I have just recently rekindled my love for the canoe after many, many years with the kayaks. I have been working on being a more efficient paddler using the single blade canoe paddle and have become pretty good with the basic strokes…My issue is with the J stroke. I do well when paddling on the right side of the boat (I am right handed) but when I change over to the left side I just can’t get it right. I get all discombobulated (sp). Sometimes the thumb points down, sometimes up, Sometimes I just don’t know.
MY question is does anyone suffer from the same affliction and if so have you worked it out?
@Dick_Summers , @ppine Thanks for the responses. As I was typing the question I figured it might be something as simple as just pushing through the problem but then I wasn’t sure if maybe there was something in the “Zen and the Art of Canoe Paddling” that I was missing…Thanks again.
my dominant side is my left and while I got better on my right. that side never really caught up skill and confidence wise. As far as turning the thumb down I evolved away from that (true j stroke) and into a pitch stroke where the thumb points out and you catch just a bit of water on the exit. I found this to be more comfortable and efficient. Unfortunately, this old habit sometimes even creeps into my kayaking a bit- meaning my kayak strokes don’t have straight clean exits. I’m used to planing the blade a bit which isn’t good form in a kayak. So I got the opposite problem.
Your muscles are likely much weaker on the off side. Just take your time on that side and be methodical with technique when conditions allow. Muscles and muscle memory with build up and after a while you will forget you are on the ‘off side’, rinse, repeat.
The muscle memory in canoeing is something like skiing. Every time I go on a week long trip and paddle all day every day, the skill advances a little more. Repetition is important. Try to do the right thing and it gets easier.
Pat Parelli talks about repetition with horses. He says you can be a competent rider after 1,000 hours, but to be good it might take 25,000 hours or 50,000 hours.
Verlan Kruger and Clint Waddell were feeling pretty confident when they paddled across Canada and timed it for the big canoe races in Flin Flan, Manitoba. The boys got completely smoked by the local lads that grew up with a paddle in their hands.
Thanks again for the responses. Looks like I’ll just be spending more time on the off side. Nothing wrong with doing a few circles before obtaining that strait line.
