Melissa writes:

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On Sat, 27 Sep 2003 11:47:44 GMT, Brian Nystrom wrote:

I agree with Michael; if you don't have a specific need for a bent
shaft paddle, there is no advantage to them.

I agree with both of you! Considering the limits imposed upon
variable hand positions, extended strokes, etc., unless one suffers
from a specific physical malady that *only* a bent shaft can
alleviate, they only limit rather than enhance what's possible. For
an otherwise perfectly healthy paddler, a bent shaft paddle is a
mediocre crutch for poor technique (sounds harsh, but I do believe it
to be true).

I've been paddling with a bent-shaft for three seasons now. The
bend never got in the way of my being able to do anything I wanted.

I also look at how my hands fit on the ends of my arms and note
that, when they're held with the wrists in a neutral alignment, a
cylindrical object gripped in the hands is not perpendicular to the
plane of my torso, but at an angle. To hold such an object in a
perpendicular alignment -- which must be done if the cylindrical
object is a shaft gripped by both hands -- I must either cock my
wrists (supination, I believe) or move my forearms in from a 90
degree alignment with my upper arms.

For the first six years of my paddling, I used nothing but a Werner
touring paddle with an 80 degree feather (if you're going to feather
for wind, make it mean something and give it a *real* feather
angle!). I never once experienced any problems with my wrists,
fingers, forearms, etc. First and foremost, I'm a musician, so I'm
very sensitive to the health of my arms, wrists, and fingers.

The difference may be one between touring paddling and whitewater
paddling, but I sure don't have the personal experience to say.
It's probably fair to generalize that whitewater boaters have more
situations when they simply can't afford to let go of the paddle at
all, whereas in touring kayaking, much of the time you can stop, set
your paddle down, etc. You may not want to, but you can.
Whitewater paddling also has more situations where you _need_
maximum power on a stroke: all you can give it, and fast. It's the
difference between a "long slow distance" run and a sprint: it
simply puts different stresses on your body.

An obliquely related rant...

I've never understood the need some people (with healthy hands, no
missing fingers, etc.) claim for a so-called "left-handed" string
instrument...just because they are left-handed (almost always
encountered with pop/rock guitarists/bassists with little or no
formal instrumental training). First of all, there is no
"right-handed" instrument, so how can there be a "left-handed" one?
- From a technical perspective relating to left/right hand dexterity,
the concept is absurd...and more often than not, just used as a
feeble excuse as to why someone can't play very well in the "normal"
fashion ("Gee, if I had a left-handed guitar, I could play
better...because I'm a lefty!"). The argument is as weak and absurd
as suggesting that there's a need for a " left-handed" piano, with
the bass to starboard and the treble to port!

In both cases, paddles and musical instruments (I've always felt many
parallels between the two), excepting cases of true physical malady,
bent shaft paddles and so called "left-handed" instruments are - to
put it in computer terminology - needless hardware solutions(?) to
software problems ("my ears are dirty and plugged...I need new
speakers!").

I think you're making a few assumptions about the boundaries of the
"problem". See discussion of whitewater vs. touring above: the
problem you know isn't all the problem.

Sometimes, being too willing to grab at every high-tech solution for
our perceived problems, we place limits on ourselves before we even
have the chance to discover what we're capable of.

And sometimes we find a gear fix and get feedback aplenty that it
works just fine.

--
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Mary Malmros
Some days you're the windshield,
Other days you're the bug.