More Information
Here is a list of essays on various aspects of paddling. Some are actually rather long so grab a cup of coffee first...
My wood selection process
Rivr Styx Ash Selection Process Stalker, Pennsylvania~ Keith Backlund’s home place~ late 90’s Crunch crunch CRUNCH! The collapse of the ice crusted snow punctuates our every step in the otherwise-silent forested hillside on a bright...
The Lure of the Realm
The “Realm” is our name for where we roam. We just go around for a little while and then come back to the real world. And the Lure is strong. “Just one more good one” , and “One more like that” ARE good enough reasons to get frazzled to the point where you’re not...
Paddle Anatomy
The anatomy of a paddle is pretty simple really. There's only a few terms to learn. Shafts are usually made in two halves which are "scarved" together and made of three pieces each. "Plated shafts" have a lighter duty core- like spruce or sassafras, and then tough...
The Feather Rap
Everyone is fishing for the right feather. My ideas... I was the original proponent of 45 degree feather paddles, beginning around 1981. Up until then 90' feathers were pretty much the only available commercial feather based on old European theories about the upper...
Stroke Theory
What follows is a discussion of my ideas about stroke dynamics. It's an evolving science with abundant subjective input and assertions ruling the day. My ideas come from studying what makes powerful strokes and what it takes to paddle hard all day- in essence- what...
Trik Style
What's this "TRIK STYLE" blade shape all about and why do I feel it is the best configuration I make? Trik style means the blade is centered on the shaft- like a canoe paddle. It means the paddle will do equally powerful forward and backward strokes. The name came...