GREENLAND PADDLING

Notes From A Novice:

by Tom Lucas

I first became intrigued with Greenland paddling technique for purely aesthetic reasons. On a weekend trip to the Chesapeake Bay last spring I observed several paddlers, all recent converts to Greenland-style equipment, using these short skinny sticks with remarkable skill. The easy grace with which they handled their boats, upright, upside down and in between was wonderful to watch. One of the things that always appealed to me about kayaks was their elegance and kayaks never appeared quite so elegant as when they were being propelled with Greenland paddles.

I bought my own Greenland paddle in July of 1992, a "Greenlander" from Betsie Bay Kayak and all aspirations to grace and elegance quickly dissipated. My forward stroke splashed and clunked and got me nowhere. My sweeps failed to turn the boat and my roll, hard earned over the winter in weekly pool sessions simply vanished. I was very discouraged, but not defeated. I read whatever I could. I laid down my conventional paddle and used the Greenlander exclusively, beginning in a small pond (on windless days no less!) and graduating from there.

This is what I've learned so far.

Greenlanders used various anthropomorphic measurements to size their paddles. Most are between 7 and 7.5 feet in length. The loom or shaft of the paddle is usually about 18 to 22 inches long, although it may be longer. The paddle blades grow wider as they extend outward from the loom to a maximum of S. 5 to 4 inches. It is important that the paddler's hands fit comfortably and securely around the blade even at its widest point. The paddles are always made of wood and the blades always unfeathered.

The forward stroke comes in two basic varieties: the traditional and the slide. John Heath, a Greenland aficionado and probably the best writer on the subject, provides the most succinct description of the traditional forward stroke:

"In executing this stroke, the paddle is gripped with the thumb and forefinger around the loom and the remaining fingers around the inboard end of the blade. Forward movement is achieved by twisting the torso, not by pulling or pushing on the paddle. In the beginning it is helpful to exaggerate this movement while locking the elbows in place. On the day after paddling if anything hurts besides your abdominal obliques, you probably were doing the stroke incorrectly."

I'm convinced that Greenland paddles, like baseball bats have a "sweet spot". When a pitched ball is struck with the sweet part of the bat, an economical swing; smooth, compact and quick, will drive, the ball an extraordinary distance.

The ball is said to "fly off the bat", like an animate object with a power all its own. On the best days when you find the sweet spot of the Greenland paddle (and you don't always find it), something similar takes place. The traditional strokes seems effortless and the kayak glides not through the water but over it. It is truly a cause for joy.

A special case modification of the traditional stroke is worth noting here. Sometimes it is necessary to accelerate the kayak rapidly, e.g. when punching through surf or catching a ride on a following wave. To do this with a Greenland paddle, the hands are spread a little further apart and the paddle is held nearly vertical. The stroke is hard and as close to the gunwale as possible. The acceleration achieved in this manner belies the narrowness of the blade; it is surprisingly effective.

The slide stroke is a little more difficult to describe as well as perform. Once again, John Heath:

The "smooth, continuous movement" is the tough part. When I use this stroke, I find that my hands rarely come together at the middle of the loom. Rather, the upper hands stops about 6 to 8 inches shy of the lower- a kind of "half slide" that facilitates the linking of strokes. As in the traditional stroke, the hands are kept low and rotation of the torso provides the primary thrust. In addition, the upper blade is pushed forward and down throughout the stroke for added power. This is similar to the forward stroke with a conventional paddle.

The cadence for the traditional stroke is roughly 60 repetitions per minute, or better, for the half-slide about 40-50 per minute. Both strokes result in comparable cruising speeds. I find that I switch frequently between the two, sometimes just to vary rhythm and break the monotony, sometimes in response to wind and sea.

The slide stroke is particularly useful because it can be modulated almost endlessly to accommodate the conditions immediately at hand. For example, in a steep quartering sea it might be appropriate to execute an extreme slide on one side of the kayak and a minimal slide on the other in order to keep one course. A short time later it might be appropriate to tone down the difference between the strokes and a short time after that to reverse the difference. This ability to vary your response quickly to changing conditions is a great advantage in rough seas. And far from being a nuisance, it's actually enjoyable. It's also less taxing over the course of a long day on the water.

The slide stroke is the bridge to the extended-paddle position and the extended position is the only effective way I know to turn a kayak with a Greenland paddle. A sweep stroke with both hands on the loom is futile. In the extended-paddle position the upper hand grips the non-working blade at or near the end, while the lower hand grasps the loom just below the inboard end of the same blade. The sweep itself is performed exactly as with a conventional paddle but now there is a full 4.5 -5 ft. of paddle on the sweep side. This provides both a powerful lever for turning the boat and a stable platform for supporting an aggressive lean throughout the sweep. This combination is extremely effective. I have never been able to turn my boat as well with a conventional paddle as I can with my Greenlander.

The extended-paddle position is also the bridge to Greenland style braces, rolls and sculls. But that is another story best reserved for another day. For now I only hope that I have aroused your curiosity regarding Greenland technique and given 'you some helpful information to get started. There are some relatively inexpensive traditional paddles on the market or better yet, you can make one from a standard 2 x 4. Remember though, you probably won't like it at first and a few brief attempts is not really a fair test. I suggest you strap the paddle to the deck of your kayak and use it a little each time you go paddling. If you still don't like it, just leave it on your deck; it makes a great spare. It's readily accessible and since it requires no assembly, it is easy to put to use in a real emergency.

There has been some controversy recently regarding the advantage of the conventional vs. the Greenland paddle (ANorAk June/July, 1992 and August/September, 1992). When couched as an all-or-nothing proposition, this is a red herring issue. Just as there is no one perfect boat for all people and all conditions, there is no one perfect paddle. There are pluses and minuses to both styles. For me the pluses fall heavily in favor of the Greenland paddle. For you the answer might be different. The best way to make that determination is to take paddle in hand and use it. Perhaps you might find that you like what you discover or that you can adapt some of what you learn to your own paddling style. Perhaps not.

I leave you with a quote from a man who surely never paddled a lick in his life but whose words are nonetheless right on the money:

"Different stokes for different folks. "

Sly and the Family Stone, 1969

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