Re: [Paddlewise] Paddle cross sections

Nice analogy, Nick. I am going to use that ;-)

The canted GP stroke also generates lift on the exit in the push  
phase of the canted stroke.

Peter, the GP is the indigenous wing blade! it is happiest when you  
present one edge first, with the blade at an angle to the direction  
of the stroke. If you present it square and try to power that catch,  
it will flutter seeking one edge.

And you can use the blade with a modified stroke that you would  
understand as wing stroke with the blade flipped over to the other  
edge, with the stroke away from the kayak. I have never seen  
Greenlanders use this stroke, but I have experimented with it and it  
works. It is a lot of work however. You better have a good engine.

Turner

On Dec 5, 2007, at 9:23 AM, Nick Schade wrote:

> Asymmetry is not required to generate lift. Try thinking of stunt  
> planes that fly up-side-down. I don't know if they have  
> asymmetrical foils, but they can fly wheels upward or downward  
> because lift is a matter of angle of attack.
>
> The standard canted greenland paddle stroke has a downward angle of  
> attack, so if when they do create lift, much of the effort is in a  
> downward direction, not forward. You could make an asymmetrical  
> foil shape on a GP that could optimize the lift, but to get the  
> most out of it you would need to perform a wing-paddle style stroke  
> where the paddle flares sideways away from the boat, instead of  
> downward as in the canted stroke.
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