If you read the Epic tips section on their website, as well as the other available information, there is not a very descriptive view of the wing moving through the water during the stroke. Also, in the Reitz video, he concentrates on rotation, but not so much on the position of the blade, during the stroke.
When initiating the catch, I know the leading edge should be facing outboard of the boat, and the concave side facing to the rear, but should the blade remain as perpendicular to the boat as possible, throughout the stroke, given you will be rotating and the path of the blade will be moving away from the boat? If not, and the blade is angled away, with the leading edge pointed more towards the aft of the boat, I would think you would be dumping some of the pressure built up on the convex side, and be losing some of the benefit.
I am having a conceptual problem seeing what the optimum path of the blade would be. I am losing speed somewhere, and want to start looking at the most obvious places first.
correction
correction to the word convex, in the last half of my first post. You would be dumping the pressure built up on the "concave"side.
Wing
Keep the blade vertical and perpendicular to the boat but moving away from the boat. Put it in the water it’ll train you.
Wing finds it’s own angle of attack.
Blade is the one thing in wing technique you don’t need to focus on (beyond a good catch and clear release). It finds its own way. That’s a good bit of what makes it so powerful.
Try to apply some other angle and it will let you know!
As Grayhawk said - let the water teach - all will be clear.
Thanks,
I think in the process of rotating, I have been losing the perpendicular position, which is robbing me of a lot of the benefical effect.
turn the blade and it either
Turn the blade and it will either slip and cavitate or dive. Best bet is to not grip and guide but just let your hand hang on the shaft after the catch. You’ll feel it when you load the blade properly and it feels like the paddle shaft is stuck in the bottom and you’re pulling the boat past a fixed pole.