The Door's Open

Well actually it is like opening a door...pulling with the bottom hand I mean. The next time you put your hand on a door handle think about how you open it. Watch what happens when you pull on a heavy door; your either pull your upper body towards the handle (because the door won't budge or is moving slower than you are pulling) or you have to lean away from the door to help you get it open.

Both of these are what you should feel when you pull on your paddle though you should not lean back as you pull. You may also notice that you rotate your hips as you pull. These are clues about how each of you, and all of you experts in opening doors, use your body to the best advantage.

Lots of you will be thinking "well it never feels that heavy in the canoe" but it should. There are two things that have to happen.

1. You have to accelerate your paddle blade more and more through the power phase. If at any time the resistance seems to lessen through that power phase, either your blade is shedding water (bad) or you have stopped accelerating the paddle blade and the blade is being pushed by the water on the non-power face...and you are dragging the blade. (bad)
2. You have to obtain and maintain a good angle on your paddle blade to allow a good full blade of water. This is achieved by the angle of the shaft. The angle is determined by top hand position.

Always think to yourself as you paddle "Is this as efficient as I can be in the canoe?"

Brent