Video: Three Greenland Strokes Explained

The above video, a mashup of clips from Radio KNR/Greenland, shows three Greenland strokes:

• The storm paddle sliding stroke, ordinarily used in rough weather and heavy winds with a short storm paddle typically the length of a paddler's shoulder height
• The more vertical racing stroke, shown in use in a race in Greenland on an extreme low-volume Greenland boat
• The somewhat more horizontal cruising stroke, shown on flatwater

Here's how the strokes work.

The sliding storm paddle stroke is useful for a couple of reasons. By sliding the shaft of the paddle from hand-to-hand between strokes, you gain leverage and power in high winds and breaking seas. It's also a fine stroke to use for acceleration while racing.

By sliding the paddle towards the water, and deeper into it, you get a highly-leveraged stroke that hides the unused portion of the paddle from the wind. The top end of the paddle doesn't flutter in the wind, nor is it knocked around by breaking waves.

The sliding stroke requires a strong core to execute consistently. There's a fair amount of torso rotation involved.

The second stroke, the more vertical racing stroke, is all about power. By holding the paddle somewhat more vertical, you're able to create tremendous amounts of leverage on the catch.

Your heart rate will jump when you're using the Greenland racing stroke, not only because of the stroke's rapid cadence but because of the amount of torso rotation involved. Again, a strong core and strong abdomen help: much of the stroke's power comes less from your arms, more from your hips and core.

The third stroke shown, the more horizontal cruising stroke, is all about efficiency with minimal effort. Less torso rotation is involved; there's less leverage and thus less power. It is a restful, relaxed stroke whose cadence gives you the chance to cruise along comfortably and at a moderate speed.

By holding the paddle somewhat more horizontal, you also don't have to lift the paddle much between strokes.

Although the paddler in the video is using a fast cadence, you can glide quite a long time between strokes, which makes the stroke even more restful.

This is a good stroke to use for an entire day or a whole afternoon, and perhaps best illustrates a Greenland paddle's characteristic light touch, easy cadence, and soft shaft which flexes on the catch.

Here are some posts about making a Greenland paddle - a satisfying project anybody can manage at home with a few basic tools:
- Duane Strokaser on making a carbon fiber Greenland paddle
- Dee Hall's router method for making multiple Greenland paddles
- Matt Johnson's free downloadable videoon making a Greenland paddle with handtools

This short video is a mashup of clips from Radio KNR/Greenland and can be seen in its discrete parts at Qajaq USA, the American chapter of Qaannat Kattuffiat, the Greenland Kayaking Association.

For more posts on Greenland-related subjects, use the search tag Greenland paddling.

video sequences copyright Radio KNR; text copyright Sea Kayaking Dot Net