"What are common pitfalls in the learning curve?"

[FullGnarlzOC]

A Roll and a GOOD CROSSSTROKE are what holds paddlers back from moving forward. IMO You shouldnt progress passed Class IV- until you have a roll and good cross. With that being said - If i paddler wants to 'step-up' (without a roll) on a run that I am going on that isn't that too dangerous(deadly consequences)...I'll take them, as I love entertainment...it also helps me further develop rescueing skills....I love chasing boats down class IV+ - it gets the blood pumpin.

I can pretty much tell how good a paddler is by there cross-stroke...almost immedately. If you don't have a good cross-stroke...you will only be so good

[PAC]

Nope Tommy you are on top of things... it is what it is.

Sometimes the Cross BOW Boof requires a DRAW in the boof stroke to change the direction of the boof. Hence I called it a "Cross Draw Boof" where the paddler dynamically changes the direction of the boof , at or very close to the point of boof, not just boofing where the water wills one or where a boater has used a line to set up the boof (happens a lot at National).

Think of it as add on to you offside J storke (I agreed with your post that there is such a stroke and if you watch top notch racers you'll see it infrequently and only for micro moments)!!! Anyway, I think your comment as to issues you might have running a particular rapid on the Green would be an example for you when you might need to engage this stroke. But some might say we feather direction on each stroke we take - boof or no boof - and I can't argure with that either, since I have to agree that is the case (see my comment on the offside J stroke).

Besides "Cross Bow Draw Boof Stroke" sounds sort of like the over thought altra-tech talk used sometimes that just confuses me.... and as you know I'm easily confused.

Hope that makes sense.

By the way everytime I try that stroke I screw it up some how and wind up looking for plan B - which either involves carnage and / or swimming.

[kimmieOC1]

I can pretty much tell how good a paddler is by there cross-stroke...almost immedately. If you don't have a good cross-stroke...you will only be so good

And I can pretty much tell how intelligent someone is by their spelling.

[PAC]

So what you familiar plural say'n abot me? Guilty!

[Wiggins]

Hey look, Wiggins, I've forgotten how to roll more times than you've mastered it.

Fair enough, but how is the fact that my memory is better than yours relevant?

Thank you for illustrating my point though. That you apparently bothered to relearn it so many times kind of makes my case for me!

I love that the culture in canoeing is such that swimming is not frowned upon like it is in kayaking. That being said there is a good reason why kayakers place a heavy emphasis on getting a good roll. You feel more comfortable trying new things on the river when you have one, and the way to get better is to spend more time in your boat, not less.

Kyle

[johnd]

Not learning.

[FullGnarlzOC]

Kimme - The day I proofread all my theirs, theres, they'res, its' , it's, and it is's is the day I enroll for my masters... because you have to. Luckily in the WW realm, you generally don't get critiqued on such things.

Paul - nice save. maybe its old school lingo vs new school... ... anyways, ur whole post made good sense. My CBDB is pretty good as it stands, but Im going to have to bombproof(mental) it....as I fear it may be the best/gnarliest way to run this particular rapid on the green.... wouldnt that make one hades of a badarse picture w/ a race day crowd...

[FullGnarlzOC]

"What are common pitfalls in the learning curve"


Johnd is right again.... Not learning can very much get in the way of the learning process.

[Alden]

"What are the common pitfalls of the Learning Curve?"

Speaking from my own perspective in getting into C-1, the biggest pitfalls would have to be:

- Trying to use a piece of wood or a rock instead of just getting the hammer out of the toolbox
- Using the green can contact cement instead of the red can (no!!!)
- Drinking while making major outfitting decisions (I'll mmmake my ownnn console, mmmkay?)
- Just duct taping stuff
- Trying to use my credit card instead of the screwdriver
- Spilling acetone on the living room floor ($$$)
- Getting bored with sanding if it took more than twelve seconds and just leaving it.

And overall, the single biggest pitfall of the learning curve for me as I was progressing as a paddler was:

. . . Not finishing the process of gluing stuff in *before* going paddling!!

Ding! Ding!

Let's just say this continues to impede my progress! Looking forward to getting around to finishing that new boat sometime soon. Right after that next trip . . .

Ciao,

Alden

[yarnellboat]

I've forgotten how to roll more times than you've mastered it

EZ, not sure what you meant by that 1-liner, whether not-rolling is a pitfall to learning or not. But it doesn't matter, there's probably lots of different opinions on that one.

There are 2 separate discussions within this thread, because there's 2 different learning curves - the pitfalls of learning to go from class II to III & IV is one thing; the pitfalls of learning to paddle solid IV & V is another.

I'm more intersted in the pitfalls of getting to class III-IV, because so many canoeists get stuck there, and I've already written my list of 12 things to do to get there - basically try to catch more eddies and run creative/slalom lines, all of which are basically to become self-leading - to overcome the pitfall of not having good instructors/mentors. Mileage will vary by region, but the biggest pitfall here is the lack of instructors & mentors, or even call it the club culture if you want - large groups of canoes paddling class II+, very few paddling class III+.

Maybe not a pitfall to learning per se, but the lingo of what's "class III", and even what's "paddling" always adds confusion, because people aren't talking apples-to-apples. Too many people think ww paddling is just bombing straight down centre, and don't they even think about eddies or how/where they could regain control of their boat. Back to the pitfall about culture, mentors and my list about catching more eddies.

By the time you're interested in IV-V, hopefully you've overcome the basic ww pitfalls related to technique & style, and you've probably got a skilled & trustworthy crew to paddle with, and, frankly, I don't care about your pitfalls at that level! One the biggest pitfalls to learning there has simply got to be time - by my estimation, it would take way more time than I have available to learn to be comfortable in class IV-V, and that's the toughest pitfall a lot of people deal with.

Nevermind the fancy pitfalls to learning, time in the boat is probably my biggest pitfall, even just to stay a class III boater.

Pat.

[Creeker]

Pitfall.....basic sucking arse.... LOL

Fullgnarlz:

I can pretty much tell how good a paddler is by there cross-stroke...almost immedately. If you don't have a good cross-stroke...you will only be so good

offside ferry strokes sucking arse now in four states and counting.

[Smurfwarrior]

Ego is a huge one.

[Creeker]

yeah Jeff, I am the future of all suck arse strokes in the Northeast you could only hope to be this bad.

[Longboatin]

Tommy, u an all the others that think cross strokes mean sumthin, r makin me rethink my skill level...NOT .
From all the bs spoutin u routinely doin, I imagine ur next career move should be congress.

[Smurfwarrior]

When I said ego, I was inferring that people are trying to progress quicker than their skills have matured while skipping some of the building blocks for a strong skills foundation.