Technique, Time Study and Starts

Today was an easy technique paddle at Deas Island slough. I haven't been feeling 100% these days because of my cold. It seems to be hanging on, and not letting go. So I decided to take the ski out and do some technique paddling, using the GPS to see what changes can be made and how it effects the speed of the boat.

First off it was an easy paddle and working on technique. On the catch or set up, putting the blade in vertical, and not rotating until the blade was fully submerged in the water. Once the blade was planted, I started the rotation at the foot, ankle, and leg first, and then the core.

As I rotated I worked on on keeping my onside arm straight, and my offside hand at eye level. Once my offside hand gets to the center of the boat, it is time to exit the blade from the water. Using the offside hand as the fulcrum point, I snapped the blade out of the water right at the hip. This alone was equal to .3 to .5 kph faster. Keeping the blade in the water past the hip, and a slow exit prevents the boat from gliding, and slowing it down.

I did this half way to Ladner and back, going out of the slough and along the main channel. There was minimal current, and not much boat traffic. Once I returned to the slough, I stopped for about 15 minutes to rest before I started to do some starts. I did about four starts from the beach area out, while the rowers were heading out for their training session.

After the rowers had finished their session, Amber asked if I wanted to try a single. I said yes, and jumped in a Wintech rowing shell. right off the bat this was not the same as a surf ski. I managed to go to the opposite side of the slough, and back again without swimming.

Once I had finished rowing, I jumped back into the ski for my last starts session. This time I was going to use the markers setup up for the water skiers. I used the first set of markers to the next set, which is 40 meters in length. Thee were going to be all out starts from a died stop, and a stroke as high as I could go. Four starts was all I could manage, with a top speed of 15.8 kph. Over the next few weeks, I am going to be concentrating on my starts at the slough, as it is one of my weak areas.

The water ski slalom course is great for this, because it is measured all the way to 200 meters at 40 meter intervals.