C-Forum

If you could have two strokes that that were world class strokes which two would they be? Your other strokes would be decent, just not world class...

Speaking to gumpy on the phone, he said he'd have a roll as his best stroke (Yes, i consider it stroke for this question), and a low brace as his other world class stroke... I pointed out that, that says alot about the type of paddler he is..."conservative, not wanting to get mauled by the gnarlyness of rapids by flipping/swimming"

Anyway, I would imagine that the strokes that you choose, would tell something about the type of paddler you are... So thought it would be a cool question to ask people.

And please provide your reasoning behind which strokes you choose!

As I told Joe... while its tough to pick which stroke you would want to have world class...I would pick a Cross stroke, and a roll.

Reason being is because...you are going to pretty much naturally have a good onside stroke, as every canoer does. It's the cross stroke that seperates the good from the better off. When you have the ability to look at a line, and you don't think about something being a "onside/offside move" (given that a brace does not apply). Can also generate more power/speed when your corrective stroke is a power stroke. Therefore, A world class crossStroke would allow me to 'go bigger' and to go for moves that others dare not try.

I would have a 'roll' being world class as my other choice - for the last reason i listed... a world class nukeProof roll would allow me to go bigger, and try moves others dare not try.

...So my stroke choices point to me being the type of paddler that "wants to go big"... and it's right. I want to go big!

Now now... I know what you guys are thinking "well wait a second - Eddy McGnarlz already has world class Roll and Cross Stroke" - SO...for the purpose of the question...you have to think of it as all your strokes are good, but none world class...

Onside forward stroke is by far the most important stroke, and deserves a lot more attention than most people give it.

Next most important to me would be an onside bow draw/cut.

With just these two strokes you can do most things in a positive way. Don't need a roll at all if you're nailing the lines.

Jon

"a good onside stroke, as every canoeist naturally does"????

really??? maybe only in comparison to their cross stroke.

i'd like to have a decent roll again, mine just keeps getting worse......

and the only thing better than a great cross stroke is a great cross boof. i'd keep my non-roll if i could start nailing all my cross-boofs. i can fake it on great auto boofs (el horendo) but can't even make myself try in trickier spots (stateline....)

of course the offside brace is also great, but that has many versions, not just one stroke.

Onside forward stroke and cross-forward stroke.

Cross deck boof stroke: because it looks cool
Bomber roll stroke: because it would get me out of the tight corners I put myself in by not choosing a world class forward stroke

the cross stern j-rudder

poopsiflipped wrote:i'd like to have a decent roll again, mine just keeps getting worse......

start playboating

Forward and cross-forward.

FullGnarlzOC wrote:"conservative, not wanting to get mauled by the gnarlyness of rapids by flipping/swimming"

Seriously? Does that mean an aggressive paddler WANTS to get mauled? If not wanting to flip in manky rapids is "conservative," call me Rand Paul.

Just for the record, my roll is become awesome, allowing me to hang on longer when I've flipped because I now have faith in it and trust I can do it when the current allows me to. Secondly...my onside brace is also very outstanding and I can usually go from almost completely flipped on my onside to right back up again.

First off....my forward stroke goes all to hades when I'm not focusing on it. I pull past the hips and throw way too many stern corrections a lot. So first and foremost would be my forward stroke.

The second is a toss-up between the high brace and the righting pry...both of which are supposed to save you from the dreaded off-side flip. I feel like the pry is much stronger than the high-brace but less practical as your paddle has to almost be 'right there' immediately.

The high-brace is something you can transition to from a forward stroke pretty easily.

Since I do not agree that all canoeists are naturally gifted with the perfect forward stroke, I would take:

The Perfect Onside Forward Stroke
And a Roll I suppose, because I hate swimming.

But really, the perfect forward stroke would be the holy grail for me. I'd be perfectly happy with that and no roll!

Cross Boof and Roll; without a doubt.

You can usually fudge a poor onside boof to make it work, but on the offside do it badly and and you're stuffed.

And Roll, because no-one should be swimming, ever.

Edit: hades, I picked the same two as Erick without even looking.

Paddle drag and gunwale grab....









....because those two quickly teach you you need other strokes if you want to keep paddling whitewater.... makes for great pictures & carnage too!

FullGnarlzOC wrote:...you are going to pretty much naturally have a good onside stroke, as every canoer does.

Wow, this borders on delusional. There is a lot that goes into the forward onside stroke, and it takes years to perfect. Good forward strokes were few and far between at race day on the Tellico.

My pick: on- and offside forward

the forward stroke,even on the onside, that makes you go fast and that makes the boat track, is THE most difficult stroke of all as I am not the only one to think

the one who masters these strokes to perfection is a master with perfect skills and will have no trouble mastering the rest, and this is it, nothing less than perfection is my goal.
a difficult and probably lifelong challenge

going big requires just balls - going big AND in style, this is perfection and requires way more than just courage