great comments
I’ve learned alot from this post. It was great that CEW chimed in on the Merlin2 especially knowing this boat was designed for both sit/switch and kneeling among other info. It is also obvious to me from reading the posts of those with better technique; that I really need to work on my forward stroke. That’s fine by me and part of the fun is learning how to master the single blade and figuring out what works in a particular hull.
I have to also figure out what I am doing wrong that I slide back on the seat when using the footbrace. Or maybe that is normal and I have to change the seat style. The only problem is that I like to kneel as well. If I just wanted to sit I would take my kayak out. That’s one of the pros of using a solo canoe is ability to change position on a long trip. I came across this from Hemlock’s site which BTW has a great link to album with historical information on solo canoes and Curtis canoe for those into that kind of thing.
Here is the seat they offer for bench style, would this help and can I still kneel with one of these?
http://www.hemlockcanoe.com/images/photo_album/hemlock_canoe_models_&_options/touring_seat.jpg
Sliding back on the seat
Of course, where one puts the footbrace is a comfort choice for each person, but I like to have my legs just about straight out in front of me when using a footbrace. It would be pretty hard to slide back on the seat when my legs are already reaching just about as far as they can to push on the thing. I found that when sitting on a canted seat, using a footbrace in that way really “locks me into place”, and sliding back hasn’t been a problem. It really makes me think your footbrace might be too close.
yep
my knees are bent that’s how close it is. I’ll try that this weekend, thanks!
Yes
when I think about it I will drive down on my leg as I twist (or rotate) on that side.With a fairly pronounced twisst I get the canoe up over 5 mph and if the conditions are right I get it to 5.8, I have a bad back so I throttle back to under 5 for cruising. Oh by the way I paddle a Merlin (designed by Kunz )not a Merlin 2 (designed by Yost). I imagine a Merlin 2 is a hair slower.
Suggestions for a straight shaft?
Last weekend I went out again and as recommended moved the footbrace forward so legs were with a slight bend at knee. I paid attention to torso rotation and maintained straight posture. My speed is now 3.5 in windless / no current conditions without much effort. Not bad! I’ll keep practicing with the bent shaft. Have just about determined a canoe paddle moves the boat along just fine and with more precision than the kayak paddle.
Now I want to learn C Stroke and others but need a recommendation on a good lightweight straight shaft for use in coastal areas, shallow mostly and twisty mangrove creeks at times. Any ideas?
There’s a bazillion paddle choices, …
... so I won't try to name any brands or models that you "should" consider. I'm just not that familiar with them. I do think you want a fairly broad general-purpose blade, rather than a long narrow blade since it sounds like you'll be in some shallow water at times.
I will say that I like Sawyer wooden paddles. My current general-purpose paddle (I don't have dozens of paddles like some folks here) is a Sawyer, and I think it's called a Voyageur or some such thing. I think it contains a lot of cedar, and it is very light (not quite as light as a really expensive composite paddle). One nice thing about Sawyer paddles is that the laminations in the shaft run perpendicular to the orientation of the blade surface, giving the shaft more flexural strength in the orientation where it's needed most (there are probably other brands that do this as well, but many do not).
One feature I like on a straight-shaft paddle is a symetrical knob at the grip end. Some paddles have an asymetrical knob, where one side matches your palm and the other side matches your fingers. I often combine subtle correction strokes with an underwater recovery, and depending on the situation, sometimes I end up spinning the shaft 180 degrees during the recovery stroke, so on the next power stroke I am using the opposite side of the blade as the power face (read Bill Mason's description of the "Indian Stroke" for an example of how this half-spin on each stroke can occur). Neat stuff like that doesn't work well unless the grip knob is symetrical.
straight paddles
Try a pretty good sized blade, say 8-8.5 wide and 22 inches long with rounded tips and a dihedraled power and backface. Also, get stiff; paddles that flex do not work.
Grey Owls’ Freestyle at $125, Mitchell’s $200 wood shaft w/ carbon blade, Fox’s $ 120 model and Zaveral’s Carbon WW stick at $250 are all great paddles, but the Zav’s curved powerface may be an issue.
Get a better paddle than you are comfortable buying - more than half what you’re doing is determined by the stick you use - boats are pretty unconsequential by comparison.
agree
I am not looking at budget paddles. I have an Old Town beaver tail I purchased when I bought the boat not knowing anything about paddles it's heavy and clunky. Now it just sits in the storage closet. Honestly, there is no place here that sells quality canoe paddles or I would have already bought one. Therefore I am looking for recommendations.
Will check out those mentioned, already have a bent shaft ZRE medium and I am very happy with it and not regretting how much it costs. Now to find a quality straight shaft. thanks!
Look up
JJ PADDLES in Auburn Ny they have a nice little tutorial on stroke some where on their site.
I liked the picture of the bucket seat on standard Bell Drops. I suspect that with some footbracing it would work wonders.
Since you would not have a slider: JDUNN on this board would set his foot brace and have two blocks of those foam gunnel blocks( that are used to car top )hooked to his foot brace. When he wanted to slide back he would only have to rotate the foam to the thicker side to allow good purchase.
i don’t think you’ll need it
racers and plenty of tripping folk use a bent shaft on class II, etc. your boat has more rocker than mine, and i’ve never longed for a straight shaft – except when sailing. i’m a hack, but try using a little pry or draw in a forward stroke, maybe some rudder. maybe i’m wrong, but i go fast in my rob roy and use a 50-inch zav in ALL water conditions along the west coast of florida. take it for what it’s worth. 
Hey Charlie Wilson
YOu mentioned [Howie LaBrant and partner high kneeling the entire 500 mile Lake Bemidji to Minneapolis race in the late 40’s was an abberation.]
How did they do compared to the sitting paddlers?
Confused
In some of the books I have on sit/switch they advocate sitting up straight. This video shows the paddler hinging forward at hip. Last weekend I found more speed hinging forward on hip but tried not to do this because of what I read in the books as bad technique.
What do you guys do?
Chad, I agree with you on the bent shaft for the coastal 'glades being more than sufficient. I just wanted to explore other paddling techniques and thought it would be fun as a change of pace to take out the straight shaft and do some C-Strokes, etc. Plus, I think a nice thin wood blade and quiet sculling stroke could help me sneak up on some fish in shallow water