Solo Hit & Switch question

Advice
#1

Paddling solo hit & switch there’s always going to be some tendency for the boat to turn away from the paddle right?

Is there a rule of thumb for how much is acceptable before switching?

If I’m paddling on the face of a clock with 12 straight ahead, is holding it between 11 and 1 a good target?



Paddle Hard!

Tommy

#2

Right on
I noticed alot of us low down no good pond scum hit and switchers over the last few weeks. The eleven to one O’clock seemed to be the average of the more agressive paddlers in Solo’s. Looking at them over take us it almost seemed that were “skittering” like bugs on the water.

Charlie

#3

Thanks All
As most of my canoes are whitewater boats and I don’t see a lot of hit & switch paddlers I’m sort of muddling along trying to figure out technique.

Past 11 to 1 o’clock I can hear the stern dragging around. I’m sure less is better but for now that semms like a realistic goal. Paddling on my right side still feels pretty awkward since I usualy stay on the left.

Next trick is to find the local racers and watch 'em.

Thanks again,

Tommy



PS Suntan,

I’ve got nothing against using a double blade but I’m asking about a specific technique here and I’d prefer to keep the thread on track.

#4

Thats pretty good for a
whitewater boat. The resistance on the stern really lets go at a slower speed on a ww canoe or kayak and to some extent you are trying to use a speed technique on a boat that is going to at a fairly slow speed kick the back end loose.



I would maybe slow down the cadence therefore and work on the technique and not the results.

#5

Off side leans
It depends on the boat, but a slight offside lean will allow you an extra stroke or two before you have to switch sides. The question is, does that lean create drag and slow you down?

Pat #2

#6

Not in a whitewater boat
yikes I get about 45 degrees of spin without corrections before the hull starts to carve in a whitewater boat. Wouldn’t think of hit & switch there.



I got the Sea-1 that Mike McCrea and crew were reviewing (decked boats in the wind) and I’m trying to learn to paddle it.



It’s the first boat I’ve been in that really wants to be paddled like that. Now all I have to do is learn how.