Trip Leader Workshop

It had been three and a half months since I paddled on the proxigean tide. That was January 30th, when the air temperature was 15°f and the water temperature was probably in the 40’s. Last Saturday the water temperature at the Sebago dock was 58°f. Under the Belt Parkway Bridge it was 60°f. Out in Jamaica Bay it was 56°f. The air temperature was near 70°f. The sun was shining and the wind was blowing, really blowing. Had a beginner’s paddle been scheduled it would have been cancelled due to the wind. But the eleven of us that would later be out on the water were not beginners.

Earlier in the morning we started gathering in the clubhouse of the Sebago Canoe Club in Canarsie, Brooklyn. With some confusion about the schedule, we started straggling in for the Trip Leader Workshop beginning 8:30 AM, with more arriving at 9:00, 9:30, 10:00 and our final participant arriving at 10:30 AM.

A little before 10:00 AM the odd assortment of future trip leaders (or was it an assortment of future odd trip leaders) and experienced trip leaders watched segments of the Leo Hoare and Olly Sanders Sea Kayak Safety DVD as it played on Walter’s Mac Book Pro. We focused primarily on rescues and towing. Later in the morning we discussed what was required of a trip leader in general and a Sebago Canoe Club Trip Leader in particular. We also reviewed and discussed the procedures related to Sebago’s Wednesday evening and Saturday morning open paddles when most of us would be leading and assisting with trips.

During the paddling season, as conditions permit, The Sebago Canoe Club welcomes up to fifteen walk up first time paddlers for an “Open Paddle” on Paerdegat Basin and Jamaica Bay. After signing an insurance waiver and being asked for a $10 donation to cover costs, open paddle participants receive a brief introduction to paddling and paddling safety and are then taken out as a group onto the water. With a Leader/Participant ratio of 1/5 or better, Sebago needs at least one trip leader and two assistants for every open paddle.

After our classroom work we took a short break and then put on our dry suits, wet suits, and paddling jackets as we prepared to head out onto the water. Five future trip leaders and six current trip leaders and instructors paddled straightaway down Paerdegat basin and under the Belt Parkway Bridge out into Jamaica Bay.

Whether it was the wind or the tide or whatever, Walter’s boat edged up to mine from behind and before I knew it I was rolling over into Jamaica Bay, the unintentional victim for the first rescue practice of the day. Ted paddled up to my boat and following his instructions we emptied my boat of as much water as possible and I climbed back in. From my perspective the most difficult part of the rescue was playing dumb, i.e. pretending I was an inexperienced paddler who knew nothing about rescues and who needed to be talked through the procedure by the assigned trip leader.

Within the next hour or so Phil would intentionally capsize several times so that each of the future trip leaders could practice their rescue skills (top photo). Phil so dramatically portrayed paddlers panicking that most of us thought he was bucking to get out of the set shop and onto the stage. In our minds, at least, he deserved a Tony for his portrayal of the inexperienced kayaker from hell that will not listen to directions and therefore endangers others by standing up on his kayak as he is being rescued. Meanwhile, Bonnie feigned an avid bird watcher who strayed away from the group in order to test the observation skills of the assigned leaders and their ability to keep the group together.

Though I have owned and carried a tow belt since last season, Saturday’s workshop was the first time I have actually used one as Jerry acted the part of a tired paddler who needed to be towed back to dry land. Towing, even into the wind, was easier than I thought it would be, though I was glad I did not have to tow Jerry all the way back to the dock.

Back at Sebago, after rinsing and stowing our gear, we debriefed over hamburgers, hot dogs and assorted beverages prepared by our Commodore John Wright. All in all it was a good day of learning, fun, and comradeship.

While additional Sebago Instructors and Trip Leaders participated in the morning classroom segment of the training, the eleven that paddled in the afternoon practical session, in addition to myself, included Dan, Ted, Hillary, Andy, Severin, Jake, Phil, Bonnie, Jerry, and Walter.

More pictures from the day have been posted on my Picasa page.

Boaters Rescued in Windswept Jamaica Bay

Fellow Sebago Canoe Club member and NOLS alum John Huntington distributed this link to a story about a rescue of boaters in windswept Jamaica Bay. There is also a follow up link to a story in the New York Post. The boaters were in a fishing boat, not a kayak. Nevertheless I think there is a lesson to be learned here.

I have paddled in Jamaica Bay when the there has been hardly any wind and the water was like glass. Likewise I have been out kayaking in the Bay when there was a strong enough wind over enough fetch to create white caps and standing waves over shallow shoals. The danger lies in calm condition luring inexperienced boaters out into the open bay far from shore only for the weather to drastically change for the worse with little if any warning, catching the boaters unprepared. This is why it is wise to know how to assist in one's own rescue as well as to assist others in being rescued and to practice such rescues (pictured top right) before they are necessary.

With six or seven years of paddling under my PFD, Jamaica Bay does not intimidate or scare me, but I still respect it because it demands respect. Becoming familair with rescue techniques is one way of showing that respect.

Understanding fast optimal forward stroke - Part 2

The Part 1 was sent around for comments. Here is what I got;

Marcus Demuth recently circled Ireland among other kayak exploits. He is known for long journeys. He uses Werner paddle.

something I did not see mentioned, which is for me the #1 paddling/forward stroke think to know about an efficient forward stroke is the leg work. Push damn hard with your right leg against the footrest while making a stroke on your right, and same on the left side. In my world, the forward stroke happens to 60% inside the boat, and under the spray skirt (the leg work), and 40% is positioning of blade, body rotation, etc.

Marcus pointed out Eric Stiller's article from Mayor's Cup site.

Eric's points are;

The one thing I have done primarily right is to establish a fully body (foot to fingertip), torso rotating forward stroke. A stroke that continually evolves but is about 90% now. While I was aware of leg drive and torso rotation for about 20 + years, I was very happy to find the book "The Baron Mold” written by his coach and filled with excellent information and decent photos. I highly recommend you get a copy of it and EPIC kayaks DVD called "The Forward Stroke".

I have described high level sprint or marathon kayaking as hitting a T-shot with every stroke whereas the face of the paddle has a particular angle , connecting to the water at a particular speed , with a smooth delivery and follow through that is nearly as precise as hitting a golf ball with the face of driving club when done optimally.

Greg Barton has one of, if not the most efficient stroke among Olympic paddlers in paddling history. Once you establish this "high" gear you will be able to apply the basic mechanics to many different paddle angles for different distances, speeds, and conditions (like changing gears on a bicycle but the crankshaft stays the same.

Technique is 70% of the paddling performance equation and all the strength, stamina, endurance, flexibility, speed, and power training only fills in the 30%. (Good Equipment fit is given in this equation). A person with exceptional technique and moderate "fitness" will generally out perform and person with mediocre technique and high fitness.

Race speed, its cadence and the higher blade pressures put very specific demands on the body’s architecture. My torso could turn forever but the Triceps could keep up, hence a 5-10% loss of boat speed for the last 12 miles.

I had compounded this discrepancy by taking out my 212cm Epic Wing Sprint Blade for the event and joked to Greg Barton and Joe Glickman as they passed me (could I trade you for a "mid wing") a paddle with a smaller blade face. The added pressure per blade connection was not conducive to a race of this distance.

Bonnie of Frogma mentioned her blog entry "Of Paddles and Planes"

In this funny article, she loses you in airplane analogy but has some pithy points;

and if this whole aeronautical side trip is weirding you out, don't worry, my next post will be (er, at least if I don't get distracted) about my first lesson (taught by Turner Wilson) on how to actually PADDLE with a Greenland paddle!

a really good intro to the wing paddle, with excellent diagrams, by Olympic gold medalist Greg Barton, can be found here - found it while looking for images

Joe Glickman says in his article;

• Your hands are an extension of your body," says Oscar Chalupsky. "If your body is stiff your balance is compromised. The key is to relax your body; move with the water, not against it. When in Hawaii, make like a hula dancer and roll your hips with the bumps."

• Says Gardiner: "Experience is the best teacher of all. When the wind is blowing, force yourself to go out and get used to chop. Make sure you go with a partner, tether your paddle to your boat and paddle along the coast in case you flip.

• "At the end of the day," says Chalupsky, "your technique will see you through the difficult conditions. The rougher the sea, the more you must concentrate on your style. Make sure you sit up straight. While you still want to concentrate on proper shoulder rotation, dropping your hands will lower your center of gravity and improve your balance. In addition, make sure you use to legs to keep yourself firmly in the kayak and to transfer your power into the boat. The key is to not let your speed drop off. The slower you go the less stable you are."

• "Too many beginners," says Gardiner, "try and surf across a wave. The key is to take off perpendicular to a wave and drop straight down the face. Once you have the speed you can track across the wave and look for another run. Always try and keep your bow pointed down. To do that, scan the sea for holes in front of you and paddle towards them."

• "There's a tendency," says Chalupsky, to go way off course when you're chasing the runs. Beware at all times of your final destination. This doesn't mean you have to track a straight line. You don't. But you need to keep your speed up and turn towards your destination while you're using the speed of the wave. That sounds simple but it's easy to lose sight of where you're going."
  

Greg Barton says in his article about wing paddle;

A wing paddle must be moving sideways, away from the boat in order to function properly. This is the main difference between a wing paddle stroke and a traditional stroke. With a traditional stroke (dashed line below), the paddle is pulled relatively straight back during the stroke. With a wing paddle (solid line) the stroke begins with the paddle next to the side of the kayak, but then the paddle moves steadily away from the boat during the stroke. The stroke generally finishes 12"-18" further away from the boat than it started.
Because the wing paddle is an open wing section (concave on the bottom side), water pressure builds up on the 'lip' at the leading edge of the blade and helps to push the paddle away from the kayak during the stroke. Therefore a wing paddle naturally wants to take the correct path in the water. It is best to pull straight on the paddle without forcing it into or away from the boat, letting the paddle move out on its' own. It will take a while to get used to the feel of the paddle and stroke; but once you find it, the stroke will feel very stable and comfortable. When switching back to a standard paddle, most wing users encounter a lot of flutter, as the traditional paddles do not track nearly as solidly as a wing blade in the water.



The paddle moves outward during the stroke and then exits out to the side. To begin your push for the stroke on the opposite side, do not move your hand close to your head (this would require bending your arm significantly). Instead, start your top hand push wide (away from the body where your previous stroke ended), and slowly come across with your top hand as you push forward. Towards the end of the stroke, your top hand will cross the center of the boat. This is desirable - as your blade and bottom hand move away from the kayak, your top hand should cross over this same amount. The angle of the paddle shaft when viewed from the front should remain nearly constant during the power phase of the stroke.

Understanding fast optimal forward stroke - Part 1

This series of articles is related to the forward stroke clinic by Joe Glickman. This is to help kayakers better understand elements and variables contributing to forward stroke.

Looking at masters, it is hard to learn because they seem flawless. Dissecting their behaviors and movements and comparing notes would be just as good as learning from master.

I see lots of different movements in efficient stroke;

hip twist
leg push and pull
stomach crunch
straight arms (This is a lot like rock climbing)
gentle introduction of paddle into water
meeting the water sweet spot
rotation of body to crank big muscles into gear
cadence
development of speed
speedy exit of paddle
relaxed and paced stroke for endurance

There are many variables;

type of paddle; wing, euro, greenland
type of hull; hard, soft, and shape

Unlike flatwater paddling, paddling with waves takes mindfullness; this is where my yoga comes in handy. :-)

Go and be one with water and waves..

The catch is that there are many variables. By the time, we have clinic and you can contribute better understanding of how these variables play. So study and practice your strokes. Ask away at the clinic.

For those who are armchair kayaking, here is a reading material written by our guruji, Joe Glickman. I read pages and it is a great fun book. I know I am putting Joe on pedestal. Enjoy it.

http://www.amazon.com/Kayak-Companion-Joe-Glickman/dp/158017485X/ref=sr_1_2/105-0593803-1050000?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1188482619&sr=1-2

Meanwhile, see these videos and more reading materials;

http://www.qajaqusa.org/Movies/movies.html

http://en.kayakwiki.org/index.php/Forward_stroke


http://www.kayakforum.com/Albums/Front_Comparison.jpg

This picture compares wing paddle and greenland. You see surf ski switching and extending legs transmitting power from leg over to shoulder. Green lander enters his paddle closer and takes shorter stroke. He does little stomach crunches and shoves the boat.


http://www.kayakforum.com/Albums/Stroke_Comparison.jpg

This picture shows side view.

Here are some excerpts;

"Below is a comparison of a wing paddle forward stroke and the Greenland forward stroke. These are not completely comparable strokes as the Greenland paddle is doing a long distance race, and the wing paddle is sprinting.

http://www.kayakforum.com/Albums/Front_Comparison.jpg

The most noticable difference is the wing paddler slices his paddle out to the side in the water (Flared Stroke) where the Greenland paddler appears to pull more straight back. The Greenland paddle pushes the upper hand down across the boat, where the wing paddler pushes the upper hand horizontally across at eye level. In both cases the stroke starts out with the upper hand at nearly eye level.

http://www.kayakforum.com/Albums/Stroke_Comparison.jpg

Here you can see that both paddlers use significant torso rotation. It is quite noticable that the wing paddle crosses over the boat with his hands held high, and the Greenland paddler crosses over with hands held low.

Some of these differences may be attributed to the different kind of paddling they are doing. As you increase your stroke rate it helps to have a more vertical stroke. I have found that having the upper hand cross the centre line of the kayak at the beginning of the stroke keeps the blade in a more vertical position and forces good torso rotation. This is virtually the only cause of paddle movement, arm movement being restricted to giuding the paddle out from the boat (or rather allowing the paddle to find its own optimum direction through the water). For longer distance paddling, it is helpful to have a more horizontal stroke. Varying between sometimes more vertical and sometimes more horizontal allows better muscle recovery for longer distance trips. Also note the differences in paddle size and shape. This influences the path the paddle takes through the water and which position is most efficient."

Philippe Castagner sent an interesting article which was forwarded to me about greenland paddle. There are multiple sources of this paddling techniques not just from Maligiaq. It goes to tell you wing paddle might be inspired by greenland. For long distance paddling (> 20 miles), one could develop a different type of paddle.

http://www.qajaqusa.org/Technique/Greenland_technique_from_the_source.html

In this instance, greenland paddle acts like wing paddle; bit of bracing and getting ready for the sweet spot.

Power Phase. Maligiaq does not display as much side-to-side torso rotation as compared to an experienced paddler using the recreational stroke. Instead his pushing hand starts from just below the tip of his shoulder and is levered downward toward the deck, crossing just over the centerline of the kayak. His spine rises slightly and drops down in concert with his arm motion. His elbows stay fairly close to his sides. Viewed from the back, he looks like a boxer making slow motion, downward punches on alternating sides of his foredeck. Maligiaq's paddle shaft was held at approximately a 45-degree angle for normal cruising, higher than the paddles of the surrounding students and instructors (Note - this is the angle between the paddle shaft and the horizon, please don't confuse this shaft angle with the forward tilt of the blade discussed earlier).

25 Seconds Yank Rescue

This video demonstrates how to reduce rescue by half compared to 45 seconds average T rescue.



Video

Good basic postures

Paddle Float Rescue: Sea Kayak Rescue Techniques

Re-entry & Roll: Sea Kayaking Self-Resue

Training: Surf launch

Forward Stroke

See Olympian stroke



Hank McGregor




Disected for stroke-by-stroke

All different rolls

Why do we have so many different rolls? See this video

Scenes from 1 & 2 Star Training

It was an all around wonderful weekend - except for the 5 hour trip home. There was a terrible accident on the Tappan Zee Bridge and it was closed for 9 hours. We didn't figure that out until we were sitting in traffic so motionless that a spider began spinning a web between the bow of one of the kayaks on Prof. M's minivan and the SUV in front of us.

Aside from that, FANTASTIC weekend, 3 of our 10 students got assessed at the end & all got their 2 star ratings easily - I think there were a few more who would have passed if they'd tried, but 2 days of training, even on flatwater, is pretty intense, and a lot of people just ran out of steam & decided to take the Leisurely Paddle with Pete option. But I think everybody learned a lot - that's the main thing.



Great students. The person standing up in the boat is one of 'em - that was fun! It was funny, we were working on low braces towards the end of Day 1. T-rescues were right after the bracing, so after conferring with the other instructors ahead of time, I decided that we'd start easy - then allow the bracing session to segue into the T-rescue session. People were entertainingly slow to start going over, but once the first couple of capsizes happened & people realized it was all OK, & there was this great sensation of people really starting to cut loose & have some fun! We branched out from T-rescues into paddle float & cowboy. Earlier in the day, I'd stood up in my boat and then jumped out as a "stupid coach trick" forfeit for being caught in a red light-green light game, and M. decided that she wanted to try - she wanted to try the cowboy rescue anyways, and she was getting bored of wet exits...


And then there's Chalu demonstrating what a wonderful job we did of teaching steering strokes.

Boy was that a fun class.

We did lunchtime presentations. On Day One, Tom P., the head instructor, introduced the BCU system and Sebago.

On Day 2, I did a short presentation on kit. I'd written up a list of the basics as a handout, showing what was Coast Guard required (actually I did another handout with sample pages from the USCG Boating Safety website as I think it's really good for sea kayakers to know the regs they are expected to follow) & what's just a good idea; I then brought out my own stuff & just went through it piece by piece.

I'd showed the list to the head instructor in advance & asked him to vet it one more time before I started my talk. I was a little nervous, you see, about the possibility of accidently leaving something obvious out & looking like a dope.

Chalu approached me afterwards as we were beginning to launch. He had a very serious look on his face.

"Excuse me, Bonnie, but I wanted to ask you something - I think you left something out when you were talking about kits."

"Really?" I attempted to maintain a collected expression while mentally I began frantically rummaging through the list o' stuff trying to figure out WHAT boneheadedly obvious piece of perfectly everyday gear I'd left out. Drawing a total, complete blank - "What was that?"

"A banjo".

It's good I wasn't in my boat yet 'cause I think I would have fallen over from laughing so hard.