GUIDE If you are reading this guide, you have survived at least a season of outrigger canoeing and have decided to continue in this great sport. This guide is designed to follow the introductory issue and will elaborate on some of the less obvious aspects of the sport.

There will be a brief review of essential technique, an outline of the goals of outrigger racing, a discussion of how to approach specific paddling circumstances, a seat by seat breakdown, and a focus on some of the more common errors made in outrigger paddling.

SUMMARY OF WHERE YOU ARE:

By now you know the basics. You know how to position yourself in the canoe. You know how to position your top and bottom hands (the Rules of Thumb). You know about the four parts of the stroke: catch, pull, exit and recovery. You know the importance of good timing. The bottom line is that you are probably fairly confident. You are contributing to the movement of the boat. I suggest what you do not know is how to do these things well in all conditions. Let's look carefully at what we ultimately want to accomplish.

 

WHAT ARE WE TRYING TO DO ANYWAY?:

 

Our goal is ridiculously simple; to go from one point to another as quickly as we can. Achieving that goal is far from simple however. Factor in the length of the race, the weather and water conditions, the rig (light or heavy) and trim (bow or stern heavy) of the boat, the nature of the race (sprint, iron or long distance), the strength of the crew's collective resolve to move the boat quickly and efficiently, and each individual crew members skill, strength and stamina alongside a whole host of variables which are too numerous to list, and going quickly from A to B is not so simple at all.

Start with the simplest proposition of all; the shortest distance between two points is a straight line. In outrigger canoeing, this is not always true. In fact, I suggest more often than not, it is not true. It is the shortest distance, but it probably won't be the quickest (shortest) route.

"Why"? Because wind, wave and current all have a bearing on the progress of the canoe. The less you paddle into the wind, the faster you will go, all other things equal. The more you can surf waves, the better. The less you paddle into a current, the easier it will be on your crew.

You are probably thinking "How can you control the weather?" or "We don't set the race course, the race organizer does." True, but you can still take advantage of the conditions you DO encounter. Here are some examples of how you can maximize your progress or minimize your effort given a set of weather or water conditions, remember these maxims; "Paddle smart" or put another way "How can I do more with less effort?" This is every paddler's responsibility. Chant them to yourself as you paddle, like a mantra.

 

Headwinds:

Faced with a headwind, if you can paddle directly into the wind, do so. You present less surface area of the boat for the wind to act on and the boat will be encountering the waves head on. Thus, the waves won't move the boat side to side. (The wave action in the open ocean may be a bit more complicated as wind and swell do not always go in the same direction. But in fresh water and near the shore in the ocean, they generally do.) If you cannot paddle into the wind for the whole leg of the course in which you encounter the headwind, do so as much as you can. Then turn only when you have to.

Whether you are paddling fully or partially into the wind, always look for places you can hide from the wind, even temporarily. The wind will always be less strong on the "leeward" side (opposite of the side onto which the wind is blowing or the "windward" side) of an island or a point of land, and the higher and broader the land mass, the more protection you will get.

It is also true the wind is usually less strong near the shore, unless you are the windward side. There, the wind will actually be stronger near the shore. The wind will also be strongest on the windward side the closer to shore you are as it rushes around the island. The higher and broader the island or point of land, the stronger the wind will be.

If you need a visual aid, think of the wind as a current flowing against the land. Imagine what happens as it piles up against the land. The land is an obstruction in the current and the current must get by the land.

While this may seem to be the responsibility of the steerer, every crew member should be aware of the forces acting on the boat at a given moment. Knowing that your steerer will take advantage of the best the conditions have to offer results in reduced mental stress for crew members. The paddlers don't waste mental energy second guessing the steerer's course. Also, when the boat does enter a portion of the course when the conditions are more favourable, even if only temporarily, the crew can collectively maximize the advantage for as long as the conditions exist. A concrete example of this would be for the crew to resolve to accelerate the boat once in the lee (out of the wind opposing the canoe's progress) of an island or point of land.

 

Remember, a long deep stroke which emphasizes the catch, pull... and pushing off the back before the exit is best into the wind. The longer the paddle is in the water driving the boat forward, the less the boat can be decelerated by the effects of a headwind.

Deceleration of the canoe occurs in between strokes. If you are paddling into a headwind, the boat is being hindered in its forward motion by hull drag (a constant relative to speed in still water) and by the wind. So maximize acceleration (power phase of the stroke) and minimize deceleration (recovery phase of the stroke).

 

Also, into a headwind, try to "feather"* your blade so that you are not pushing the back of the blade into the wind. Not only is it tiring for the individual paddlers, but it actually slows the boat down. It is like holding up six little sails.

*(To feather the blade is to turn the paddle so the blade is knifing through the air after the exit and during the recovery phase. It is always the outside edge of the blade that leads the paddle. All that is required is that the paddler turns the top hand 60-90 degrees. On the left, the hand is turned clockwise while on the right, the top hand is turned counter clockwise.)

Most of these same principles apply when paddling into a current. Wind and water, whether from the front, side or back, affect the boat in a similar fashion.

 

Tailwinds:

Paddling feels effortless with a strong tailwind. And the stronger the tailwind, the less effort is required to make the boat travel at a given speed. But while you may need less energy to make the boat go, you need the same amount of effort to make the boat go fast. Remember, you aren't simply trying to get from point A to point B quickly, but to do so quicker than the other crews. You can bet they are taking advantage of the conditions. Your crew has to as well.

There are two types of tailwind to consider: the first is a tailwind that is blowing slower than the boat is moving (a "false tailwind"); the second is a tailwind which is moving faster than the boat is moving (a "true tailwind"). If underway, the first will be felt as a gentler headwind, while the second will blow from the rear even when the boat is going flat out.

Why does this matter if both push the boat? Because the course will be dictated by wind to a large degree. A false tailwind provides two benefits to the canoe, less headwind and (usually) a following sea. A true tailwind can actually inhibit the progress of the canoe to a degree. How can this be? Consider this.

While a true tailwind pushes the boat even more than a false one (with both wind and wave), a true tailwind will tend to make the boat come around broadside to the direction the wind is blowing. That means the steerer is having to constantly steer the boat and cannot contribute to forward motion of the canoe by paddling. Also, if the wind is from the left stern, the boat will want to swing left. "The steerer's options are to draw left, which is tiring and relatively ineffective, or to pry on the right, Prying on the right makes the ama light and increases the chance of a huli. The problem is not just the steerer's at that point. So try and keep the wind at the rear.

Also, where there is wind, there are waves. And waves from the rear means waves to surf. Even the smallest wave which is traveling faster than the boat will give the boat a push, and waves directly from the stern are usually best.

Sometimes the waves are so steep that they drive the front manu under water. Next thing to go down is Seat One. Here, it is better to surf the waves to the side, or on a diagonal. Course will dictate which direction, whether left or right, is preferable. But

ama side (to the left) is always a little more unstable.)

If the wind's strength varies, so must the paddling style to accommodate the conditions. The stronger the tailwind, the quicker the catch and pull, you can also afford a longer recovery (more airtime) to set up for the catch because the boat slows down less between strokes in a tailwind situation. While the water is still acting on the hull creating drag, the wind's effect is lessened or negated altogether. It may even be helping to accelerate the boat. So the boat runs better between strokes.

And, like in the case of a headwind, alter your stroke to take advantage of a tailwind.

 

If it is a true tailwind, don't feather your blade in the recovery phase. Recover with the blade angle perpendicular to the direction of travel. The blade will catch the wind and reduce the deceleration between strokes that much more.

Crosswinds:

There is not much you can say about crosswinds. They are fairly unpleasant and offer very little of which to take advantage. For the steerer, it is a constant battle to keep the boat from turning into the wind, for the paddlers, the boat rolls from side to side preventing good purchase on the water, for everyone, particularly if the wind (and waves) are coming on ama side, it is necessary to ensure the ama does not pop making a huli more likely. And it is exhausting requiring the paddlers to utilise trunk muscles to maintain their position in the boat. Endure it for as long as you must, but hide from it whenever you can. Ff you can turn downwind to take advantage of a push from the rear without losing ground, do so. This is the steerer's call and requires significant experience and confidence.

 

 

Surfing:

Surfing a big canoe is not only one of the most exciting things about outrigger canoeing, it is also a fundamental technique utilized to make a canoe go fast. This is neither the job of the steerer nor the paddlers alone. It is a team effort that brings about good surfing. A crew that surfs well will have an distinct advantage over other crews and weaker crews will win out over stronger if they make the most of this aspect of outrigger racing.

There are two factors essential to surfing; one, experience of paddler and steerer alike, and two, stroke flexibility. Let's explore these two factors.

Boats do not surf on their own, except momentarily. If you position a canoe in the water with waves at its stern, each wave that passes underneath the canoe will carry the boat slightly in the direction of the wave's travel. If the boat is moving in the direction of the wave, and is not traveling faster than the wave, the same wave will carry the boat that much further. The more the speed of the boat approaches the speed of the wave, the more the wave will carry the boat. When the wave and the boat are traveling the same speed, as long as the wave keeps it's shape, the boat will be carried by (or will surf) that wave.

What is surfing exactly? Surfing is a delicate balance between the drag of the wetted surface of the boat (the part of the boat that is in contact with the water) countered by gravity as it pulls the boat down the wave. You have probably all seen surfing pictures, if you haven't seen surfing videos or movies. The bow or front of the object surfing is pointed down and sometimes to the side of the wave, the stern or back of the object surfing is above the bow or front and is actually in the wave. As long as those two opposing forces are equalized, a boat will surf. Now there are a number of other factors that have to do with the amplitude and frequency of the waves and the length of the boat or the shape of the hull. But any boat will surf, some just surf a little better than others.

So, how do you get a boat on a wave? Again, the concept is easy, but the execution can be a bit more difficult. This is where the crew's experience comes into play. And experience of two kinds, the individual's experience with water and group experience as a crew both factor heavily. Remember also, stroke flexibility is very important. By that, I mean ability to change rate and style quickly.

Recall that surfing involves the stern being higher than the bow. The first thing that happens is that the wave comes under the stern of the boat and begins to lift it. The paddlers must develop a feel for this lifting, because anticipating a surf is the only way to actually catch a wave. When the wave begins to pick up the stern, the power paddlers begin to put more pressure on the blade. This means seats 3 through 5 begin a series of strong deep strokes with particular emphasis on the middle and back of the stroke. As well, recovery time is decreased. It is as if you are accelerating the boat from a running start.

As the wave picks up more of the boat, the boat will begin to accelerate. The stroke rate will climb naturally. A change of rate comes from the back, not the bow. And rate changes always start with more power. The back power paddlers or "engines" push the front of the boat and the stroke pair changes the rate to accommodate the increased speed of the boat.

As the boat approaches the speed of the wave, the rate should have elevated by 6 to 10 strokes a minute. The stroke will now have gradually changed from a strong deep accelerating stroke to a quick explosive stroke which emphasizes only the catch and the front half of the stroke. You will know the boat is beginning to run (surf) when the pressure comes off the blade (it is easier to pull through), while the speed of the boat remains the same or even increases. The boat is now beginning to surf.

The tricky part is maintaining that boat speed without falling off the back of the wave and equally without driving the boat into the back of the wave in front. Whoever is calling the changes must make a decision whether to continue to call every 12 to 15 strokes or to stay on one side in order to prevent the boat from falling off the wave (to maximize the surf). It is not unusual for a crew to stay on one side for 50 or more strokes when surfing. Since the emphasis is usually on quick catch and recovery, the crew cannot always afford to change over. To do so may be enough to lose both the boat speed and the wave.

However, if the wave is solid and of sufficient size and height, not only can the rate come down but so can the power. The boat only needs to be maintained on the wave. Physics will do the work for you. Normal change-overs are okay here. It all depends on the wave. And they are all different. If done right on the right wave, your crew can rest and gain positions on the other crews all at once.

The steerer's job is to ensure the boat is steered in the right direction to catch waves.

"This will depend on how steep and frequent the waves, (and it goes without saying, on the destination). I he steeper the wave, the more likely the boat will have to be angled off to one side or the other. Otherwise, the bow of the boat will bury in the back of the wave in front. This will not only slow the boat down (and may even push the boat off the wave it is surfing), but it will also result in water coming into the boat, even when fitted with a cover.

Okay, now the wave has dissipated or the boat has fallen off the back. VVhat next?

 

Well, if the wave was not an accidental one (a ferry or other deep-hulled boat passing by), you look for another wave. Once the boat falls off the wave, don't hammer away trying to get back on it. It is gone. You will expend far more energy trying to catch that one than simply waiting for the next one. You cannot paddle uphill (up the back of a wave). Ease off on both rate and power, let the wave clear the front manu (bow) so that it is not burying into the wave and let the stern begin to rise again with the next wave. Then you start all over again.

Simple, right? Maybe not, but read this over and over and then go watch the water. Put objects in the water and watch what happens when a wave passes under them. Feel the boat when a wave picks it up from behind. Then be proactive, aggressive and anticipate so you can go surfing.

Seat breakdown:

What I intend to do is to discuss the qualities that make for good seat placement. This is not designed to be a comprehensive and exhaustive list of those qualities, nor a description of the roles of each paddler. It is what I look for in a paddler for each of the seats in a boat.

Seat (stroke): Seat one should be second or third to the steerer in experience.

 

Ideally, this paddler should have tremendous boat feel. By that, I mean Seat One should know exactly when the boat is running well and when it is not. Assessing how the boat is running is accomplished by determining the amount of pressure felt on the blade at the catch and pull through and evaluating the run of the boat at the release (exit) of the blade.

 

To a large degree, the stroke rate and style is determined by the Seat One. And Seat One's job is to maximize the strengths of the crew by determining which rate and style work best. Seat One must be consistent and methodical. Any changes in the stroke initiated by Seat One must be gradual and carefully thought through.

It is not a power seat, though there is nothing wrong with having a power paddler in Seat One. However, power paddlers tend to be larger paddlers and Seat One should not be overly big, as his or her weight will drive the bow into waves rather than letting the boat ride over them. Neither is an overabundance of stamina a requirement. Seat One changes frequently.

Equally, Seat One need not have good timing, though he or she should have a metronome in their head. They need not keep time with others, but others must be able to keep time with them. 5eat One must be flexible in setting a rate that works best with the crew and the boat.

 

Technique should be excellent with great economy or movement. Seat One should be easy to follow. Other than the steerer, ,5eat one will have the greatest effect on the up and down or side to side motion of the canoe brought about but a paddler's movement. They are at the end of the canoe, and at the narrow end at that, so, a quiet upper body is the rule.

 

Seat: Seat Two should be close to or superior to Seat One in technical ability. Seat Two is the second part of the stroke pair and as such is responsible for Seat four's timing. If Seat Two is out, then fully 40% of the boat may be hitting the water out of time with the stroke. Result; a tired and slow crew, so, seat two's timing must be impeccable. And since Seat Two cannot always see the stroke's blade, Seat Two must be able to determine the rate by a combination of feel and visual cues that do not involve watching the blade enter the water.

Seat Two must also be a good diagnostician. It is the job of the stroke pair to identify problems with the way the boat is running and fix them, if they can be fixed, by rate and style changes. Seats One and Two must be able to discuss the situation and determine ways of correcting a perceived difficulty with the boat's progress. Seat Two is also the liaison between the stroke and the rest of the boat. It is very hard to hear anyone but the paddler behind you when in the stroke seat.)

 

Again, Seat Two need not be a power paddler, but having a power paddler in Seat Two does no harm, his or her size will have less of an effect on the boat as they are seated in a part of the boat with a little more volume. But if the crew does not have other powerful paddlers to place in Seats Three, Four and (to a lesser degree) Five, best you move that power paddler back out of Seat Two. As well, one must always be mindful of the canoe's trim (how the canoe sits in the water, whether bow or stern heavy or flat).

 

On balance, Seat Two should have more stamina than Seat One. He or she will change less frequently than the stroke.

 

Seat Two also has to watch the ama if the boat is rigged without a huli line (a line strung between the iakos about midway between boat and ama). "The front iako is closest to Seat Two so Seat Two must jump on it if the ama starts to come up.

Seat and seat:"These paddlers are your engines. They sit near the centre and in the deepest part of the canoe and as such their size does not affect the trim of the boat very much. They are your biggest strongest paddlers. They should have tremendous stamina and strength. They can afford to throw their weight around a little more as it will have little effect on the run of the boat, particularly if they are of equal size. Whenever the boat must be accelerated, it starts with a push from these seats.

Their timing must be good.

 

They are responsible for calling changes, for calling series' and for coordinating surf commands. One of those paddlers is usually responsible for calling the start. If the boat is rigged with a huli line, they are jointly responsible for keeping the boat, hull-side down. If not, then Seat Four shares that responsibility with Seat Two.

 

Seat: "This seat is a power/stamina seat as well, but with a difference. By the time the water gets to this part of the canoe, it is already moving. Seats One and Three will have given it a push back. Seat Five must be able to catch and pull just as hard as the others even though the water is moving. So, Seat five should have very quick hands and an explosive catch and pull through. This should be your quickest paddler, all other things equal.

 

"Timing is less of a concern in Seat Five because no one follows him or her. However, bad timing is always a concern to the entire crew as a paddler can prematurely exhaust him/herself by rushing the rate. So, the rule is good timing makes for a strong boat, and seat Five is no exception.

 

He or she should also have good boat feel because Seat five, along with Seats Three and Four are responsible for accelerating the boat to surf or to challenge another crew. This requires some anticipation on the part of those seats.

 

Seat Five is also the liaison between the steerer and the rest of the boat. (It is very difficult for the steerer to hear the paddlers forward of Seat Five.)

 

While, Seat Five may also be called upon to help steer the boat in extreme conditions, these situations are quite rare and are only encountered in a big sea (big waves in the open ocean). In those circumstances, if the steerer must pry on the right, Seat Five may be called upon to draw on the left to balance the boat, to assist in turning the stern to the left and to prevent a huli.

 

Seat (steerer): this paddler should be the most experienced of your paddlers. He or she is ultimately responsible for the performance of the boat. The steerer has the final say on the stroke rate, the change call, surfing the canoe, the course the canoe follows, and when and where to bail the boat. Seat Six must prevent the canoe from becoming unstable increasing the risk of a huli and must coordinate righting the canoe if it does flip.

 

The job of the steerer is the most complicated and involves the greatest degree of discretion. The act of steering a canoe slows the boat down. The job of the steerer is to interfere as little as possible with the speed and run of the boat when initiating steering manoeuvres. And, paradoxically, the steerer must also contribute to forward propulsion as, and when, he or she can. So, steer, but don't steer very much. Paddle, but don't paddle so much you have to steer to correct.

 

As far as strokes are concerned, the steerer uses the widest variety of strokes for both power and for steering and everything in between. Rarely is any power stroke a propulsion stroke alone. It usually involves some aspect of steering at the same time.

 

Steering is an act of subtlety. The less you can get away with, the better for the boat. And it is art to steer a boat well.

 

The Ten Most Common Mistakes in Outrigger Canoeing:

1. "Placing" the paddle in the water: At the catch, the paddle should be plunged into the water aggressively. The blade should be fully buried as soon as you are able. It should not enter the water gradually as you commence the power phase, (jet it in and then apply pressure to it as you begin to accelerate the boat.
2. Drag at the back of the stroke (the dreaded "paddle float"): if here is a tendency to let the blade float at the end of the stroke, there are lots of reasons for this but I like to think it is because the lift provided by a blade floating to the surface gives the illusion the paddler is applying force to it. The only force that should be experienced is a good push off at the back which will load up the shaft, bending it incrementally and causing it to spring out and forward. If you have stopped applying backward force to the paddle, it is doing nothing but slowing the boat down for as long as it remains in the water. Pop it out.
3. Top hand remaining in the boat through the stroke: Sometimes a paddler will keep his or her top hand in the boat through the whole power phase of the stroke. This does a number of things all at once. It prevents the paddler from putting weight on the blade, as the blade is not vertical. It may push the boat sideways. It has tendency to cause the paddle to move through the water in an arc, instead of along the hull (a breach of Rule of Thumb #2). It can cause contact with the gunwale, which wears the paddle shaft out. It demonstrates that the paddler has not dropped his or her outside shoulder to allow a complete commitment of weight and power to the blade. A good guide to follow is to ensure your top thumb is over the gunwale through the entire power phase of the stroke (Rule of Thumb # 1).
4. Pushing the top hand forward through the stroke: This effectively shortens the stroke because it changes the pivot of the paddle from the top hand to the middle of the shaft. It thus causes the paddle to swing quickly from blade down at the catch (the part of the stroke creating the most lift) to blade up (which should he no part of any stroke as it pushes the boat down and creates drag all at once). Try this yourself. Imagine the paddle is connected to a spot in space and make that point first connect to the handle and then the middle of the shaft. The latter will demonstrate a much shorter stroke.
5. Dropping the top hand on the recovery: In a word, this is laziness. Keep your top hand high so that even in the recovery phase your paddle is only clearing the water by a couple of centimetres, dropping the top hand will actually make your task more difficult as you have to lift that same paddle you have dropped every stroke. It is much easier to keep it high and endure the shoulder burn until you change sides. Then you rest that side and utilize the other shoulder. Obviously, the more you lean out by dropping the outside shoulder and raising the inside shoulder, the less you have to hold your shoulder high.
6. Lack of rotation: If you do not rotate, you cannot help but arm paddle. Arm paddling is the quickest way to learn to hate this sport. It is weak and it is tiring. Imagine how far you could throw a baseball if you only used your arm, or how well you could hit a tennis or squash ball if you did not turn your body through the stroke. Try it, don't take my word for it. I his also serves to shorten the stroke. And your fellow paddlers will resent you because you will not be pulling your weight.
7. Pulling with the arms: See above. Whatever bend in your arms you begin with at the start of the stroke (the catch), maintain it through the power phase of the stroke. Make your shoulders and your arms a unit. This is the "Power U" for the simple reason your arms and shoulders form the rough shape of a "U". Pull through with your trunk. Keep the shaft of your paddle and your shoulders in basically the same plane through the stroke.
8. "Sitting" in the boat: Yes, you sit in the boat. But you want to imagine trying to pole vault over your top hand every time you put your paddle into the water. Try to lift your butt off the seat. Dear down on the shaft and pull down and through the stroke. Make the boat light by lifting yourself and as you lift, so does the boat.
9. BAD TIMING: It speaks for itself. Do not do it. If you are out of time, not only are you getting prematurely fatigued, but you leave only four of five people to catch together reducing the effect of the catch by 20%. Not good.
10. Death Grip: Relax. If you do not have to grip the paddle, don't. Pull through with your bottom hand open and only your fingers on the shaft. Encircle the handle with your top hand and push down and back through your palm. Push right down the shaft, which ever way it is pointed in the power phase. Recover with your thumb under the handle and your bottom hand gently encircling the shaft. Only when your hands are very cold or when the wind is particularly strong do you need to grip the paddle. Otherwise, ease up.

 

Have fun.

BV Bagnall

May 2008 (from 2000)

 

< Prev		Next >