I’m happy to help answer your questions ranging from Greenland-style technique, making Greenland paddles, wing technique, kayak expeditions and gear, kayak camping, surf kayaking and more. I look forward to your questions!
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A: Donna, Thanks for the complement. All of the kayaking images that I have taken in the last few years have been with the new breed of “waterproof/shockproof” point and shoot digital cameras. These cameras don’t offer quite the image sharpness and features of more “professional” cameras, but their strength is that you can grab them in an instant and capture images that would go missed with a much bulkier camera or a camera that must be retrieved from a dry box. Most of the images for my Sea Kayaker magazine articles were taken with a waterproof digital, so very good results are possible.
I have used the Olympus Stylus series (e.g. Stylus 1030 SW) extensively, but lately I have been using a new Panasonic Lumix DMC-TS3. Both are great cameras. The Olympus has a sliding closure that covers the lens after you turn off the camera. I have a love-hate relationship with this feature. Usually it works great, and keeps the lens clean and dry, however if you do manage to get water behind it, it continues to smear water on the lens every-time you turn on the camera, even if you dry the lens.
The Panasonic doesn’t feel quite as rugged as the Olympus, but time will tell. My reason for choosing the Lumix this time around was image quality and high-definition video capability. The Lumix (like
some other models) also includes a built-in GPS, compass, altimeter and barometer that might be useful for some applications, I can live without this, but it might prove “nice to have”.
There are other good brands in this camera class, and the features and models change constantly, so a Google search is always in order when it comes time to buy.
I keep my camera secured by a short tether to a “D” ring in my PFD pocket. While I used to keep my camera in the PFD pocket, day-after-day soaking in a wet, salty pocket can cause corrosion problems and a dirty lens. Some of the manufacturers insist that you dunk these cameras in fresh water after every use, but that isn’t always practical on an extended trip. My Olympus cameras (rarely rinsed) have had only minor corrosion issues (although the black body “paint” and the lens hood came-off). I have heard some concerns about corrosion with the Lumix, so I at least attempt to give it a quick freshwater rinse, daily. To avoid the “salty pocket” issue, I now put the camera in the pocket only when launching and landing from the beach to keep it secure. Once out of the surf-zone I tuck the tethered camera behind the front panel of my PFD where it hangs by the tether and stays relatively dry and can still be retrieved quickly.
Salt and water spots on the lens are always an issue. It can be very disappointing to review an entire day’s images only to see them all spoiled by a dirty lens. On the water you can give the lens a rinse from your water bottle, and then blow-off as much water as possible. I keep a lens cloth in a small dry container, close at hand for drying, but cleaning and drying the lens simply isn’t possible in all conditions.
In very cold conditions you can have condensation/fogging issues if you allow the camera to become toasty warm and then take it outside. To prevent these issues I try to avoid sudden extremes in temperature.
A: Jerry, Although I realize that you said non-racing situations, let me use that as an example, first, as it helps to clarify the issue.
To generalize, a racer is often trying to maximize speed over distance usually with an extremely light, unladen kayak. A sea kayaker is often trying the maximize the number of “miles per Snicker’s bar”, often with a heavy or gear-laden kayak, day after day. These are related, but are very different things and need to be viewed separately.
In a racing situation — very light kayak, 10 miles or less, using a very high stroke, I’m about 1.5 – 2 minutes per mile faster with my wing than with a GP. That’s not much for touring but is an eternity for racing. Unfortunately this is not a perfect test since my current “go-fast” kayaks have a fairly high foredeck that makes it difficult to fully bury the blades of my GP at the catch. I have won local races with a GP over wings, but if I want my best time I use a wing.
You don’t get something for nothing. The speed comes wit
h a price.
With a wing (or other “Euro” paddle) you hold the paddle such that if you were to place the center of the shaft on your head, your elbows make a 90 degree or slightly less, bend. To achieve a vertical stroke you must lift your arms fairly high, and that’s the rub. Even if you have the lightest–most expensive paddle available, mere ounces, you are still lifting many pounds on each stroke — the weight of your arms. That’s not to say that you shouldn’t use a light paddle (I buy the lightest I can afford) but you also have to understand the role of your technique in the equation.
With a GP, your hands are much closer together. You do need to ensure that your paddle shaft is long enough to generate good power (racers in Greenland often use 22″ or longer paddle-shafts for this reason), but the closer hand position allows you to use a high vertical stroke, without having to lift your hands very high. Unlike the high “chicken wing” paddle lift of the wing, your hands stay much lower, and you lift less arm-weight per stroke. I’m convinced that this is the reason my shoulders feel much better after many miles with a GP, than a wing.
For long-distances, even many surf ski racers lower their arm position, and don’t maintain the very high vertical stroke that is common for shorter courses and K1 sprinters. Holding the paddle lower offers more s
tability in chaotic seas and is easier on your shoulders (less arm lift), but the tradeoff is that you lose a touch of speed. Sometimes stability is more important than raw speed. To paraphrase Oscar Chalupky, no one is very fast when they are upside down.
Wing or GP? For touring it’s really a matter of preference — what stokes your passion, what feels better to you, and what works for you. In a heavily loaded kayak, and for long distances, I prefer a GP — it’s much easier on my body. A wide blade is not an advantage when you have a heavy load, are towing someone, and in similar situations. That said, wings are used by some kayakers on long expeditions with laden kayaks, so you will need to experiment to find the best choice for 
you. If you do choose a wing for a loaded touring kayak, I recommend that you experiment with a small blade, rather than the midsize or large blades that are popular for racing.
For playing — blending strokes, rolling, linking strokes, I love the feeling and symmetry of a GP — it feels to me like dancing on the water. I don’t get this feeling with a wing. A wing is more one-dimensional, designed for the forward stroke, and while that is what we do most of the time, it might not always match how you play. A wing is not nearly as versatile as a GP for blending strokes although you can make it work if you are dedicated. For example, to scull with a wing, I have seen some paddlers turn the blade over, to use the back of the paddle. Awkward, maybe, when compared to a GP, but it works.
I have set speed records around Iceland and Newfoundland using a GP. Around Iceland my expedition partner used a wing. I was faster in some conditions and my partner was faster in others. The point is that the paddle type was not the critical factor. For some ultra-long-distance events, often the goal is to simply “keep the kayak moving” and success is more a function of mental toughness, gruesomely long hours in the kayak, smart trip planning, an efficient route and ability to paddle in conditions rather than simply an impressive top speed.
To use a GP effectively I strongly recommend that you use the canted blade technique, where you allow the top edge of the blade to tilt forward (matching the angle of your palm when your wrist is held in a neutral position). The canted blade stroke buries the blade quickly, helps to eliminate flutter and ventilation and gives a much stronger feeling of power. Chris Cunningham of Sea Kayaker magazine wrote that using this technique felt as if it transformed his GP into a wing paddle. Interestingly enough, many practitioners of wing paddles feel right at home with a GP, and many of the same stroke elements work quite well. For more information, please see the Qajaq USA technique page.
In the end, you might view a wing and a GP as complementary, depending on what you want to do, rather than as one type being “better” than the other. Think of a golfer deciding between a driver and a 2-iron, for instance. It’s a matter of the selecting the right tool for the job. For touring, try them both. If you continue to use both a GP and a wing they will both teach you something and make you a better paddler.
A: When I do video analysis of students a common error is unwinding before the catch, or in other words, starting to apply power before the paddle is completely buried. This is a common power leak.
If you are “pulling” before the paddle is planted, not only is your stroke shortened (giving you less time to generate power), but the catch is often poor too (drawing air into the water — ventilation, and creating turbulence and making noise — “plop!”).
How short is a “model” stroke? For a wing you should be starting your exit when the blade reaches your knees and the blade should exit when your hand reaches your hip. Since the stroke is so short, you can’t afford to waste any of it. A Greenland paddle also exits when your hand is at your hip, but the blades are long, and will exit behind you.
The long blades of a Greenland paddle mean that your catch needs to be quick and precise, otherwise the stroke will be almost over before you have fully buried the blade, especially if you prefer a vertical stroke for speed.
Trying to “unlearn” existing muscle memory can be frustrating, but it can be done, so be persistent. When learning a new “choreography”, start slowly and deliberately until if feels natural. Being aware of what you are doing is half the battle. When you find yourself falling back into old habits (and you will), just bring your new-found awareness back to your technique, or go back to the drills.
These drills will help isolate each movement, improve your catch, prevent applying power too soon, and are also good for working on your balance. Even on a normal stroke when I’m not doing a drill, I pause very briefly after winding up to prepare for a good catch.
A kayak ergometer is a very useful tool for working on these drills. You can perform them either very slowly or at speed, without worry about balancing and capsizing.
When you plant the paddle, do so fully. Wrap a piece of bright tape around the shaft where it meets the blade (Euro or Wing). You should bury the paddle to this tape mark, and no more, no less. Strive to keep the blade at this depth throughout your stroke. For a Greenland paddle you plant the blade almost up to the pinky finger of your pulling (lower) hand.
You can help keep the paddle at a constant depth by allowing the paddle to flare naturally away from the hull during the stroke, while maintaining good posture. This is only possible if your mechanics are sound and the paddle length is correct. Too long a paddle makes it easier to get the blade in the water for the catch, but the paddle may go too deep at the exit. A paddle that is too short is just the opposite.
The website below has some good coaching tips, excellent images of the different phases of a stroke, and some additional drills that you might wish to try: http://members.westnet.com.au/dshunter/Good%20Technique.htm