C-Forum

anyone here had experience using handpaddles in a c1 squirt or play environment? i plan on experimenting with it this summer mainly in mystery spots.

jason

I have no squirt experience, but I love using hand paddles in play holes. It's a lot of fun and it really increases your fundamental body position and balance skills. In the winter, almost exclusively use them to cartwheel. I use Surfins brand hand paddles, which are shaped like a paddle blade.

Hey, do you have a web address? I want them, too.
I do a lot of handcartwheels and Stuff like that in the pool but on the river, I would like to have extra power...

Jan

i use nate's power paws (or at least used to when i sat on my butt) and like them alot. Eric Z has them at

http://kayakoutfitting.com/paws/pawsindex.html
(no financial interest)


Bob, any issues rolling with them? i'm so much higher out of the water than in my old k1 squirt, i'm wondering how that will work.

jason

Jason,

I can handroll my C1's no problem at all! Just make sure that you use clean technique and you can roll everything.
I use a two stroke roll (upper shoulder side kicks first, then the lower shoulder)
similar to what Chris Joose describes on his webpage for Kayaks.

Jan

Rolling with hand paddles is a breeze. I mainly use then to easily roll up. I can hand roll a C1, but not reliably on the river. The hand paddles guarantee my roll.

I've had the Surfins for at least 6 years now and their major difference is you can easily get your hands free without taking them off. I've tried the hand-paws types and I prefer the Surfins because of the hands-free issue. It's personal taste.

http://www.surfins.net/order.htm

i could actually shake the paws free fairly easily. i am a little concerned about my suicide block though, but i wont be any where very dicey in the squirt, not with handpaddles anyway. i'll give them a try next time i'm out, thanks for the advice folks.

j

jason,

power paws are the only thing i would use in my squirter. i sold it so i no longer partake. rolling can be tricky. i am a righty so i would always use a right to left foward sweep. many times you end up on your bow, but you just throw wheels back to stabilty. let me know how it goes.

i'm lefty now but was right in my many years of butt sitting, so i'm hoping to have access to both sides with the paws. i hope to take the a-bat out next weekend and flop around in the flatwater after paddling. i'm a little worried about coming up in my bow station, but when working with a paddle, i have learned my balance enough to keep the boat fairly level (if i want to) when i come back upright. i'll give you an update.

jason

I used handpaddles in the squirt that I bought from marshwater and now belongs to NZmatt. They worked fine, although I never had 'em at a great spot. I was able to get my head under a few times but not for any length of time. They're especially helpful in offside situations. Enjoy the C1 squirt, they're tons of fun. as for me, I'm in an k-1 squirt now...DT is a lot easier.
Will

yup, everything is easier in k1

i used to do a good bit of k1 squirt, but lower back issues have made it where i can no longer sit with my legs extended, so knee boating is my only option for feeding the ww jones. good thing its lots of fun

jason,

what is your last name? i should round up some glass for a rally on the OHNOEE one day.

ronnie

last name's Barringer and i currently live in atlanta. Email forrain2@hotmail.com. i plan on getting up there, mostly on weekends, a good bit this summer. last year i would boat plastic a bit then head to torpedo/cats pjs to mess around with my cut down acrobat. i do have a full cut acrobat that i would like to take downriver, at 150lbs, it's more like a small race boat that i can stern squirt, but it would be a fun downriver boat.