Keeping a straight track on a wide board

[clinto]

I have been working lately on reducing yaw and paddling straight. On a flat calm lake i can compensate with my paddle blade angle and go straight paddling on the same side of the board for a while. When i get into my normal conditions of the open ocean or large river, the wind and current really work me. I have figured out that if i put more weight on the foot opposite my paddle side of the board i can help fight the turning. I have been trying to do a Larry Cain style stroke and concentrate on the 4 parts. It seems to help but i just cant get my paddle shaft totally vert consistantly. I believe it is a two fold issue. First issue is I'm afraid to whack my rails and worry about that more than i probably should. I do have heli tape but i ride a BOTE HD and everyone knows how they are with rough use. My other thought is that since my board is 32" wide, getting a reach out and to the side far enough is very difficult without throwing my balance off a bit. I assume that if i was on a board that was even a couple inches narrower it would be easier to maintain a vertical shaft at entry all the way through the exit. Is it really harder on wider boards or am i creating an excuse? I have been paddling for 6 months at least once a week.  I have great balance and confidence on my board now and have been getting better at catching waves as well. My buoy turns are improving and i can walk around fairly well. I know that time and patience will help but i want to make sure im not learning bad habits. Thoughts.

[Eagle]

..... I believe it is a two fold issue. First issue is I'm afraid to whack my rails and worry about that more than i probably should. I do have heli tape but i ride a BOTE HD and everyone knows how they are with rough use. My other thought is that since my board is 32" wide, getting a reach out and to the side far enough is very difficult without throwing my balance off a bit. I assume that if i was on a board that was even a couple inches narrower it would be easier to maintain a vertical shaft at entry all the way through the exit. Is it really harder on wider boards or am i creating an excuse? .....

Yeah - the wider the board the harder it is to keep your paddle shaft vertical.  A 30 wide would be better - and down you go to narrow narrow.  We bought an AS23 a couple months ago and it has been the only board to drastically improve our balance and paddle power technique. 

A narrow board forces you to have proper technique otherwise you go right in with an imbalance whatsoever.  Would suspect you are probably learning some bad habits - but you should be able to correct them if you put your mind to it.  Just try always to keep as vertical as possible.  And with that wide a board you will hit the rail - so expect that.  Stick with it.  You are on the right track.   

[PonoBill]

Eagle is exactly right, if your blade is sufficiently vertical you'll hit the rails. In fact you SHOULD be hitting the rails when you're learning to paddle. Make sure you're getting your paddle blade deep enough, if it is, you can get the shaft more vertical. You might need to go a little longer on paddle length to do that without bending too far. Banging the rails only matters if it's the sharp blade bashing them. If it's the shaft it won't do anything. I bang my rails constantly. I don't care, I don't think about it, that's why I buy RSPro. It's a lot more important to me to get a good stroke than to avoid whacking rails. 

It's probably too late to peel your heli tape, it would probably lift damaged paint off, but if you can, get some RSPro on there and bang away. Getting the shaft vertical and the paddle under the rail is not just important for yaw, it's important for power. The further out your paddle is from the rail, the more of the power of the stroke is wasted in a turning vector. The ideal stroke would be right down the centerline--all the power would be used to push the board forward. The worst stroke is with the blade pushed out as far as you can reach--most of the power would be pivoting the board. The best you can achieve from a pure energy efficiency standpoint is as close to the centerline as possible.

I think Starboard pre-applying RSPro on some of their high-end boards speaks volumes about the difference. I know there are folks that believe just as firmly that their cheaper heli tape works just as well. I've used both extensively, over long time periods. You don't need to avoid banging your rails with RSPro. You do with heli tape. I've never taken a nickel or an inch of tape from RSPro, but every board I care about has RSPro on it, and I would never again bother to put a piece of Heli tape on a board. Pointless in my opinion. If I didn't care enough to use RSPro then I don't care at all.

[robcasey]

We teach to imagine a straight line from the rail by your feet leading forwards to the nose. place your blade in at the catch a few inches from the rail along those line, then bring it in a straight line to your feet.

#2. Vertical shaft (upper hand over water)
#3. watch where you're going

2 of the 3 usually works.

Tilting board on one side works, but how long do you want to hold that?

[GizzeeNZ]

even on a narrow board can be tricky.....have been doing it for many years now.......if paddling on right side of board can go pretty straight.......if paddling on left side it all turns to custard 

[Eagle]

With the AS23 it is so easy to put in a paddle stroke parallel to the board.  The shaft stays vertical and it is surprisingly easy to go fast.  As well because of that - the board tracks super straight with something like the Gladiator Elite fin installed.  The difference is huge comparatively dropping from a 25 down to a 23. 

From an efficiency perspective as well - the 23 is a huge amount easier to propel forward.  The glide is insane.  So drop down to a narrower board to track straight.  As well - it will improve your balance skills as well.  Will feel tippy tippy at first - but you will get used to it with time on the water. 

[baddog]

1.  Yes, vertical helps.  I can get vertical on my 9'6" x 32" and I'm not tall nor do I have exceptional reach.  You do have a have a bit of flexibility to do so, however.

2.  Try a new fin.  Fins can make a huge difference on how your board tracks and behaves.  You've got that massive cutting bow which will send you straight downwind or current without a compatible fin out the back. It looks like your boards comes with side fins as well?  Get rid of them.

3.  Sounds like your board foot/rail steers by your comment on weight on your foot opposite from your paddle side.  Great, foot steering can compensate for yaw or getting pushed downwind, but again, the right fin is critical.

4.  Now the bad.  There is nothing you can do that will fix how your board reacts in wind, chop and current.  That big cutting bow is a huge liability that catches wind and chop like a sail.  Great in smooth water I'm sure, but it's something inherent in the design and no amount of excellent technique will fix it.

An All Star 23" has nothing to do with your situation except for one thing; it's a different board.  A big stable platform is great for fishing, but it's just not going to perform like a narrow race board can.  I like fishing, but I'd rather go straight and fast.  Sound like your dilemma is more like what most of us obsess over; it's time to get a new board.

[yugi]

Everything said is correct. Yes get the shaft vertical (looking from the from front or back), yes get deep, yes bang shaft along board the whole way (goes zzzzzip with RSpro), yes a narrower board is easier.

Now here’s the thing. Well, two things:
1. focus on adjusting your attitude. Just do it!   
Get a fix on your course. Keep a watch on it. And constantly adjust your stroke. It may be a pain. It may be new. Just do it. You can! 

2. Stop focusing on the issues 
Yes a narrow board is easier - well, to go straight but hello balance. Takes years of practice. Yes RSpro is sweet (and goes zzzzzzip). Etc etc etc. Stop with the excuses. Just do it.

Sorry to be calling it out roughly. But seriously. Look where you are going and just adjust. Practice makes perfect. And yes, you will be happy when you get a narrower board but meanwhile... HTFU