Bottom line is that forward velocity of the boat (in still water) is determined by the rate at which the paddler moves water to the stern. The two main variables are surface area of the paddle blade and cadence. A paddler can move more water per stroke with a bigger blade, but can maintain a faster cadence with a smaller blade.
As usual, it’s about finding the balance, and that’s an individual matter.
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It took me a long to to get a good forward (and cross forward) stroke in a canoe - hand out over the gunwale, vertical shaft, stroke paralel to the keel line. I was doing the same thing with a kayak paddle. The tip that helped me most was to think of the path of the kayak paddle as butterfly wings. In my canoe those would be sweep strokes, but in a kayak it works. The other tip that helped was to put the skeg down. It was a windy day, and I was all over the place without the skeg. Basic stuff that you don’t know until you do it.
A Bob Foote video ages ago, reinforced by Doug VanDoren this weekend reminds me that the ideal is to move the boat & not the paddle. That is, think about sticking the paddle into wet cement & pulling the canoe or kayak up to the paddle.
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I was a little slower than others because only 3rd paddle this year and I’m 82. I also might note that the Greenland paddle is not necessarily a low angle operation. It can function in all angles and at all cadences just like an Euro paddle. I did switch to my wider blade paddle to get more pull against the wind and tide. But at my age you only have so much pull. You live with it because slow paddling is better than no paddling.
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My aspiration is to still be (alive and) paddling at 82! Keep it up!
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Lots of thoughts on this one, bought a leandel cadence paddle ( made in rhode island) with changeable offset and length. Werent cheap, 500 bucks.When i go high angle i shorten, low angle i lengthen and use less offset.
Now as a canoer going to low angle youve really got to watch the paddle drags at the end of the stroke. Keep the stroke short i actually take out before the hip and clean exits. My arms are extended straighter than ww kayaking and i rely rely on even more torso rotation. My cadence increases with low angle. Thats how i do it, may not be the best but works for me in my long ww kayaks on the flats.
That’s a great mind’s eye image! I think I’ll remember it for a long time … or at least longer than I remember most things these days.
Thanks.
In case anyone would like to enjoy the leisure paddle, use this link.
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You’d never know (in fact I didn’t know) he was 82. He was not paddling slow.
I tried to get the perfect shot of Mike framed against the Newport Bridge as we were coming back. I didn’t quite get it, but this one isn’t bad.
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Sounds wonderful! I’m in Rhode Island as well and I learned about this trip just too late to participate. Hopefully I’ll make the next one! Sounds and looks like it was a great day on the water.