John and Alistair paddled on Wastwater in new 'Sit & Switch' C1's. The water was like a mirror as it was so calm. 'Sit and switch' is a method of paddling an open canoe where correcting steering strokes are not generally used. This means that all the time the paddle is spent in the water it is producing forward power. For a solo paddler this means you have to switch paddling side every 10 strokes or so - these boats have good directional stability - tend to go in a straight line. In a tandem boat when a paddler wants to change sides he shouts 'HUT' and you both change sides.
Whereas conventionally you would kneel in a canoe you sit in this case. Your feet are on a foot plate, often with a pull bar, as you find in race kayaks. This enables more efficient power transfer to push the boat forward. Sitting sacrifices stability for speed.
In North America there is a very large sit and switch race programme over varying distances and in specially designed classes of canoe.
(in the photo of the 2 sit and switch canoes the burgundy-coloured Wenonah canoe has a rudder!! It steers from the foot plate like a surf sky and while not accepted in competition it makes life very enjoyable when out on the water and is good for training C2 if your paddling partner is at work!!)
Whereas conventionally you would kneel in a canoe you sit in this case. Your feet are on a foot plate, often with a pull bar, as you find in race kayaks. This enables more efficient power transfer to push the boat forward. Sitting sacrifices stability for speed.
In North America there is a very large sit and switch race programme over varying distances and in specially designed classes of canoe.
(in the photo of the 2 sit and switch canoes the burgundy-coloured Wenonah canoe has a rudder!! It steers from the foot plate like a surf sky and while not accepted in competition it makes life very enjoyable when out on the water and is good for training C2 if your paddling partner is at work!!)
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