thumb on the push side (and is quite comfortable since
that what my hand would prefer to do), but the other side pries the outside
edge of my hand upwards and pushes my thumb downwards even though I have my
hand open and my pointing fingers forward. This forces my wrist to twist or
my elbow to swing up and out.

jwd_at_acm.org seemed to question the ability to do an Eskimo stroke with a
Euro paddle. He asked:
>>>>>>>>>>>Subject: Re: [Paddlewise] Epic Paddles

On Sat, Jun 07, 2003 at 08:01:03PM -0400, Nick Schade wrote:

> The best solution for flutter I have heard widely talked about is the
> "canted" stroke advocated by some Greenland style paddlers. This 
> technique seems to automatically eliminate flutter, and when I look at 
> my own stroke with a Euro paddle I see that it is "canted" even though 
> I never consciously incorporated the technique.

Euro paddle?<<<<<<<<<,

Last fall after a similar discussion, and a question from Nick about why a
Euro paddle couldn't also use a tilt blade Eskimo style stroke, I tried the
blade angled top forward, Eskimo stroke, for some time with my short wide
Euro (75 degree feather) blades and it worked just fine. I added a new
stroke to my quiver to switch off too if I get tired. Thanks Nick. The wing
stroke is also a canted stroke, but to the side. The Eskimo canted stroke
has one flutter, when the blade direction goes from down to up. (Note: this
is not a criticism, just an observation.

Matt Broze
http://www.marinerkayaks.com



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Received on Mon Jun 09 2003 - 19:46:42 PDT

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