Subject: Re: [baidarka] baidarka speeds / paddles
From: James Mitchell (baidarka@earthlink.net)
Date: Fri Sep 17 2004 - 09:34:59 EDT
Teehee, Tom. We need to form an old guy's baidarka club. Gee, I wonder
if anyone in Alameda would join?
Flutter is also dependent on how much water I am trying to pull. A
paddle with flutter tendencies will jump like a jackrabbit if I
overpower it, as is easy to do when starting out. Once accelerated, the
same paddle will be quite tame. The only one that does both are my
Aleuts... which are 90 x 4". Incidentally, this also holds true for the
commercial paddles.
On Sep 18, 2004, at 10:22 AM, Tom Yost wrote:
> James Mitchell wrote: ( Lots of interesting stuff about paddles and
> foot
> braces)
>
>
> Oh heck, I might as well get in on this one too. ha!
>
> As an old racer ( emphasis on old), I found that the anchor created
> by my
> feet alternating against the "center" footbrace allowed me to
> transfer more
> power while twisting during the stroke. Even today, and using much
> less
> effort, unless my feet are pushing against the pegs, I feel
> disconnected from
> my stroke.
>
> Regarding Aleut paddles, After testing both the ridged side and
> non-ridged
> flat side as the power face over a decade ago, I settled on the flat
> side as
> the power face ( ridge facing away from paddler) . I've always felt
> my stroke
> had more power and more control this way contrary to popular
> acceptance of the
> opposite by most paddlers. Flutter ? What flutter ? I sometimes
> use the
> tapered side ( formally ridged side) as a resting stroke.
>
> I dropped the ridge altogether several years ago, and now use a mostly
> Greenland looking paddle ( 92in X 3in) with a flat power face, taper
> on the
> non-power side ( edge view) with Aleut tips. Best to just call this
> one an
> Arctic Paddle.
> I've made a few Greenlaand paddles ( both sides a power face) but
> I've never
> been able to paddle as well with them.
>
> BTW - I've seen a couple pics and drawings showing Aleut paddlers
> with the
> ridge forward ( to the bow). The best of the bunch is one I got from
> Wolfgang.
>
> Even if I'm wrong, I'm too old to change. Ha!
>
> Tom
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>
James Mitchell
Email: baidarka@earthlink.net
US Mobile Phone: 425-273-0884
15917 Waynita Way NE, E103
Bothell WA 98011 USA
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