Subject: RE: baidarka Feathered paddles
From: Chuck Holst (CHUCK@MULTITECH.COM)
Date: Fri Feb 25 2000 - 18:35:58 EST
Like Paul, I have practiced capsizing, removing my Greenland storm paddle
from the foredeck, and rolling up with it. It is really quite easy. Both my
wife and I have come to prefer the storm paddle for rolling, since it is
even easier to maneuver underwater than the standard Greenland paddle. Also
we both passed the Four Star assessment using Greenland paddles for the
moving high brace as well as for all the other tests.
As for an extended brace, once you get used to even the short sliding
stroke, it becomes second nature to extend the standard Greenland paddle for
a quick brace. Using the storm paddle, I have practiced throwing myself off
balance to the side opposite the one the paddle is extended on, which forces
me to slide the paddle across the boat in order to brace, and I think even
if my head went under water I would still be able to brace back up.
Practice makes perfect, of course.
Chuck Holst
-----Original Message-----
From: paul banks [mailto:bckp@jps.net]
Sent: Friday, February 25, 2000 4:42 PM
To: baidarka list
Subject: Re: baidarka Feathered paddles
This is an interesting discussion. I have been making some paddles and
thinking about the greenland vs euro padle question lately as I plan my next
summer, wondering which courses and events I should go to!
Last summer I took a BCU level 4 class. On the way back the group was
fooling around trying 'spare paddle rolls', in which one acts as if one
capsized and lost one's paddle and tries to grab the spare paddle off the
deck. We were all using 'Euro' paddles, since it was a BCU class, and
everyone else couldn't execute the spare paddle roll because it was too
difficult to disentangle the 1/2 paddle off the rear deck. You can't really
put a feathered whole euro padle on the front deck! My spare was my
homemade greenland style paddle which is kept right in front of me, and was
very easy to disengage it from the bungee cords while under water and roll
up, all the time in the world.
The question of which paddle is 'superior' is perhaps not black and white,
depending on a lot of factors. Although I definitely prefer my greenland
paddle in general, I haven't used it yet while surfing any big waves and
wonder if it would be as useful as a wide blade for a high brace especially
in a broach position sideways surf leaning on a high brace. I am still
exploring the subject myself and would appreciate opinions from those with
more experience but here are some things I have noticed:
1. If you're using a Euro paddle you pretty much have to use it feathered
because it's almost impossible to make any headway otherwise against a
headwind. This does render it unstable in a crosswind.
2. The feathered wide paddle can be very awkward to maneuver underwater.
Of course, you're not supposed to change your hand position with these
paddles, but if it happens it can be very difficult to sort it out
underwater, especially if being buffeted about by the surf, unlike the
greenland style, which is symmetrical in 3 planes.
3. The greenland style is less wearing for long trips, I think it is more
effecient because of less effort spent lifting one's arms, at least the way
I do it, and easier on the joints because less muscle power is required to
move the paddle. I would like some of my quite senior and not strong
especially women friends to try it. Although I would be concerned about
their ability to brace, see below.
4. After I used the greenland paddle for awhile I had no trouble keeping up
with the group, in fact it was eventually the opposite. To really test it
I'd have to devise a race with myself.
5. The wide blade is great for bracing because the great surface area at
the end of the paddle gives a huge amount of leverage. I guess this is why
whitewater paddlers use it. If I do an extreme high brace (with the boat at
90 or more degrees to the water) I have to extend the Greenland blade.
Does anybody have experience trying 'high braces on the move' with a
greenland paddle? This maneuver is usually the sticking point on those
trying for their BCU 3 star assessments, and is difficult with a wide euro
paddle.One wonders if there would be enough time in real conditions to
extend a greenland blade. I plan to do some experiments when it gets
warmer. I suspect with some experimentation and maybe instruction, (Doug
van Doren will be in the New York area giving a class next summer) I might
discover new ways to use the narrow bladed paddle.
Thanks for any comments.
-
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