The easier a boat turns the less energy it takes to get back on track. I’ve wondered if this could be an energy saver compared to a straight tracker. My guess is it would, more so for single side paddling than hit and switch.
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Paddling advice for long, flat, skinny boats
- Thread starter Chip
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In my limit experience, it's only an issue in significant wind. It's definitely easier then to keep the Wildfire on track. But lacking that, the Moccasin moves faster with less effort and less correction. But yeah, when I was out on the lake in 20+ mph wind, I was kind of wishing I had chosen the Wildfire instead of the Moccasin.
It's a bit more complicated than that though, I think. The Solitude is much less of a problem in wind, due at least partially to its low shear. And it's more neutral regarding leaning in turns, even though it lacks rocker. Maybe being Swedeform has something to do with that? Idunno.
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I asked this exact question to Shawn Burke, author of The Science of Paddling because I have the same suspicion as you. His answer was "I don't know, it's complicated". I respect his honesty.
I remember reading that K1 kayaks lose 11-14% efficiency due to yaw losses so I'm curious about rocker and also wonder if I should put more priority on keeping the boat pointed straight.
Congratulations! I don't have much to add to this thread, mainly my experience paddling an Advantage.
It's a fun canoe but as you're expecting, it's much different than paddling a rockered tripping or sport canoe. You just have to adapt to the boat's strengths and weaknesses. It flies along with good hit-and-switch technique but you have to train your brain to stop trying to keep it going in a straight line using correction strokes. Traveling fast in a solo cruiser results in a series of shallow arcs as you switch sides, and with practice you can get five or six (or more) strokes per side before switching. Turns seem to work best using a combination of a hard stern sweep and post while heeled to your onside.
Wind and waves adds a bit of challenge but once you figure out how to use the force of the wind and waves against the bow to offset yaw, you can actually fly along without having to switch very often. It's sort of like tacking into the wind with a sail boat. It sometimes takes a strong stern sweep to nudge the canoe back on track. And paddling down wind can be a lot of fun, basically surfing the waves. Pay attention to fore and aft trim depending on the direction of the wind; think of your canoe as a weather vane and weight the wind end. It won't keep the canoe tracking on its own but it helps.
I like to push against the footbrace with the onside leg for sit-and-switch paddling. It gives you additional leverage (so you're not sliding forward off the seat) during the abdominal crunch phase of the stroke.
if you have a foot strap attached to the footbar, it is easier to lean the canoe when making a turn. I like it when the water is a little rough as well as it helps brace myself.
I've tried foot straps and have mixed feelings about them. A buddy of mine just sticks his toes under the bar when he wants to heel the boat or wants extra leverage in rough water. I haven't decided which I prefer.
Spent a bunch more time (8+ miles) in the Advantage yesterday. I agree with folks who said leaning outside assists a turn. Very notably there was virtually no wind, which I'm sure changes things quite a bit.
I was trying this, but felt like it was too powerful and was adding more yaw and demanding more frequent switches. Hypothetically the obvious answer is push less, but if you're really letting gravity do the work that was easier said that done for me. I think length of stroke and entry (catch) and exit points are probably important too. Lots for me to learn still.
I was certainly experiencing this and was glad you'd described this ahead of my trials. Still seems like I'm having to switch every 3-5 strokes to minimize yaw. I need more practice.
Are you referring to what's desribed in these Tahitian style paddling videos? https://www.canoetripping.net/threads/tahitian-style-paddling.130264/
I was trying this, but felt like it was too powerful and was adding more yaw and demanding more frequent switches. Hypothetically the obvious answer is push less, but if you're really letting gravity do the work that was easier said that done for me. I think length of stroke and entry (catch) and exit points are probably important too. Lots for me to learn still.
I tried my underwater recovery and my (best attempts at a) Northwoods stroke. I thought the Advantage responded very smoothly to both, and while both felt efficient in a relaxing way, if I wanted to make miles fast I think sit and switch still wins.
Stroke length is very important. It should be quite short. It took me a long time to get this down (not that mine is perfect by any means) because in my newbie days of not knowing much I'd gotten in the habit of taking long strokes. Power is applied at the catch and, I'd say by the time your hand has reached between mid-thigh the stroke is effectively over and recovery is starting.
When paddling H&S I will often intentionally lengthen the stroke once or twice to initiate a turn.
Did you happen to measure your cadence?
Alan
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I have never tried it! I think that may suggest how I feel about it. I need to take a straight shaft with me and try it.
I'm not comfortable yet about disagreeing with the short & fast cadence teaching, but the more I try to put Paukea's teaching in those videos to practice, the better I'm doing overall. It helps to review the videos once in a while to remember important points - like making the catch as far forward as possible, using muscle (not just weight) to bury the blade before pulling the boat forward, engaging your core, and more time in the water and less time in the air. I think one of the key points is rather than increasing cadence to accelerate the boat, to let the speed of the boat dictate cadence. My thought is that cavitation is your enemy, and the energy wasted in producing it is also wasted in initiating yaw.
Sort of, they use paddles with a double bend so I'm not sure how that effects the catch and power phase but it seems like what he's describing is how it feels when the canoe is flying along. You have to keep the blade close to the hull and the shaft fairly perpendicular to the water or you'll accentuate the yaw. Steve posted before I replied and has good suggestions, and as Alan mentions, the stroke is (relatively) short since there's no correction phase. And I'll repeat something Steve brought up; John Puakea highlights in the video that cadence is dependent on the speed of the canoe, something I forget at times, especially when trying to accelerate. (John called it "spinning in the grass".) It's more important to feel a solid catch, apply power, and finish the stroke with an efficient recovery. But I'm certainly not an expert hit-and-switch paddler and don't have the power that a good racer has, I've just developed a paddle stroke that seems to work pretty well for me.
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