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Topics - alap

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31
Technique / how deep to paddle
« on: September 04, 2007, 10:00:27 AM »
I was on a glass yesterday. complete mirror, not a puff. (and this is a mountain lake in the rockies, so you see mountain reflections; plus the water is green and clean - you see rocks on the bottom, and its at least 10 feet deep). great condition to experiment. so I tried different things. the question/observation I have is: how deep should be blade be submerged?

should it be that the blade is just submerged same depth for duration of the stroke - meaning that the point that connects shaft and blade is just on the surface of the water at all times during the stroke?

or is it better to start the stroke this way (connection point on the water surface) and as you stroke move the blade deeper? so when your blade is by your feet and you should finish the stroke this connection point is few inches below the water.

from what I saw yesterday I have a feeling that it goes faster and accelerates more with a deep stroke.
I was paddling standing as much forward as I could, so the nose of the board was creating a wake, a wave (1/2 inch high :) wave) not only to the sides but pushing water forwards (its glass and the nose was just on the surface). And if it is faster board speed, this "wave" should be bigger, right? With deep stroke it was indeed bigger :)

Also to make a deep stroke I had to bend knees and then straighten up, which kinda involves more muscles - more muscles working, faster it goes.

I am talking very small marginals differences - but every drop counts (no pun intended).

Also when I move the blade shallow I can see two swirls of water on either side of the blade. When I submerge it, there are no swirls on the surface (i would say less energy dissipating into swirls).

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