Easier to get together in person. I dont mind driving up and we can go to your local lake.
I can explain the way I execute my low angle stroke, but that doesnāt mean other paddlers would benefit. You for example would probably suffer a setback, even though you might benefit for distance paddling. After our initial lengthy conversations about your race statistics, it was clear that your technique is finely tuned. The day we picked up the 180, you demonstrated your stroke and, frankly, I couldnāt even follow your feathering which gave equivalent exit to my low angle.
I canāt compare my paddling to anyone else, because youāre the first person I paddled with who could pace with me. My sister (6 years older) could pace with me. Our times were consistently only about .3 mph slower if we went out together, but times fell by a full mph if she missed trips. While sprinting is raw physical power coupled with sound technique, I believe cruising paddling speed has more to do with the efficiency and consistency of your stroke than physical power. @szihn reinforced my conviction by describing his paddle outings with his wife. I also noticed that at times, my sister could outpace me to the extent that I couldnāt catch her. For example, if she heard the rumble of thunder. I notice from folliwing her that her form became hyper consistent. She weighs 100.lbs less than me, so she draws 10 gallons less water - less drag has to relate to more speed. Two features are apparent from her stroke. She relies exclusively on shoulders and arm muscles and overreaches. Coupled with starting too fast at the beginning of a trip, she runs out of energy by the end of the trip. Another issue is she hasnāt learned to track straight (overreaching causes inconsistency).
I believe tracking issues with low angle are due to the stroke executed as an sweep. The beginning of a low angle stroke pushes the bow away from the stroke, while the stern pull the stern to keep up that momentum during the second part of the arc. That induces the yaw. By starting the catch close to the boat, then following the natural arc.until the paddle reach the apex at 90Ā°, rather than continuing the arc through a sweep stroke, depart on a tangent at about 30Ā° away from the boat and exit in a slice upward and back. Paddling with you, I noticed how you achieved the same clean exit that doesnāt lift and flick water (a pint weights 2 lbs Ć 60 spm = 120 lbs Ć 60 mins = 7,200 lbs if my math is correct). If thatās 3,600 strokes per hour.
Much about paddle technique depends on physique, endurance, ability to perform aerobically vs anerobically, and coordination. Watching a paddler one mile away, itās evident I will catch them by the choppy stroke. This topic was beat to dead previously, but I steadfastly believe there is a big difference between sprinting and distance paddling. Water has weight and cannot be compressed. It can easily be moved aside, but it does creates drag. So how do you move the wide boat through water, while using a narrow blade in the same water to move the boat.
It seems to me, sprinters take advantage of the weight of water. They mitigate it by using a narrow, long boat that reduces resistance, drag, and bow wave propagation. The narrow boat slices through the water with less pressure against the side of the boat. On the other hand, the paddle takes advantage of the weight of water. When the paddle stroke slaps the water hard, there isnāt time for the water to part. Although itās wasteful of energy, hard on joints and can only be sustsined for a limited time, the interval is short enough for an althletic person to sustain the stroke for the duration of a race. I donāt know for sure but canāt imagine sustsaining that physical output for long.
Craig, you donāt fully match the speeds of competitors in sleek racing boats, but you push a 24 inch wide boat that weighs 69 lbs in hot pursuit. The effect the boat has on the water is evident. When the Tsunami beaches under speed at the end of a trip, a wave rushes past to return equilibrium caused by the water displaced by passing boat. You are pacing with paddlers who deflect only a fraction of that water.
For every action, there is an equal but opposite reaction. I though another post was on to something, but I was wrong. Two ways to reach speed: one is through shear force, but finesse is more efficient. For your needs, power is most effective. My method is a more balanced approach that relies more on fine motor skills than power. It starts by being balanced and concentrating on a clean splash free entry, then gradually building a rythem. If the Kalliste is held with a proper grip, it will find center; so it doesnāt have to be held very tightly. Look at the narrower asymmetrically shaped blades; the narrow blades reduce torque around the axis of the shaft because the bottom edge of the blade contacts water first. The wider high angle blade might give more catch, but it add torque to fatigue your grip. Although the difference between a low angle and high angle blade is minor, each paddle was designed with different performance goals.
This comment may arouse the ire of some, but I can only suggest that a company would not introduce two near identical model, with the only differnce between the two designs being the blade length and width. Both paddles can obviously be used interchangeably, but to suggest a preferance for using a paddle for the unintended paddle angle suggest one of three possibilities: arrogance, lack of paddling sensitivity, or ignorance. That topic is best debated with someone who designs paddles.
The Kalliste is designed with minimal dihedral which reduces stability, but the spoon shape from the tip of the blade to where it attaches to the shaft helps stabilize the stroke, if you find the proper sweep track that aids stability. I think it also aids slipage without compromising power. I suspect the wing paddle shape perform a similar, if not the same function. Aqua Bound paddles are similar to the Werner Camano, which are designer with more dihedral. I find that the sensitivity and balance are very different between the two designs, and they require a different technique. I do know the Kallliste is more efficent and can hit higher max spikes consistently. Look at the profile. The Camano actually has an insignificant one sq in larger blade, but it probably creates more aeration which robs power under a load. Compare cross sections.
The Aqua Bound paddles are a great value and the design is more forgiving for beginners, but as they are very similar to the Camano design, I believe they would suffer the same performance shortcomings. I used Aqua Bound Manta Rays and Sting Rays with nylon reinforce blades, hybrids and carbon paddles, then switched to a Werner Camano before two Kallistes. Use the paddle you feel comfortable with.
If you keep your head centered, shifting the hips can induce edging with each stroke. You can pressure your feet on the foot pegs, but I donāt find it necessary. The edging is curtail before it causes overcorrection. Since my cadence falls naturally between 72 spm and 80 spm, Iām edging at that rate. My rate of yaw isnāt significant enough to warrant concern, especially when I find myself restraining cadence to one stroke for several strokes needed by the average paddler. Conditions cause more need for corrections than the paddle stroke, which is where the plus/minus 5Ā° enters. Paddle length doesnt change anything, because I donāt employ a sweep stroke. Detractors of low angle style of paddling donāt execute ot properly. Does it yaw more that high angle - I donāt really care?!
When bicycling. You can plant your ample ass on the saddle, stomp on your pedals and yank on the handlebars, or you can spin. Gyroscopic forces help you track, but in a boat, every move you make influences balance. Reaching forward changes your center of lateral resistence. Itās bad enough that left and right side strength is unequal, so overreaching has to be even more unequal. It puts muscles in opposition. Imagine a bugee cord on your body which creates one pound of tension with each reach. Multiply by 60 spm by 60 minutes by 4 hours. Instead of focusing on balanced paddle stroke and consistency, your body is doing contortions pulling, pushing. stomping, shifting, lifting, reaching, overextending, and lifting water. By keeping the high angle paddle upright and parallel to the keel, you shift mass. Passing your arms across the chest crushes the rib cage restricting breathing. Does that interfere with your power generation. If you still breath naturally, the answer is no. Thinking about where and when you will execute an exit and flinging water, then focusing on dropping the blade 92 inches to obtain a clean catch is sketchy for accuracy.
Iām not motivated to discuss yaw induced inefficiency of the low angle paddle stroke. Iāve read the above advice on this forum, which I was told is not about paddling. I think your son will pick up proper high angle technique as well as an efficient low angle stroke if he follows us on a few trips; heās already ahead of most. Thatās the reason I kept circling back, to give him time to observe. I laughed when he said he canāt figure out how you execute your stroke. I agreed.
I had to adapt my stroke between the 145 and the 175. What works in the 145 only confounds efforts when combined with the rudder. I havenāt figured that out yet. Iām not sure how it would work on a Tempest, but I do know someone with a 170 Tempest who could she light on that.
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