Rambos Locker Outrigger Canoe Blog

This was posted on Ausoutrigger forum and i thought it was worth of being recorded in the Locker.

Jeff ask's - Greetings,
Had a fun day on the water on my OC-2 with a friend who I am trying to woo over to OC from the world of dragon boat. I mentioned to him to keep his weight in the center of the boat but wow he really leans into his stroke. We had a great day and of course hulied when he was on the right.

Now I know it was my responsibility to protect the ama all day with this paddler, but just curious with the experience of the OC-2 crews in this community who is in charge of balancing the ama in the OC-2 given both are OC paddlers? I am assuming it is the right side paddler that fine tunes it with the left sided paddler keeping weight over the center. I'd welcome any insight on this.
Aloha,
Jeff

Follow up replies - Jeff, Paddle together more often and you two will click. The next person you partner will be different again.

OC6 paddlers who don't paddle OC1 or OC2 are very unstable when they first get onto an OC2, even experienced paddlers. They no longer have the canoe sides to brace against like in OC6 and need time in the two man to adapt to this. For this reason their timing is usually way out to.

I took a fellow club member out with me some time back, this paddler is a multiple OC6 Hamo and Nat winning paddler, but never paddled OC1 or OC2 before, still doesn't. We hulied 3 times and i could not focus on my own paddling it was that horrible. So what you experienced is normal.

Eventually, if you keep paddling with this person, a blend will develop and you will react to the OC2's movements instinctively.

It's not about who "keeps" the Ama, you should both just try to sit central, be balanced and move your center of gravity to maintain equilibrium.

Some combinations click straight away, usually two one man paddlers of similar ability.

Cheers Rambo

And Further - The Ama on a canoe does the job it was designed to do very well, generally it does not require input from us. So, as a paddler we should concentrate on paddling as if we don't have an Ama. If you set your canoe up correctly and paddle upright, the Ama should ride light and any time you sense a need to protect it, say if a swell is approaching on the Ama rear quarter, it should be done with a paddle stroke to compress it or a sight roll of the hips to counter the lift (not a lean) Taking a forward stroke is the preferred option, as this is contributing to the forward propulsion of the canoe, anything else just causes drag.

One of the reasons people get sore left ass is because they over protect the Ama, paddle your main hull as if it were your primary source of stability and relegate the Ama to secondary and you will be heaps faster.

Cheers Rambo

Ella wrote - Must learn this!! And that whole bracing right concept!!



Follow up reply - The bracing right concept is nothing more than taking a normal forward stroke on the right. As you press the paddle down at the catch your weight is transferred to your left butt cheek compressing the Ama usually enough to counter any lift. Sometimes you have to break your rhythm and accelerate your return stroke at the opportune time to make the brace stroke effective, but that is part of reading the ocean and using it's power, not fighting against it.

Flying the Ama and bracing passively on the right for balance is a completely different skill, in this case you induce the Ama to lift in order to reduce drag and allow the canoe to track using only the main hull. The brace drag can also be used to slow the canoe down to keep it on the crest of the wave until you decide the time is right to take the drop and link up some swells. Timing when to go and when to hold is critical to successful canoe surfing.

Cheers Rambo