RE: [Paddlewise] Feathered or not?

Mike wrote:
>When it comes to paddle feathering, from the time I had my first intro
>class, I have been handed feathered paddles. Supposedly easier into a head
>wind, but someone noted a feathered paddle can catch the wind when the wind
>is on the beam where an unfeathered will not.

Brad wrote:
> I tried a Greenland paddle once. There's a certain amount of truth
> in the "Old dog, new tricks"

G'day Brad and Mike,

Re old dogs and new tricks there may be a converse aspect to the adage. I'm
getting on a bit and suspect that my muscle memory isn't as great as it once
was. After not practising a roll or other manoevre for a few months it becomes
necessary to relearn the technique using logic until the muscles are
retrained. Its always  much easier to relearn than to learn from scratch
though. This can be a real advantage sometimes in that not only do I unlearn
good habits but bad ones as well.

Some years ago I took advantage of this 'relearning' process, after a 1 year
break from paddling, to take some forward stroke instruction using a euro
paddle with a smart shaft and asked the instructor to not only correct my
stroke but in the process to determine a paddle length and feather that would
maximise the stroke efficiency and minimise or reduce to zero any wrist
rotation. It was a classically vertical racing stroke, which I use in moderate
seas because it saves me energy. For me the best length for the paddle was 212
cm. I had expected that the best feather angle would turn out to be zero but
for me it was about 30 degreees. We discussed this at length and came to the
conclusion that the innate asymmetry and handedness in a body and in body
movement required some degree of feather if wrist rotation was to be minimised
and this of course would vary from person to person.

Another point that came from my instructors experience was that while an ideal
paddling physique with no stiff joints or other idiosyncrasies might favour
the classical racing stroke for speed or minimum energy paddling; there were
nevertheless many people who through custom or age and stiff joints, or a
propensity for upper body rather than abdominal strength, would be better off
with a quite different paddling style.

Of course none of this touches on the back problems that can come with an
inappropriate paddle stroke. I'm not sure what causes such problems, touch
wood I don't suffer from them; but suspect a combination of poor technique
when lifting boats and a torso rotation that focuses only on the upper body
with out involving the whole torso down to the buttocks. Years ago I asked the
question on Paddlewise what contribution the legs made when moving them as
part of a paddle stroke, Newtons law of action and reaction made it difficult
for me to undestand how leg movement helped. I'm now convinced that the sole
contribution of leg movement is to allow upper and lower torso to rotate in
better unison.

A year or two later we had an excellent club seminar in which a New Zealander
(and I think he's on Paddlewise but I've forgotten his name - apologies)
caused a great deal of interest with a paddle stroke instruction that included
not only adjusting paddle length and feather but also changing the blades. It
was an eye opener to the whole club. I'd be interested to hear if others have
had similar or contrary experiences.

All the best, PeterO
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