Re: [Paddlewise] Raid - Now Backband

>One question,
> though. Did you make the crossing with or without a backband?
>
> Scott
> So.Cal.

Scott,

I am glad you brought up the backband issue. I was getting ready to mention
it soon, but now is as good as anytime.

I did the entire trip without a backband. However, as a precaution during
the solo 44 NM day without landing, I did have a partially inflated paddle
float behind my seat to give my lower back some support when I leaned back
during breaks. My back didn't reach the paddle float while paddling.

During the entire 111 NM trip, including 19, 44, 18 and 27 NM days, my lower
back never gave me any problems. However, MY BUTT DID! The beauty of not
having a backband is that I can really power from the legs and start my
torso rotation from the hips. The problem is that as the hips are twisting
forward and backward, the butt is grinding in the seat. In the past, my butt
never gave me any pain in a kayak, even during that non-stop 100 miler in
March, until I took the backbands out of my kayaks. I had hoped that over
time, my butt would toughen up a bit, but it never did, even after several
months. The disadvantage of having a backband, though, is that I can't power
from the legs as well and loose some rotation from my hips. But it does hold
the butt more comfortably/stationary in the seat.

As I was paddling home on that 111 NM trip, I made the decision to
re-install the backbands in my kayaks when I got back. As a touring sea
kayaker, I found that the comfort of a backband is worth the slight lose of
power from the lower body. If I was a racer, the comfort wouldn't be worth
the lose of power, and the backband would stay out.

The experiment is over! Although I am back to my original way now, I gained
a lot of knowledge about kayak seating and forward stroke mechanics from the
experiment.

Duane Strosaker
www.rollordrown.com




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