Raining Buckets K1 Masters Practise

This weeks Masters Practise was very, very wet. As I was driving to Burnaby Lake to pick up a Super Lancer to use, the skies opened up and started to just dump. I got soaked just going from my car to the water, which was only about 10 meters away.

I managed to get in two laps before the rest of the crew got to the lake. The first lap was ok, but the steering in the boat was off. I had to crank over the tiller bar to the right to go straight. So after the first lap, I pulled over at the beach and tried to fix it. It did not seem to work, no matter what I did. So for the rest of the night, I would fiddle with it, and still have the bar cranked over.

I managed to over come this by just leaving it where it was and placing my feet below the tiller bar on the foot board. It was the most comfortable solution, but it worked. I will have to check the steering this weekend to make sure there isn't a problem at the rudder end of the system.

The next lap I caught up with Katja and paddle beside her. My goal was to stay with her, but with a slower stroke rate. That way I had to use power to keep the boat at the same speed. Then it was off to the beach to talk to Lynn my coach. I was getting good rotation, but I was still not pausing long enough at the catch before rotating. As well my hands were too low, so I wasn't getting the blade in vertical.

My next lap was to concentrate on those aspects of the stroke. Some times I would get it, other time I would lose it. When you get the proper stroke you can really feel the boat rocket forward. This is why my practises usually end up longer than scheduled. Once I get in the groove, I don't want to stop because I will lose it. So an hour usually ends up being an hour and a half or two hours.

It was overall a good practise because I was really trying to use power with technique. I was really tired after this one.

Masters' Technique Session – Deer Lake

Today was a Burnaby Lake masters technique class at Deer Lake. I was looking forward to it, because a had missed the past four sessions. I got there early so I could stretch and do a bit of a warm up paddle in the Thunder.

There were not very many people at today's session. So it was pretty much one on one for coaching. Lynn (my coach) was saying that I was dropping my hands too much and bending my on side arm as I was coming through the back of the stroke. As well as, pausing at the catch. So that was my focus for today's session. Slow my stroke down and pause, then rotate keeping my hand up, and pulling the blade straight out of the water at the exit.

Easier said than done, especially in the Thunder. I did a short loop so Lynn could watch what I was doing, and correct my mistakes. At some point close to shore I went for a unintentional dip. It sure felt good because of the heat. After about ½ hour of that, I decided to do some balance exercises just off the beach. So I would sit in the boat in about three feet of water, and close my eyes and sit there. At first I was just sitting without moving the boat, but after a while I started doing side draws and paddling forward and backwards with my eyes closed.

I even got real brave and tried a start with my eyes closed. I got exactly four strokes before face planting into the lake. Then Lynn said to paddle around with no paddle just my hands. So off I went along the shore with just my hands. I could paddle forwards and backwards, but side draws with my hands just wasn't working and in I went. It was pretty funny. Good thing it was a warm summer day, and not a cold winter day.

I stayed an extra 30 minutes after everyone had left, just to keep practising. It is my goal now to stay in the thunder until the end of September.

K2 Practice at Deer Lake

Today we decided to do a K2 practise at Deer Lake, since Burnaby is full of weeds and lily pads this time of year. We arrived at the club house at around 11:30 and packed up the K2 on top of my car. Since we were only going to drive about 4 kilometers, it would be ok on top of the Focus wagon. It sure is a lot longer than my surf ski when you get it up there.

The parking at Deer Lake was nuts, even with the added stalls which basically doubled the parking. Parked in a no parking zone to unload the boat, and gear. Just as we were finishing unloading, a car pulled out, and we quickly scooped up the spot.

We adjusted the boat to our liking, and pushed off the beach. There were quite a few people curious about the K2, having probably never seeing one before. Today's workout was just getting used to paddling together and working on a couple of things.

The first lap was good, with no shakes or wobbles. We just had to pull over top do a little seat adjustments. The timing is getting better with each outing, so we were trying to work on rotation. Once around the lake, we went to the beach to go over some of the basics.

Then it was out for another couple of laps in the blazing hot sun. Once back to the beach for the last time, we tried some balance drills. Basics like side draws in both direction at the same time, as well as one person at a time. Holding the paddles up in the air, and bouncing the boat. We managed not to go swimming, which is a good thing.