Wednesday 9 May 2012

Spoons and Sticks

The last two weeks have been full on  Euro paddling as I took part in a couple of courses here in Orkney, delivered by visiting coaches. To prepare for this I loaded the Isel and put on full kit, radio, tow line, helmet, splits on the boat  and so on and went rolling. Doing something like that used to be no big deal but the seed of doubt had taken root. I spend a lot of time rolling in a tuilik so sometimes need to convince myself that I will roll as confidently in all that gear as I had done in my pre-Greenland days.The idea that rolling skills are transferable is true - but only up to a point. The buoyancy and lack of rotation or ability to crunch forward was disorientating. The deck held me straight at the waist. The hang time to sort out buoyancy increased. The big blades! I did it, but it did not feel smooth or effortless. Had it always felt this way but previously I had had nothing to compare it to?

You might ask - why not just use a stick? Well it was my choice to use the Werner's for these courses. Firstly when I am coaching I am coaching folk who are using a Euro paddle, its easier for them to watch how you paddle, even if its not the teaching point, if you use the same type of blade as them. For leading I may well one day use a stick and carry Euros for other paddlers should they or I lose a paddle, but for now I am still the coachee and I am watching a L5 coach use Euro blades and my personal paddling skills are being evaluated with big bladed paddles. Having said all that, a butterfly roll is a nice fall back.

In an ideal world I would like to be able to switch from one to the other without having to think about it too much, but the reality is different. I paddled for a long time exclusively with big blades and I am keen to establish good habits with the stick, beyond rolling. I had a short introduction to paddling strokes with Kayakways last year so I know there is a lot to learn. Despite this I find it easier, more comfortable and familiar, to go from Euro to Stick, than the other way around.

Back in the Tahe this weekend I had the first of a few pre-KayakWays sessions. I have to get used to the Tahe again after getting in and out of the Isel (which almost comes along and scoops you out of the water) but the stick did the trick.

While writing this a video is circulating between GP users which illustrates my point with humour. Warren Williamson evaluates a British type paddle towards the end of the video.

 

12 comments:

  1. nice post, I agree with using a Euro paddle for teaching , if your students are using one then you need to use the same .nice video too.

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  2. I reckon they just like dressing up in the sexy gear.

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  3. Thanks for the feedback - Iain you are right, its clear that the gear plays a big part at these events!

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  4. Have fun with the course! Don't forget to give a couple hand rolls when bored!

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  5. I am also teaching with euro paddle. But I prefere greenland paddle most of the time. But in wawes and surf, I like the euro best.

    I try to practise rolling with full and empty kayak, and with both of the paddle. It`s somehow quite different to do the roll with euro and greenland paddle.

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    1. That is good to hear Odin - we are on the same journey! :)

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  6. Great post Lesley. I took a Paddle Canada Level 3 course last fall just for the fun of it. I was very pleased that Michael Pardy had no issues with me using pautiks for both my main paddle and my spare paddle. My spare was a storm paddle that fits well on the front deck. I haven't touched my Werner for a long time.
    RavenWoods.ca

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    1. That's great to hear - I do think pautiks are more unusual here, less a case of 'which do you use?' than 'what's that?'.

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  7. My next article in Coast and Kayak magazine is about that subject.

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  8. Lesley, I made the decision a long time ago only to teach people who are using the GP.... then I get to use mine too...

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  9. Good idea Christopher - its just a matter of time before I will be doing the same.

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