Re: [Paddlewise] Feet - Back Paddling

G'day,

Thanks to everybody for the responses to my question on which foot to engage
with the foot rest when paddling backwards. My response is a bit late but
that's because I had to find time on the water to try everything out.

Steve - described a thought experiment in a swivel chair which helped.
Bob Carter - locks both feet to keep the rudder straight when reverse
paddling a ruddered boat and I found that was essential and harder than it
sounds.
Darryl - points out that it is the buttock that should be engaged when
paddling backwards but doesn't think the feet really matter - makes sense
Newtons 3rd law!
Brad - recommended a rear view mirror - You're right Brad absolutely
essential for me in a ruddered boat!
Paul - in a non-ruddered boat recommended using the foot on the same side as
the paddle in the water for going straight but for a ruddered boat thought
it didn't matter
Kirk - If I interpret him correctly suggested first bending the leg on the
same side as the active blade, when positioning the blade just before the
stroke. This allowed the torso to rotate. Then straighten the leg on the
same side as the active blade during the stroke (Kirk please correct me if
I'm misinterpreting)
Erik - described Darryl's approach but in more detail - again buttock more
important than foot
Pam - off line gave a very detailed description of two approaches to
paddling backwards i) gently ii) high speed. Both were quite detailed and
made sense and were consistent with most of the advice above.

I think this is a set of advice that's self-consistent with everyone
offering slightly different perspectives. I put it into practice over two
sessions in a ruddered and unruddered kayak with a couple of people
assessing my performance. Despite the fact that I live in the southern
hemisphere I found the advice to be effective, didn't have to reverse
anything Steve:~) Here are my rather subjective observations:

BACK PADDLING A RUDDERED BOAT

Much harder to paddle backwards in a straight line in a ruddered boat and as
Bob said absolutely have to focus on equal foot pressure to keep the rudder
straight. The torso  position and symmetry of strokes on either side seemed
to be crucial and as I turned on each stroke to look where I was going I
longed for Brad's rear view mirror. Someone in our club actually devised a
rear view cycling mirror for kayaking years ago but it didn't take off - not
even when our resident physio pointed out that paddling backwards was very
helpful in keeping musculature balanced! I wound up looking at my wake as a
guide.

BACK PADDLING IN A NON RUDDERED BOAT

When paddling backwards forcefully it was a bit easier to paddle backwards
in a straight line, with the foot-leg-buttock connection straightened on the
same side as the blade in the water. I suspect this had not much to do with
foot or buttock pressure and everything to do with ease of torso rotation as
Erik mentioned. However, the idea that when going backwards it's the buttock
that matters in force transference from the blade through the torso to the
buttock makes perfect sense. Torso position and symmetry of paddle strokes
seemed to be more important than foot pressure. When paddling backwards
gently with low angle strokes it was easier to control the direction and
foot-leg-buttock straightening were even less effective than when paddling
fast. Again symmetry of stroke and body angle were more important.

In general it was much easier for me to reverse the unruddered boat but I'm
not very familiar with rudders.

Thanks again everyone. 


All the best, PeterO
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