Dave Kalama - Photos - Technique

[Chan]

Sometimes you can learn as much from the tip talk on the ride up as you can from the paddle back down.   T, Andrea, Jeremy, Devin, Junya, Chris, Dave... enough combined ocean paddling experience to fill volumes.  The tip that I was focused on during this run was eliminating paddel produced nose diving or even better yet, creating lift at the catch. 
 
In the photo’s of Dave, you can see that he creates forward momentum with his reach and pull, but does not drive the nose down, causing the board to plow.  I’m working on this.  I have heard it described in various ways.  “The paddle stroke should take the form of a nike swoop” “Weight the paddle, unweight your board”  “Be light on your feet”  All of these were tips I’ve heard on the ride up and then practiced on the water. 

Such an amazing time for the sport when you can learn firsthand from the very best.  I don’t imagine it will be this way for much longer.

[noworrieshawaii]

OMG a pic of Randy... does he know?

[Chan]

OMG a pic of Randy... does he know?

I snuck that one in  .  I couldn't resist now that he has those new paddle shorts. 

[noworrieshawaii]

Oh yeah. those shorts.. takes a brave man.... 

[southwesterly]

Nice photos Chan, thank you for posting them.
What a big difference between the #2 paddlers in both boats. Guess which one wins?

[Admin]

Randy - It looks like the only guy that bury's his paddle blade all the way in the water is Dave.  Am I seeing it correctly?

Hi Evan,

For these examples, they all did bury the paddle fully during their strokes, although at different times.  Dave had mentioned that he uses different amounts of blade submersion at different times depending on circumstance and had also mentioned that paddlers of various strengths would use this differently as their strength would allow.  For these shots, I just asked everyone to paddle straight at me and go all out.  This was a short distance and pretty much flat water inside the Gulch, so a whole lot of variation was not needed.

It is pretty cool looking at all of the frames for each paddler.  To characterize, Dave is the most pronounced at getting his blade in and deep right at the catch.  He and Jeremy are both very robotic in that they throw off a spray of cloned strokes.  Dave has uses more reach, twist and extension while Jeremy has a compact and rapid fire style that lays down a lot of strokes in short order all of which look like machinery working.  Jeremy also has a little steering encorporated into each stroke which comes from all of his time on rudderless.  This happens in a very subtle way, but is noticeable.  Chris is somewhere between the two without quite the initial extension that Dave goes for but with an extra blast of power and grind in the mid stroke.  He goes with some big bursts of power and then  a succession of faster lighter strokes.  He carries through a little further as well to a slightly later release.

[Boludo]

What is accomplished by rotating the paddle at the end of the stroke?  Is it that it exits the water with less force and quicker?  Or is there other reasoning behind it?  Thanks.

[DavidJohn]

What is accomplished by rotating the paddle at the end of the stroke?  Is it that it exits the water with less force and quicker?  Or is there other reasoning behind it?  Thanks.

I think it helps slightly with its release out of the water and helps the paddle cut through the air and you swing it forward.. It's more effective when paddling into a headwind.

At the 2.10 mark of my vid you can see that I don't do it much at all.. Sometimes I do make myself do it but it's not a habit that I've formed.. I notice that I do do it a little more towards the end of my vid.

I wonder what others think.. Any comments about myself would be appreciated.. I'm always looking to improve.

DJ

[PonoBill]

What is accomplished by rotating the paddle at the end of the stroke?  Is it that it exits the water with less force and quicker?  Or is there other reasoning behind it?  Thanks.

the twist flicks the paddle out of the water. Give it a try--downright weird feeling.

[surfpainter]

Downright great thread!

[lazymodo]

in the very first sequence, are the number 3 and number 4(the two middle) Daves backwards? look at the arm position and paddle position. it looks like the sequence is off. maybe?

[Admin]

in the very first sequence, are the number 3 and number 4(the two middle) Daves backwards? look at the arm position and paddle position. it looks like the sequence is off. maybe?

Man, I gotta put down the bottle when I'm editing.  I am sure you are right.  Nice catch.

[Chan]

in the very first sequence, are the number 3 and number 4(the two middle) Daves backwards? look at the arm position and paddle position. it looks like the sequence is off. maybe?

Man, I gotta put down the bottle when I'm editing.  I am sure you are right.  Nice catch.

I never cared much for Dave Kalama #3.  Always up to something.

[lazymodo]

anybody know anything about those wrist mounted GPS', durability? usefulness?

[BrittanysDad]

 Any comments about myself would be appreciated.. I'm always looking to improve.



[/quote]

You have great taste in music.