"Never Stop Learning"
I agree wholeheartedly. The learning thing that I’m into with the GP isn’t the forward stroke. It’s rolling and bracing and just fooling around upside down and sideways in my boat. Although Eric Jackson was referring to the euro paddle he used a term that I liked: paddle dexterity. That’s how I’m spending my learning time… working on my GP paddle dexterity.
learning list
ccrowhurst wrote:
“How to keep the noise down when paddling hard, how to accelerate hard without flutter, how to roll confidently in aerated water, how to paddle high and low angled. The list is never ending. The learning continues for me. Also there are so many parameters to change on a GP that finding the best one for a given condition is a personal and never ending quest.”
This seems to me to confirm my original impression that the GP requires more finesse and learning than my low angle euros. For example, it is about impossible to get flutter with either the Kalliste or AT Xception, and for rolling it is easy to cheat and muscle up to compensate for poor technique. One might say there are fewer parameter to change.
maybe you are right
Maybe you are right: Euros are easier to learn and paddle; just like automatic cars are easier to drive then stick ones.
But not everybody wants to just drive.
If kayaking to me was just paddling and eating miles I probably would not kayak.
So, just like driving, to some having a rudderless kayak and a paddle that requires attention could be the thing that makes them happy.
Back to driving: I drive automatic because I don’t get a kick out of driving; for me it’s just a vehicle to get from A to B.
Kayaking is more then just that; I don’t always seek the fastest shortest easiest route, quite the opposite.
However I still find Euro paddles not as good as GPs. Maybe it must be the finesse that is required to use a GP that gives me satisfaction in paddling with one, just like it takes more effort and skill to paddle a rudderless kayak in textured waters.
as good or not
I agree with everything you say. I just wanted to make the point that the GP is not generally easier to use than a euro. I have no opinion on whether it is as good as a euro or not, and see no reason to make such a judgement. I now have both, plus a wing, and use all of them with pleasure.
More time
I would agree with Greg. You need to give it more time.
The traditional paddle seems more forgiving of bad rolling technique, but less forgiving of bad forward stroke technique.
Give it a shot, get some lessons from a good instructor. There are some decent traditional paddlers in the SD/LA area. I’d post on qajaqusa.org, and see if you can get someone to videotape your stroke. That’s really the best way to get it dialed in.
Good luck.