Boat Building Forum

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A different POV
By:Dave Gentry
Date: 12/9/2007, 11:26 pm
In Response To: Paddle: Feathered vs Unfeathered (Greg Clopton)

Talk is cheap about perceived advantages, but think about this: Not one person is winning Olympic kayak races with unfeathered or Greenland paddles. Feathered (wing) paddles are de rigueur, because they are THE most efficient for the forward stroke.
As for quick and/or unexpected bracing, well, what do whitewater paddlers use? They use feathered paddles. Whitewater kayaking regularly requires vastly more bracing than sea kayaking - try it and see. Feathered paddles aren't at ANY disadvantage.

: I've always used my paddle in about a 30 degree feathered position. This
: seemed natural and it felt to me that I was getting less repetitive stress
: in my wrists from this setup. As I've listened to those advocates of GPs,
: I've begun to rethink what I've always done. Since I'm planning to build
: myself a couple of paddles to go with my still uncompleted boat, I'm
: wondering if I should try moving away from a feathered paddle. I'm aware
: of the advantage unfeathered paddles offer for a quick, unexpected brace.
: Other than personal preference, what suggestions would people make?

Messages In This Thread

Paddle: Feathered vs Unfeathered
Greg Clopton -- 12/9/2007, 9:41 pm
build & try both
ChuckS -- 12/10/2007, 11:25 pm
Re: Paddle: Feathered vs Unfeathered
Dave Houser -- 12/10/2007, 8:17 pm
Re: Paddle: Feathered vs Unfeathered
Bryan Hansel -- 12/10/2007, 11:20 am
Re: Paddle: Feathered vs Unfeathered
Bill Hamm -- 12/11/2007, 2:28 am
Re: Paddle: Feathered vs Unfeathered
Gordon Masor -- 12/11/2007, 12:13 am
Hijack!
Dave Gentry -- 12/11/2007, 11:29 am
Re: Hijack!
Alex Ferguson -- 12/11/2007, 4:54 pm
ad nauseam
Dave Gentry -- 12/11/2007, 7:00 pm
Re: ad nauseam
Gordon Masor -- 12/12/2007, 2:53 am
Re: ad nauseam
Bill Hamm -- 12/17/2007, 2:07 am
Historical POV
Reg Lake -- 12/11/2007, 6:20 pm
Re: Hijack!
Mike Savage -- 12/11/2007, 1:48 pm
Re: Hijack!
Dave Gentry -- 12/11/2007, 3:14 pm
Re: Paddle: Feathered vs Unfeathered
Kris Buttermore -- 12/10/2007, 1:21 pm
Re: Paddle: Feathered vs Unfeathered
Mike Scarborough -- 12/10/2007, 10:25 am
Re: Paddle: Feathered vs Unfeathered
JohnK -- 12/10/2007, 4:59 pm
Kinesiology
Pedro Almeida -- 12/10/2007, 9:29 am
Re: Kinesiology
eric -- 12/10/2007, 9:45 pm
Re: Kinesiology
TOM RAYMOND -- 12/10/2007, 10:17 am
Re: Kinesiology
Mike Savage -- 12/10/2007, 10:41 am
Re: Kinesiology
TOM RAYMOND -- 12/10/2007, 11:48 am
Re: Kinesiology
Mike Savage -- 12/10/2007, 3:17 pm
another example
Pedro Almeida -- 12/10/2007, 9:47 am
Re: Paddle: Feathered vs Unfeathered
fred Gasper -- 12/10/2007, 8:51 am
Re: Paddle: Feathered vs Unfeathered
Mike Savage -- 12/10/2007, 6:18 am
Re: Paddle: Feathered vs Unfeathered
Bill Hamm -- 12/10/2007, 3:41 am
Re: Paddle: Feathered vs Unfeathered
JohnK -- 12/10/2007, 2:59 am
A different POV
Dave Gentry -- 12/9/2007, 11:26 pm
Re: A different POV??
Randy Knauff -- 12/10/2007, 1:21 am
Feathering advantage is real
Nick Schade - Guillemot Kayaks -- 12/10/2007, 11:28 am
Re: Feathering advantage is real
Rob Macks / Laughing Loon------WebKitFormBoundaryU -- 12/11/2007, 11:44 am
Re: Feathering advantage is real
Kris Buttermore -- 12/19/2007, 1:59 pm
Not either/or but appropriate both
Randy Knauff -- 12/10/2007, 4:05 pm
Re: Not either/or but appropriate both
Nick Schade - Guillemot Kayaks -- 12/10/2007, 7:30 pm
Yes, a different POV
Dave Gentry -- 12/10/2007, 3:31 am
Question
Jay Babna -- 12/10/2007, 8:39 am
Re: Question
Bill Hamm -- 12/12/2007, 1:46 am
Re: Question
Dave Gentry -- 12/10/2007, 1:50 pm
The Whitewater Perspective------WebKitFormBoundary *LINK*
GlazedDonut------WebKitFormBoundaryCg1JNknuAcMS+s6 -- 12/10/2007, 10:30 pm
Re: The Whitewater Perspective------WebKitFormBoun
Dave Gentry -- 12/10/2007, 11:49 pm
Re: The Whitewater Perspective------WebKitFormBoun
Duane Strosaker -- 12/10/2007, 11:45 pm
Re: Question------WebKitFormBoundaryJred+soBaAm3Im
Jay Babna------WebKitFormBoundaryJred+soBaAm3Imqe -- 12/10/2007, 3:15 pm
Re: Question------WebKitFormBoundaryJred+soBaAm3Im
Kris Buttermore -- 12/10/2007, 4:20 pm
Re: Question------WebKitFormBoundaryJred+soBaAm3Im
Mike Savage -- 12/10/2007, 5:28 pm
Well...
Pedro Almeida -- 12/10/2007, 8:47 am