Not many miles, but well used miles. That paddle is so SO worth it. Didn’t go all out; that was not my intent. My goal was to settle into this paddle and focus on proper form. Greenland paddles don’t operate like euros: more like wing paddles and are at their most efficient when they feel like you aren’t doing squat with them. And looking back over that track, my dark green lines are where I ‘hit that’. It doesn’t feel like the blade is ‘biting’ water; just slicing through. But the wake off the bow says loads different to what the paws are telling me, and the GPS isn’t lying. Oh, but the ABS,,, they have a bit more to say about what that paddle was doing: they aint happy’bout it, but I am,,,, and they’ll get over it as they strengthen and realign more. (Still a little tire there, but the handles are gone)
Almost zero boat traffic today. I did see a guy catch a nice 12# large mouth, I applauded as I came alongside, and he was all Grins. No boat traffic means no waves, other than Fetch, and the winds are down around 5 right now,,, not glass, but not wavy; choppy at best. Gonna be a long slog through winter: but I will do it because sanity is out there on that water, and I need every ounce of it I can carry.
(((UPDATE))) I realized while driving home, I needed to clarify something. I said I was trying to settle in to this paddle. Yet earlier, stated that I have a total of four GP’s,,, What gives,,, a paddle is a paddle is a paddle, right? Not exactly: like people, each has its own character. My first carbon fiber is narrow and no defined dihedral and thin edges. Second carbon is wide with TONS of dihedral and fat edges. And my GearLabs is wide with an very flat foil shape and no dihedral at all, anywhere,,, and near razor sharp edges. All three are good paddles, but the GearLab, being so flat in profile slices water like a Katana: but tilt that blade just a touch and she FLIES,,, And that is why I say they are like wing paddles which create lift on the ‘top’ of the blade and pull the paddle forward in the water. When done properly, it feels effortless, and you get no splash on the catch or the release, and almost no drips in your lap, yet the boat accelerates. Learning that ‘sweet spot’ was part of my mission today, and I found it, but I have not committed it to muscle memory yet, I think, I will know when I get out again.
as another plus, I am learning where Lyssa’s speedo is and how to read it,,, there are two ‘feet’ stickers on the bow and when I see the wake at the toes, I am doing about 3. At the arch, 4.0. and at the heel, starting to break hullspeed at 5+ Its a guesstimate obviously, since current and wind can alter that reading, but its close enough so I can estimate distance.
