Down River Index  1 Paddles   2 Boat Outfitting   3 Technique   4 How to Handle the River   5 Down River Racing

 1   Paddles

To set up: Use a locator to provide positive grip on the paddle. Use heat shrink wrap to prevent blisters. Set the grip up parallel to the back spine of the blade for the required side.   75 degree offset of blades is best. Small blade, long shaft: allows changes in rating and stroke, as well as a more "deep-in-the-water" technique.

Conventional or High Tech?

Wing or Foil Paddles

Conventional Paddles

Positive · Efficient for forward paddling: once used correctly are very positive in the water Seldom "flutter" in the stroke Promote a biomechanically efficient technique: a top hand pivot point which keeps the paddle shaft vertical which in turn promotes a long, powerful and sustained "power" phase Can be much shorter and therefore less ungainly Newer designs allow for a greater range of techniques for foward paddling Negative Awkward to use for strokes other than forward paddling, apart from rolling Prone to breaking if chipped on the top edge of the blade Can be seen as hard to learn to use Expensive Can splash on "catch" phase and handle badly in the water if the design is poor.

Postive Easy to use Cheap to buy Can be used for a variety of strokes: eg., brace strokes, bow draws Negative Flutter in the "power" phase Do not promote trunk twist, but "all arm" paddling techniques, or "push-pull", which is biomechanically unsound. Pivot point of the paddle is in the middle of the shaft, therefore water tends to be lifted at the end of the power phase, not driven horizontally. This leads to a waste of stroke. Because they are less efficient greater length is needed to provide adequate leverage.

© 1994-2002, Dave Worthy and Robyn Khorshid

Not to be reproduced without written permission of the authors.