Clapotis, paddling

[spider]

We were travelling with a guide up in the Saguenay. Traveling tight to the cliffs in the claptios.

I was thinking light wind smoother water a few meters away would make better time/less effort than paddling the claptios...

Didn't do any lengthy comparison, but thought that was a general rule of thumb.

I imagine there are varying opinions so I would be curious..6 of one..half the other...?

[John Martinsen]

Your guide was paddling there to keep himself/herself amused.

[spider]

That was my take on the situation, fellow was surprised when I called him on it.

[Doug]

Your guide was paddling there to keep himself/herself amused.

and keep his skills sharp.

[billvoss]

smoother water a few meters away would make better time/less effort

I didn't see the conditions, and I don't know your guide's motivations. However, personally I find it much easier to paddle downhill, which requires bumpy water.

I'm referring to the technique of adjusting your strokes to the waves, trying to insert your paddle into the water near the top of a wave, then completing the stroke as you go down the wave. Though I'm not certain how much of the effect is psychological, and how much is physics. Matching your strokes to the waves is certainly more interesting than imitating a metronome, and I find it less tiring.

As I recall, Brian Schulz told my kayak building class that in short-steep-chop he could paddle an F1, the 14 foot skin-on-frame that Brian designed, faster than long surf skis which would easily pass him in smooth water. Brian described the technique as repeatedly momentarily surfing the waves.

If one was trying to paddle like a metronome regardless of conditions, then I would expect smoother water to seem easier. I personally try to always have my smooth water paddling heavily seasoned with good companionship.

[John Martinsen]

Paddling downhill it might have been. There is sometimes a sweet spot hugging cliffs and riding the bounce that's coming off them, some type of micro eddy that can help propel you forwards. And to me it is more interesting than chugging ahead in a straight line from point to point.

[spider]

I am a bit behind on some of my reading, so thought I would seek out more info and ask questions.

I am all for working the chop of wind & waves, but paddling clapotis has always seemed counter productive to me esp on trips.

Still that was, for the most part, was the explanation of micro eddies & riding the back bounce or waves. I know if I'm trying to ride the back bounce I try to pick my line where the confused water settles down, in this case a few yards out from where we were paddling.

I couldn't really do an accurate comparison of speed made good, but it seemed he was moving around plenty but stalling repeatedly in the clapotis. (I briefly checked with the gps). I know this guy wanted us to follow him like a duck following it's mommy but that was certainly not for us.

Yeah, we are not much for paddling point to point, but we do like to actually reach a destination then enjoy a rest and some play time even if it means breaking a sweat from time to time.

This particular day it took about 9 hrs to travel approx 12 miles (8 hrs of paddling and a lunch break). So to me any effort saved by paddling the clapotis was off set by the extended exposure to the elements and of course the snails pace, if nothing else.

However if there are strong reasons other than fun, we would swap over to that method of travel...but if it's just for fun I would prefer to make my destination then goof off and have some fun playing in the clapotis after the fact if we wanted. .

Edited August 6, 2013 by spider

[Phil Allen]

I've heard that if conditions are relatively flat, surfski racers will go as close to rocks/shore to surf every wave they can for better overall speed. That said, if you weren't able to surf the rebound waves, I'd expect that decreased comfort would minimize any benefits in the long haul.

best

Phil