C1 carnage!!

[French Erick]

Went out today first time on the water in 9 months in my slalom C1 (Chris B's) and I was utterly rubbish...
I kept getting my leaning getting out of eddies wrong and water would get on deck and flipped me!!! That was grade 1/2 at a push. Disheartening really.
I had to give up on the day paddle as I couldn't cope with the warm-up water...
The others carried on while I walked back to my car =(
Definitely need to work on this.
Oh well next weekend I should have a wee play about on my prelude but on flat water... still get that roll wired, hopefully.

Words of encouragements welcomed. I have a coaching weekend coming soon and then Uk rivers here I come (paddling or swimming, I'll always get downstream anyway).

[BigMike]

When you say "kept getting my leaning wrong", do you mean you were leaning upstream or something else? Are you leaning forward when you paddle and break in? Where is the seat in relation to the middle of the boat? is it bow light or bow heavy? How heavy are you? what kind of strap system is in the boat and do you feel secure in it? Are there hip pads and if so do they fit you? What type of seat is it? foam or thwart? Are your knees wide enough apart? How tall are you and how long is your paddle? When you break in, where would you say your weight is? On your knees or on the blade? Tell us about how you're leaning, where in relation to the bow you're placing your blade etc.

It's never ideal paddling someone elses boat because ultimately, even if you re a similar size and shape to the owner, it's never going to be perfect. Unless of course you mean it was Chris B's boat, and you've now changed the outfitting.

[French Erick]

Thinking through it, whilst watching a skiing film last night I have come to a few conclusions:
1) I was afraid to edge properly (that's what I meant by leaning I think...leaning downstream so that current doesn't flip you).
2) because I was unsecure in the boat (even didn't put the straps in case I wouldn't get out quick enough...although I could roll it in the pool on thursday eve...I ain't that great).
3) I am not using my blade enough as support in the water.

So what am I going to do about it...this week I'm going to change the strapping system to have a quick release in it to feel more confident about emergency exit.
Secondly, I'm going to work on that edging... by going into a fast flowing but flat river to get that get in/out of eddies wired.
Thirdly I need to get more active blade support: I'll watch lots of footage and try things at the pool.

Anyone has good drills I could use for edging and blade support?
Never ideal as I'll likely be on my toad on that river (it's very safe).
At the pool I'm limited because of the pool size and my boat size, easily the longest.

Lastly, I will not give up as I want to get to that level in my C1 =)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fvnBcBC6Wqs

and in my prelude to that level
http://vimeo.com/9584187

Ah well, there's work to do...I need to get in amongst it then.

[Chris Bolton]

A few thoughts:

Leaning v edging: Leaning is tilting the boat and your body - so you lean on the paddle. Edging is tilting the boat while staying in balance.

Either can be used when breaking into the flow from an eddy - the faster the water the more tilt you want on the boat, so often you lean on the paddle (which also gets it more bite) and edge the boat further over. It stops the upstream edge catching the flow, and it also lifts the ends out of the water.

If you're not using straps, I'm not surprised you're having problems. I always set my straps so that where they cross my thigh, it's sloping downwards to the knee. Then even if I can't get to my quick release, I can push backwards out of the straps.

Finally, are you having problems when your normal paddling side is downstream or upstream?

Chris

[French Erick]

Cheers Chris
Aye, silly really with no straps...just need to work on the confidence thing. quick release and roll training should sort this out.

Further thoughts and Qs about edging. The bottom of your body needs to work independently from your top right? Do you use a technique like the following push one knee, pull the other? provided that you're strapped in properly is that enough to control your edge? This in combination with the knowledge that you can lean on your paddle on/offside should do it?

For the paddle work, how much do you push on that paddle? Archimedes told me that if you pushed it should somehow pushed me back some...I know I don't expect something solid but it felt like I had no support proper whilst trying to do a powering (meaning creating movement) stroke. I know that a low brace will stop me, but it won't get me forward... it seems a very reactive thing not proactive at all.

After a break of 8 months I wasn't expecting great things seeing as thought I don't have a lot of experience at the best of time. It was still a bit of slap though and a cold one too!
I was as bad on both side.

I'll make the boat remember its haydays, that would help me if it did!

[Chris Bolton]

Yes, edge by putting your weight on one knee.

For the paddle, you're right, a low brace won't help. It's a combination of high brace and forward stroke. (It was Newton, not Archimedes, by the way).

For example, assume you're in an eddy, facing upstream, with your usual paddling side nearest the flow. As you paddle across the eddyline, weight your downstream knee, and reach out to plant the paddle firmly in the current. Pull hard and you can pull the boat further onto it's edge.

On of the most important things to learn in C1 is that you can push and pull on the paddle for balance, at any point in the stroke, by making changes to the angle of the blade in the water, provided you have pressure on the blade (Newton again) you can brace in any direction.

Chris

[BigMike]

Well, the upper and lower body thing - not really, they don't act independendly. You cant seperate them. A low brace can be useful in certain circumstances but you dont want to be low bracing down a river, it wont help your lines or your control, and its not very elegant.

From what you've said you have several issues

1) lack of straps - you're going to address that
2) lack of commitment to a lean (probably due to lack of straps making you feel very wobbly)
3) you're not sure about top hand pressure and how to pull it together

When you lean over it shouldnt feel like a balancing act, you should be leaning on your blade in the same way you lean on a walking pole when you go up a steep hill, only you use your shoulders and back, not your forearm muscles or your bicep or tricep. You have to "feel" the water and as it supports you, your weight transfers to your knee and the blade, and you can lean harder. Proper straps will make all the difference. Just bear in mind that you need to turn the blade OUT to catch the current, and give the support platform to lean on ie you need to feel resistance, don't just lean over and plop the blade in the water, you'll fall in.

[French Erick]

Aye bigMike,
I have things to address.
What you say about feeling the water seems to tie in with what Chris says: in C1 is [...]you can push and pull on the paddle for balance, at any point in the stroke, by making changes to the angle of the blade in the water.

I need to develop that feel. I'll be playing in the local river to that effect after work now, days are getting longer.
No fear of falling in will help for commitment: good straps that make me feel safe, bomber roll.

Thanks to all for advice and encouragements...just what I needed.

[French Erick]

New outfiiting finished.
To be tested in pool tomorrow night.
Pretty pleased with it...should boost confidence.