If you master the pitch stroke, then very little if any “J” or rudder correction is necessary and the entire stroke may be done very quickly. Strive to keep the bow consistently straight with any yaw to 5 degrees or less on each stroke. When seated in a C2, if each paddler sits with hip tight up against the gunwale on their paddling side, it becomes much easier to keep the shaft vertical during the entire entry through power phase. This will minimize yaw and any necessary correction. Bench seats are much better for this than tractor seats of course.
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I wear finger-less bike gloves. Don’t wrap your thumb around the paddle shaft. Keep it with the fingers. Takes practice. If you need to wrap your thumb around the shaft to hold it then the shaft has too large a diameter for your hand.
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This was solo miles, seated center on tilted bench-style. I will endeavor to learn the pitch. Thanks!
I think that’s the issue. I haven’t put the Mitutoyo calipers on it yet, but the shaft is baseball-bat-handle diameter or larger.
Perfectly round shafts are more difficult to hold and less comfortable than oval shaped shafts. Better designed paddles will be slightly oval.
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I use the pitch in my tandem. On flatwater, in a solo with bucket seats, I switch because I can paddle at a much higher cadence.
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Right. The pitch stroke will be slower than a high cadence fast power stroke, but it is a pleasant alternative to the J and eliminates the need for any ruddering. As a racer, I definitely employ hit and switch, but it is not my preferred method of paddling for relaxed cruise paddling.
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Rather than get obsessed on the pitch or the Canadian Stroke, master the J first… The J will naturally evolve into either of those.
When lollygagging I tend to use the silent stroke ( aka the Indian and apparantly in Canada the box stroke though in the US the box stroke is indeed different-and a box shape). J with palmroll to underwater recovery. There is something simple and effortless about never having to pick the paddle out of the water.
The video may not be visible but the description is here
Very true on all points. practice, practice, practice.
Yup. That relaxing behind the hips, horizontal-bladed J stroke is slow but does evolve. Now, I have at least three steering strokes I use and in two of them, for calm water, I can paddle at 45-50 strokes per minute, do very minor corrections and stay in sync with my bow. Neither of my wrists twist much and my hands stay very loose, both of which alleviate blisters and carpal tunnel. Ray Goodwin (video above) demos this beautifully.
Here’s my video showing one of my modified J strokes. Notice,I do pry the paddle off the gunwale to help.
I see two issues here.
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What to do if you are developing shaft thumb friction inflammation? I’ve never had this problem, but I see no reason not to use tape, band-aids or gloves to prevent the inflammation from getting worse or blistering.
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How to prevent friction inflammation? There has been lots of good advice on this point. Pull the shaft with four fingers and only very loosely and lightly with the thumb, while rotating the shaft into the J with the grip hand. Sand and perhaps oil the shaft area. Thin and oval the shaft. Learn and practice the pitch stroke, Canadian stroke and the palm roll.
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Gloves are definitely the answer. I always seem to wind up paddling a heavily loaded canoe on a windy lake, so I have a custom-made bent-shaft paddle that is wider than most. I call it “the power paddle” and I really put some effort into it, which is a sure recipe for blisters. I use cheap nylon garden gloves, which are hard to find because most are not nylon. Nylon dries quickly so you are not putting on wet gloves the next day. I think changing strokes or sanding off the varnish would be a complicated solution for a simple problem.
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I find that, at the beginning of the season, applying rubbing alcohol on friction spots on the hands and fingers hardens them up and alleviates these problems.
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I used to think the finish had something to do with inflammation and/or blisters, but when I started making my own paddles, fitted to my hands (which are a little on the larger side), it then didn’t matter what finish I put on them. Also, loosen your grip… hold it like you would hold a bird, just enough so it doesn’t get away, but you don’t want to crush it.
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With the diameter of these that’s a physical impossibility. Just not a great fit. I’ll post some pics with the calipers later.
I like the bird holding analogy of gently holding a paddle. Never wrap your fingers to a death grip tight hold. With only curled fingers on the shaft, the paddle is not going anywhere as you pull a power stroke. The thumb is there only as a safety hook, and does not normally take part in the power pull. If a correctional J is necessary, the paddle should be able to easily roll in the open space between index finger and thumb without friction regardless of the finish on the paddle. Wearing gloves (fingerless preferred) at first may get you into the right practiced configuration with your loosened hold on the shaft.
If you plan to be canoeing very much, considering the amount of time a paddle is in in your hand and the importance of it as a necessary well fitting component, you should not be afraid to spend whatever it takes to get a paddle that is functionally correct and properly fits your needs. With that in mind, excellent paddles are not all that expensive, not even the custom made ones.
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All good advice, for a short term fix I find wearing paddling gloves helps and I also loop some waterproof first aid tape around the base of my thumb. That solves the problem for me when I am kayak paddling.
However the others are right that with canoe paddling you shouldn’t have this kind of friction burn and changing technique will help. Taking some of the gloss off the varnish will also help, my favorite canoe paddles have an oiled, not a varnished grip and shaft. You just need a bit more maintenance on them. Of course now that winter is coming you shouldn’t feel bad about wearing gloves.
In the spring I am going to start using a substance called Tuff-Foot to toughen up my skin where the carbon fiber from my kayak paddles rub, so I hope to paddle gloveless this summer. Seems to have helped this fall so far, put on twice a day for a week, then once a day for a week, then as needed.
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You don’t even need to strip off the varnish on the shaft, just knock the gloss off. One sheet of 100 or 150 and a few minutes of work.
I’m still unsure of which hand is the problem. Top (handle’grip) or bottom (shaft)? If it’s the bottom hand, then you’re likely holding the paddle too tightly, as others have said. If it’s the top hand, then it could be a variety of factors. Help us help you.