RE: [Paddlewise] Feet - Back Paddling

PeterO said on Thursday, 12 May 2011 10:27
>...proper technique for paddling backwards...
>...which leg should one straighten/engage with the footrest

Peter

I've never read a reference work on paddling backwards; but I believe:
Without a rudder -
(1) turning, use the same forward-stroke foot pressure (turning the bow left
- push right foot)
(2) paddling straight, use the opposite foot pressure (left blade in water -
push left foot)
With a rudder -
(3) it doesn't much matter

My 'workings' are as follows.
(Note that I'm very open to improving my understanding of any of this ;-)

In the forward stroke:

(a) If one has no rudder, any (moving) course change or correction is
usually done by railing/edging and pushing (more or less hard) on the
footrest that augments the 'turn' (ie: to turn or correct to the left, you
push with the right foot). This pressure with the correct foot can
substantially improve the rapidity of the turn. It's completely
hypothetical, but I believe that if your feet were 'cleated' onto the
footrests (as with bicycle pedals), you'd be pulling simultaneously with the
left leg, to increase the turning moment on the kayak. Closest to this is a
tight Inuit yak.

(b) If you have no need to turn or correct, you apply pressure alternately -
on each footrest - to oppose each forward stroke as it pushes the bow
off-course. So, left blade in the water, push with the right foot to
straighten the boat. The better the boat tracks, of course, the less
significant this is.

(c) In a kayak with a rudder and sliding footrests (which I abhor), you can
only push on both of them equally. Turning or correction is determined
solely by relative footrest position - not by relative pressure.

(d) In a kayak with a rudder and 'rocking' or 'toe-control' footrests, you
can push on the rigid portion of the footrests just as you do in (a). Of
course, you'll be using a toe or rotating motion of the left foot to turn
left and it is very unlikely that you'll bother to push asymmetrically (on
the right footrest) to aid the turn. Note that a very few people
'cross-wire' the rudder - which allows a more 'rudderless' foot action in a
ruddered kayak. 

(e) In any case, pushing against a footrest has the beneficial effect of
stopping you sliding forward in your seat.

Turning now to the reverse stroke, here you pull where before you pushed:

(A) Without a rudder, a (moving) turn or course correction is all working
back-to-front. So, to turn the kayak's bow to the left (while paddling
backwards), you rail the opposite way (right side up) and you add to the
turning moment by pulling on the left footrest. Since you can't pull the
left footrest, you can just push on the right. So the foot pressure here
turns out to be the same as in the forward left turn. (Hardly a surprise -
you are always trying to 'torque' the kayak round to the left.)

(B) As per (b) above, but in order to oppose the left blade, you must pull
with the right foot - or push with the left foot. So here it's the reverse
of the hand/foot relationship in the forward stroke.

(C) As per (c) - you can't do anything useful with foot pressure.

(D) As per (d).

(E) Going backwards, you'll push against the seat/backrest - so the
footrests don't keep you in your seat.
       
Best Regards
Paul Hayward, Auckland, 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/
***************************************************************************