"Bill Tuthill" wrote in message




Frank, do you (or the kids) use bent shafts in competition?

What are your opinions about feather angle? Do competitors
decide for themselves? What is the most common choice?


No bent shafts are not used in sprint - at least I have never seen
anyone use them. I have just purchased a new paddle for my grandaughter
which is being set at 65deg against the standard 90deg - many of the
problems asociated with injury are due to incorrect paddling action. If
you study any sprint/marathon competition videos then you will see
people paddling in a style that has a great deal of scientific research
behind it. When you are competing for Olympic Gold you ensure that you
are using the most effective stroke. At present one of our coaching team
is working with the youngsters to ensure that they paddle correctly.
This will reduce the risk of injury. When I moved into racing I needed
to relearn much that I had been taught, it took a while to perfect my
paddling technique but I found that I could paddle faster and further
with less effort at the end. With regard to how much of the blade goes
in the water this is a red herring. If you only need half the blade size
why not reduce the size of the blade? - The answer is to get decent
coaching and you will then get the maximum benefit. The problem with
being taught by people who have picked it up with no formal teaching is
they teach their bad habits.

Frank Healy


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