OutriggerCanoe Design

Anatomy Of A Paddle Stroke - Efficiency

2011-03-06T00:36:00.000-08:00

Move the hull forward without rock, roll or yaw.

Have a properly sequenced and coordinated body motion.

Paddle the water, don't paddle the boat.

Anatomy Of A Paddle Stroke - Top Hand

2011-03-06T00:21:00.000-08:00

Can we say anything about the top hand ?

Everybody has his own solutions, everybody has a different style, no two paddler's top hand action looks alike.

On a regular forward stroke the top hand should be somewhere over the gunnel to assure that the paddle shaft is kept straight.

Keeping your paddle upright means that less yaw is being induced.

Keep the top arm in a relaxed straight 'neutral' position without bent in the elbow joint.

Anatomy Of A Paddle Stroke - The Hips

2010-08-10T20:18:00.000-07:00

There are two things that I have noticed regarding the hips:

I like them tilted slightly forward during recovery and at the beginning of the power phase; this is part of the overall posture that I like to keep.

I read somewhere ' nose over seat bone' as a mnemonic if you want to stand really straight. If you take your nose that far back, you almost automatically tilt your hip a bit and arch your lower back slightly.

Secondly, I like 'below the waist rotation'.

For me this means, that in addition to the upper body rotation, I rotate my hip on the stroke side forward as well, maybe by as much as 1 or 2 inches.

My mnemonic for this is 'Fosbury Flop' - where the athlete seems to rotate the inside hip forward during beginning of the jump.

This rotation increases your reach and sets you up for a very nice leg drive.

Anatomy Of A Paddle Stroke - The Spine

2010-08-10T20:09:00.000-07:00

The spine should be kept straight because you want to swing around it.

I also observe, that the hips remain freely mobile to allow easy adjustments when balancing the boat while the posture is good.

The posture of the spine in paddling is quite similar to the one needed for a golf swing. Straighten out your lower back also; keep your chin up.

I find it quite difficult to avoid any slump, especially when fatigue sets in; it sure does not help. The lower back may lock in and balancing the boat, or flying the ama becomes very difficult.

Paddlers with great technique such as Harold Akeo, Tommy Connors or Walter Guild have and keep a very good posture.

Anatomy Of A Paddle Stroke - The Posture

2010-08-10T00:49:00.000-07:00

A correct posture is very important.

The posture changes somewhat during the stroke.

For good paddlers with years of experience, a good posture does not seem to be a problem - they just have it.
For people that started later this is very different. You can see all kind of 'solutions' when you watch paddlers passing by during training sessions.
For whatever reason - muscular imbalances, lack of core strength, wrong technique, fatigue etc. - it is not that easy to maintain a proper posture.

Theoretically it is quite easy:

My key thought is - "a straight spine".

Imagine you want to strike a golf ball, imagine you want to run, imagine you want to throw a javelin - whatever you want to do in athletics, it will require a straight spine at one point in time. Anything but a straight spine will hinder what you are trying to do.

Thus: you sit upright, on the edge of your seat, with the hips slightly tilted forward. Your lower back maybe in slight lordosis just before you begin your stroke with the catch.

Your head is held up, your chest is 'open', your sternum is 'leading'.

Just a good, free posture that allows you to move freely in all directions.

You can freely breathe as you do not compress your diaphragm and you upper airways are in a natural neutral position.

Overall you are relaxed, as you are likely in the recovery phase. Tighten up and your posture will suffer.

Make yourself tall. Sit proud and confident, like someone who has mastered the paddling stroke.

Viewed from the front , you should sit dead center relative to your boat. The less you get out of this position, the less you contribute to the roll of the boat. And that is a good thing.

Some people lean over the blade during the power phase of the stroke. As long as you know what you are doing this is perfectly all right - the main caution remains, however, that you should not cause the boat to roll while doing so.

Anatomy Of A Paddle Stroke - The Eyes II

2010-08-09T20:07:00.000-07:00

Cover your eyes with sunglasses. This has not really anything to do with paddling technique, but it is worth mentioning.

After years of exposure you may develop a pterygeum, a thin skin layer that grows in over the white of the eyeball. It can be removed with laser, but that appears to be quite painful.

Anatomy Of A Paddle Stroke - The Eyes

2010-08-09T20:01:00.000-07:00

Many paddlers, especially when novice paddlers, tend to look down at the bow of the boat. I compare this with looking down at your front wheel while riding a bike.

This has several disadvantages:

The paddler has noo 'visual horizon' and thus his balance will be off.
He may also tend to not keep his chin up, favoring a more slumped position.

Further, he cannot scan the water ahead of the boat to find the best line during a downwind run, for example.

Thus: head up, eyes straight ahead, visual horizon when possible, scan the water ahead of the boat.

Anatomy Of A Paddle Stroke - The Head

2010-08-09T19:55:00.000-07:00

The head is kept centered and steady.

Some paddlers move their head slightly forwards/backwards, smaller paddlers probably more then taller paddlers, while they emphasize the reach.

Head motion sideways or head rotation do not benefit the forward motion; they rather cost energy.

Anatomy Of A Paddle Stroke - The Sternum

2010-08-09T19:52:00.000-07:00

Proper posture is central to a paddler’s ability to engage their lower body. Ideally, a paddler’s posture in the boat should include a slight pelvis tilt (forward) and chest lift (open and upward). The goal should be to lead with the sternum.
( A. Hastings - total body stroke )

OC 1 Museum - Outrigger Connection - Thunder

2010-08-04T17:42:00.000-07:00

Thunder

OC 1 Museum - Outrigger Connection - Gator

2010-08-04T17:40:00.000-07:00

Gator

OC 1 Museum - Outrigger Connection - Arrow

2010-08-04T17:39:00.000-07:00

OC 1 Museum - Outrigger Connection - Cuda

2010-08-04T17:37:00.000-07:00

On the beach, Lanikai open men.

Karel Sr.

Kaiwi Challenger

2010-08-04T17:24:00.000-07:00

Brent Bixler and Walter Guild

Kaiwi Challenger

2010-08-04T16:57:00.001-07:00

I am considering to work on my OC 1 museum a little more. Please submit photos and historical facts per email if you are interested.

..

OC 1 Paddler's Profiles Hawaii - Pat and Ryan Dolan

2009-04-27T18:47:00.000-07:00

Pat and Ryan Dolan plan to participate in the Olympic Summer Games in London 2012.

To be successful, they need to compete against international kayakers at the highest level - Hungarians, Germans, Italiens, Canadians, Australiens - the elite of Olympic kayaking is often European.

My opinion is, that Ryan will win an Olympic medal. My reasoning for this prediction is, that for a time, he bettered every record in almost every competition that he participated in.

To be successful, they have to be the best and most effectively trained athletes in the circuit. All this costs a lot of money.

If you like to support them to be able to focus on the tasks ahead, click here and your browser will reach their website at http://dolanbros.com

OC 1 Paddler's Profiles Hawaii - Walter Hamasaki

2009-04-20T01:05:00.000-07:00

Final miles of the Molokai Solo 2009 - after six hours into the wind. Walter on the white Hurricane, passing Portlock, into Hawaii Kai.

OC 1 Performance - What Matters In Race Performance

2009-03-22T22:20:00.000-07:00

What matters in OC 1 race performance ? All things matter.
The typical "it's the engine and not the boat" may sound good to some, but it is not convincing.

Paddler
Motivation, incentives, access to good training waters, finances, family status. Smaller and lighter paddlers do well in long distance and agitated conditions, heavier and taller paddlers can dominate in shorter sprint events.
Weight
Weight, boat and paddler combined, is the single most important factor. It determines how deep the boat sits in the water and thus the drag.
Experience
The more, the better. This is also true for race tactics, conditioning etc.. Good nutrition can be mentioned here, too.
Technique
There are many different styles of paddling, long/short, flat/open ocean, etc. all demand different abilities. Your technique will adapt to the conditions that you paddle in most frequently.
Conditioning
Let's assume that everyone, who wants to race, is well conditioned.
Local water knowledge
Very important. If you know the currents and wave/tide behavior, you will be able to judge your performance during the race and can adapt accordingly - a huge advantage.

Equipment
Canoe
Different canoes for different conditions.
Waterline length, beam. draft, rocker, design volume, entry, shape - they all matter and determine the behavior of a boat.
They are definitely not 'all the same'.
Paddle
Paddle length and paddle width definitely matter. A wide blade may be good for up to an hour, a narrower blade may be more efficient overall in a long distance race.
Whitewater paddlers like scooped blades, North American paddlers like bent shafts, Olympic paddlers usually have straight shafts etc., again a huge variety.

Race course
A good surfer may not do as well in the flats, a good flat water paddler may not feel as comfortable in the open ocean etc..

Conditions
Wind, waves, currents - we all like some conditions better than others.

OC 1 Performance - Equipment - The Paddle II

2009-02-27T19:46:00.001-08:00

My first version worked well with some limitations. I made the changes that I felt may lead to improvements.
My main shortcoming of version I was the lack of response at the catch; I changed the shaft blade angle to a more conventional degree.

OC 1 Performance - Equipment - The Paddle

2009-02-20T23:06:00.000-08:00

'The paddle' in its current form - it has a name already, but will first need to live up to it.
52 x 18 x 9 1/2

Ok - did my first careful run without much acceleration.

The paddle can be paddled as is.

Entry - slightly canted with the outside edge leading, no problem. Occasionally not a clean entry, but certainly no plunging.

Catch - didn't get good feed back how effective the catch is - I didn't feel much load on the blade, not sure what that means

Pull - normal, no problem there. You have to stop the pull where we teach to stop it, can't pull through all the way.

Exit - very doable, needed some getting used to. Just handled it the way you would pull your hand out of the water in free style, no problem. Had to be careful not to load the shovel towards the exit. A quick exit somewhat to the side worked. I didn't put any transversal scoop on the blade because I wanted to exit this way, and because I don't want the paddle to get 'locked in' without lateral slide.

Flutter - just a bit on the left and only occasionally. Maybe as much as the old Axel. When I grip the shat low - I grip with fingers only - no flutter.

Shaft - not used to a bent shaft; not sure that it is needed.

Handle - that was a quick fix because I wanted to get on the water. I like palm grip, have a t top. Not as good - Black Bart has a very good handle.

Overall certainly ok. Better than predicted and expected. Of course I would need some proof that this paddle is more effective than my usual Black Bart paddle. I will try it for some miles next week and take times on my test courses.

I didn't get to test full acceleration.

Exit and efficiency would be the key points to look at. If it were more efficient, the slightly different exit could easily be justified.

OC 1 Performance - Training

2009-02-14T15:28:00.000-08:00

In this post I will develop a structured trainings schedule for my personal use.

My training schedule consists of three different parts: paddling, biking and high rep weight training.

Paddling up to x6/week total time varies, depends on how long we have day light
Cycling up to x3/week 90 min total
High-rep weight x3/week 90 min total

Paddling - general: this year more open ocean, wave experience so far. This has led to reduced endurance, so I will stress the conditioning a little more.

For my own purpose I set average 50 miles paddling/week as ideal. 20 miles/week does not lead anywhere, 30 is ok, 40 better and 50 is enough as I am not training to win any major race.

Cycling: this one is easy: Three times a week one half hour. 4:30 relaxed, 30" all out, 4:30 relaxed, 30" all out, .. for a total of six times.
If you take the 'all out' serious, you will see an excellent increase in your cardio-vascular conditioning over 6 weeks.

Weight training - high rep: I use an Everlast medicine ball, 28 lbs. Up to 1000 reps per session, reps as fast as possible. Mostly throw and catch. Mostly for hand muscles, forearm, shoulders, some abdomen. Rotation exercises.
Examples: lie on your back toss the ball up with your fingers, catch. Toss the ball up try to hit the ceiling, above the head throws, above the head throws to reach the ceiling ... high rep and fast is the idea.
This is not a weight training in the classic sense. The purpose is to generally develop all muscles that are not trained by paddling.

Technique: I have a series of drills that I use. Now that I have a new boat I will employ those a little more. Paddling with closed eyes, paddling backwards, paddling ama up early in every stroke, paddling with different stroke rates from very slow to extra fast at the same speed, fixed distance with the least amount of strokes downwind paddling without rudder etc..
I spend about 5 % of my paddling time doing this.

Paddling - conditioning: ( to follow )

OC 1 Technique - Performance - Engineerd Athletes

2009-01-23T14:48:00.000-08:00

Engineerd athletes has detailed information on endurance performance.

This is the former http://eascoaching.blogspot.com/

OC 1 Technique - Performance - How To Paddle Downwind

2009-01-22T18:18:00.000-08:00

This is a certainly incomplete collection of thoughts related to downwind paddling. Please add a comment.( image: huki.com )

Dmehling:
"Stay "high" on the wave, don't drop straight down into the trough. The wave energy is in the wave face."

The higher you are, the more potential energy for speed you have.

Rambo observes:

Scout - read the ocean/anticipate route

Drop in - catch runner

Hold - maximize use of wave energy at surfing position usually top of wave or bowl section

Paddle - maximum thrust to attain next drop in or maintain momentum

Spend more time in the Hold position, don't waste energy paddling into the back of the wave in front, total missing the hold phase.
"Knowing when to hold ‘em and when to chase ‘em is the key to surfing runners"

Karel Jr:
Scan the water ahead of you. Build up speed in smaller bumps. Once at speed you can look for larger waves.

Try out which waves you can get on at the beginning of a run. It does not help to realize that there were waves you could have surfed on towards the end of the paddle.

John Foti describes how to handle 'speed bumps' that interrupt your flow. You have to look ahead of them and aim in the direction of the largest trough beyond the speed bump.

Hiro suggests to paddle ~ 10 strokes with your eyes closed to get a feel for the water passing under your seat. Put your hand into the water to feel the speed and to slow down of needed.

A technical tip:

Paddle calm and with confidence. Keep your reach. Make sure you have a solid catch. Go back to the basics. A good entry is as important downwind as anywhere else.

Make sure that your buttocks have solid contact with the seat until your catch is complete. Only then transfer weight unto the paddle. This will prevent the boat from squatting ( = stern down/bow up position ).

A way to improve your contact with the boat is to consciously keep your (lower) back straight.

Beginner's mistake - focusing on the bow of your boat; Look at least a few yards ahead.

Keep the ama light, fly it if you can.

'Quater' the waves to stay high longer.

Avoid steering with your rudder, try to steer by shifting your weight on the canoe.

Always paddle on the side opposite to the side you change your direction to. The yaw that your paddle induces will support your steering that way. Contrary if you paddle on the wrong side, it will counter act your maneuver.

There is no fixed stroke count per side in the waves. One or two strokes on one side may be enough before you have to change.

Don't outpaddle your wave unless you want to jump over a wave peak in front of you.

OC 1 Technique - Performance - Paddler's Features

2009-01-19T15:09:00.000-08:00

Here is a very interesting review of data for top Olympic paddlers.

A detailed review of the literature that tries to analyze what sets top paddlers apart.

OC 1 Current Designs - Paddler's Weight & Canoe Displacement

2009-01-19T10:07:00.000-08:00

Archimedes found: If the object is less dense than water (if it floats on water), it
displaces a weight ( = volume ) of water equal to the weight of the object. If the
object sinks in water, it simply displaces a volume of water equal to the
volume of the object. ( 1 liter of water weighs 1 kg )

OC 1 are designed for paddlers that weigh about ~180 lbs. The boat itself including ama/iakos weighs ~ 30 lbs.
The total weight is ~ 210 lbs. The boat will sink accordingly and float at the 'designed waterline'.

If you place more weight on the boat it will sink deeper = sinkage. The sinkage depends on the design and is different for each design.

An experienced boat designer's response:

"Weight is difficult to design for without compromise.
Example: A boat is designed for ~ 90 Kg ( boat and paddler ). In this design an added ~ 14 kg would cause 1 cm more draft, thus the entire boat would sit 1/2 inch deeper in the water.
That will probably not be too much of a performance difference, but in general terms I think that boats can only tolerate ~ 10-15kg + without performance loss.

It would be optimal to have 2-3 sizes of the same design to serve the paddlers best.
Competition kayaks and canoes have sizes for every 8-10 kg, S,M ,L ,XL (some even in SM ,ML,L,XL,XXL) as you can optimize the volume and reduce drag for that specific weight.

Some manufacturers state a boats 'preferred paddler weight' from 60-90 kg or 50-100 kg. ( 1 kg = 2.2 lbs ).
This does not make much sense:
The volume difference needed for these weights is 30-50 liters in the underwater hull and ca 60-100 liter overall boat volume . ( 1 gal = 3.784 liters )

The main problem/reason is, that most boats are hand designed. Therefor it is almost impossible to scale to certain weights.
A less weight sensitive boat is designed flatter so that the bow and stern are more in the water. That way a lighter paddler paddle won't lose the length.
For heavier paddlers rockered boats are better due to the rapid increase of volume with added weight, less wetted surface is induced that way.
For 60-70 kg paddlers the performance gain of a smaller boat would be much bigger than is the loss for bigger paddlers.

By adjusting the design this way for the middle weight paddler (70-75kg) you end up having 2 boats, a boat for flats and a big wave."

OC 1 design should be optimized for weight. To have one single design for all weights limits the performance of the athletes.

OC 1 Paddler's Profiles Hawaii - Karel Tresnak - HA - 2005

2009-01-14T17:47:00.000-08:00

FITNESS PROFILE
Passion for paddling
By Catherine E. Toth
Advertiser Staff Writer

Workout habits: During paddling season, Tresnak paddles in his one-man canoe for about two hours, four to five days a week. He typically lifts weights and runs for about an hour each at least twice a week. In between training and working for his dad, he'll grab his shortboard and catch waves. If he has time.

When and why I started working out: "When I first started paddling, I didn't do anything else," Tresnak said. But as he got more competitive, he realized the importance of improving all aspects of his fitness. About four years ago, he started lifting weights to gain upper-body strength. About two years ago, he added running to his workout regimen. That has helped improve his cardiovascular health and endurance. "It's made such a difference," he said.

Good foods/bad foods: At 24, Tresnak hasn't discovered the benefits of eating healthfully — yet. But he knows it's coming. The healthiest part of his diet, besides his mom's home-cooked meals, is smoothies. As for bad foods, the list is long and growing. Chips, soda, beer, MexiMelts from Taco Bell — "I could go on and on," he said, laughing.

Biggest motivator: Tresnak is motivated to stay fit primarily to stay competitive. But whatever he does, it has to be fun. "I work out partly to stay in shape but mainly to have fun," he said.

continued ... see full article in the Honolulu Advertiser 2005:

OC 1 Museum - Outrigger Connection - Axis

2009-01-14T17:29:00.001-08:00

Axis
Outrigger Connection
pic: Pacific Paddler Magazine

OC 1 Current Designs - Adjustable Foot Pedals

2009-01-13T21:14:00.000-08:00

Here is my case for adjustable foot pedals:

the longer the boat, the less this matters

the taller you are/heavier you are, the more this may happen

in the flat it matters less than in the surf

it is design dependent, but all designs will have a spot where this will
definitely make a difference

3 inches/10 cm behind the sweet spot is bad in any case and can lose you up to 1 km/h average speed - this is a measured number from an existing design.

not being in the sweet spot is worst for taking off in the waves

a trim change of 2 cm/~ 1 inch bow up is definitely significant.

OC 1 Museum - Outrigger Connection - Mantra

2009-01-13T15:13:00.000-08:00

Mantra
Outrigger Connection
owner E7M

OC 1 Current Designs - Rigging the Zephyr - II

2009-01-12T13:32:00.001-08:00

Karel Jr from Outrigger Connection has this to say about rigging his Zephyr:

Karel riggs his boat leaning a little to the right.
He also wants the ama to sit on its tail, rather then on its bow.

If you ride the ama on its tail, you can control it better with the hips. Especially in the surf, this allows you to lift the ama above a wave. Kai Bartlett has the same type of rigging.
If you bring the bow of the ama down - by bending the front iako - you will feel more control from the front iako.

Karel riggs his ama at 43 - 43.5” midline ama to midline canoe, strictly parallel.

His advice to beginners: start with whatever is stable for you.

Generally the iakos are the same for all Zephyrs.

OC 1 Museum - Australia - Zulu Warrior

2009-01-12T09:54:00.000-08:00

Zulu Warrior
Australia
Year: 2007

OC 1 Museum - Huki - Hybrid

2009-01-11T21:31:00.000-08:00

Hybrid OC 1/Kayak
Huki

OC 1 Museum - Australia - Zulu

2009-01-11T21:30:00.001-08:00

Zulu
Australia

OC 1 Museum - Wilder - Vantage

2009-01-11T21:28:00.000-08:00

Vantage
Wilder Canoes

OC 1 - Kaiwi Channel Crossing - Solo/Relay - Overview

2009-01-11T17:26:00.000-08:00

View as a website here.

OC 1 Evolution - Overview

2009-01-11T16:58:00.000-08:00

View as webpage here.

OC 1 Museum - Australia - Apache Mako

2009-01-10T22:43:00.000-08:00

Apache Mako
Australia
Owner: Clarkie

OC 1 Museum - Australia - Forcefield Makia

2009-01-10T22:41:00.000-08:00

Forcefield Makia
Goldcoast, Australia
Owner: Clarkie

OC 1 Museum - Outrigger Connection - Viper

2009-01-10T18:07:00.000-08:00

Viper (on the right )
Outrigger Connection

OC 1 Museum - Other - Makani

2009-01-10T18:06:00.000-08:00

Makani
Builder: ?

OC 1 Museum - John Puakea - Kaku Elua

2009-01-10T18:05:00.000-08:00

Kaku Elua
John Puakea

OC 1 Museum - Outrigger Connection - Stingray OC 1

2009-01-10T18:04:00.000-08:00

Stingray OC 1
Outrigger Connection

OC 1 Museum - Other - Canada

2009-01-10T14:58:00.000-08:00

C-Lion
Canada
Length: 22'8"
Width: 13'5"
owner: mulus

OC 1 Museum - Maui Fiberglass - Hurricane

2009-01-09T21:49:00.000-08:00

Hurricane
Maui Fiberglass

OC 1 Museum - Outrigger Connection - Fusion

2009-01-09T21:46:00.001-08:00

Fusion
Outrigger Connection

OC 1 Museum - Other - John Martin - Naia - Solar Power

2009-01-09T21:40:00.000-08:00

Naia
John Martin
24 '
reconfigured as solar panel proa

OC 1 Museum - Outrigger Connection - Zephyr

2009-01-09T21:30:00.000-08:00

Zephyr
Outrigger Connection

OC 1 Museum - Kamanu - Pueo

2009-01-09T21:25:00.000-08:00

Pueo
Kamanu Composites

OC 1 Museum - Kamanu - Kaimana

2009-01-09T21:15:00.001-08:00

Kaimana
Kamanu Composites

OC 1 Museum - Kamanu - Kainalu

2009-01-09T21:13:00.001-08:00

Kainalu
Kamanu Composites

OC 1 Museum - Kai Wa'a - Pegasus

2009-01-09T18:22:00.000-08:00

Pegasus
Kai Wa'a
owmer: mulus

OC 1 Museum - Other - Taiwan

2009-01-09T16:56:00.000-08:00

Made for a paddler in Taiwan
Arcturus
Kai Wa'a

OC 1 Museum - John Martin - Naia

2009-01-09T16:44:00.001-08:00

Naia
John Martin

OC 1 Museum - Wilder - Waveblade

2009-01-09T16:41:00.000-08:00

Waveblade
Wilder Canoes

OC 1 Museum - Kai Wa'a - Polaris

2009-01-09T16:40:00.000-08:00

Polaris
Kai Wa'a

OC 1 Museum - Kia Kaha - Wainui

2009-01-09T14:21:00.001-08:00

Wainui
Kia Kaha

OC 1 Museum - Tiger - Makia

2009-01-09T14:09:00.001-08:00

Makia
Tiger Canoes

OC 1 Museum - Tiger - Kahele

2009-01-09T14:06:00.001-08:00

Kahele
Tiger Canoes

OC 1 Museum - Tiger - Pahoa

2009-01-09T14:05:00.000-08:00

Pahoa
Tiger Canoes

OC 1 Museum - Walter Guild - Original Longboat

2009-01-09T13:56:00.001-08:00

Original Longboat
Tahitian design
Imported by Paul Gay
Made by Walter Guild

OC 1 Museum - Walter Guild - Kaiwi Challenger

2009-01-09T13:54:00.001-08:00

Kaiwi Challenger
Walter Guild
Rebuilt
Name: Hoa Hele

OC 1 Museum - Other - AU

2009-01-08T20:05:00.000-08:00

Gordon Jeffries OC 1
AU
Paddler: Rambo

OC 1 Museum - Other - CA

2009-01-08T20:03:00.001-08:00

Montgomery OC 1
CA
Owner: mulus

OC 1 Museum - Other - AU

2009-01-08T20:01:00.000-08:00

Walter Guild
imported from Hawaii
made for Worlf Sprints
Paddler: Colin

OC 1 Museum - Kai Wa'a - Arcturus

2009-01-08T19:49:00.000-08:00

Arcturus
Kai Bartlett
LOA 21.6"
Beam 15.5"
Weight ~ 23 lbs

OC 1 Museum - Walter Guild - Horizon

2009-01-07T23:10:00.000-08:00

Horizon
Walter Guild, the first conversion of a lagoon Tahitan outrigger canoe.
Owner: Eric
Length: 25 feet.

That is a picture of the Horizon outrigger canoe with the older ama. A newer ama was later made for it. The only thing missing is the optional splash shield that extended over the pedals and partially covered the single footwell. The hull was round and would not remain upright with ama removed. Early models came without internal stringer. Later models, made by Brent Bixler for Walter’s Fiberglass Shop, came with a unique all fiberglass stringer or “strongback” designed by Brent.

OC 1 Museum - Other

2009-01-07T22:58:00.000-08:00

Tahitian Rudderless Canoe
Strictly speaking not a Hawaiian OC 1. This boat was the first Tahitian one man canoe that was brought to the Hawaiian islands. I consider this canoe the oldest 'ancestor' of today's Hawaiian OC 1.
Here paddled by Paul Gay across the Kaiwi Channel.

OC 1 Museum - Outrigger Connection - Fuze

2009-01-07T21:53:00.000-08:00

FUZE
Outrigger Connection

The Oc 1 Museum is an attempt to collect images and descriptions from all Hawaiian OC 1. The collection will be updated. Please submit pictures if you will.

OC 1 Current Designs - Zephyr - One Paddler's Rigging Guide

2009-01-07T16:43:00.000-08:00

Paul Sloman observes:

( agenda: 1. iako front; 2. iako rear; 3. insert iako in rear slot of ama and pull out by x".)

First Paddle
Plus 1 inch from hull
Plus 1 inch from hull
Plus 3 inch Ama
Notes
• Canoe felt good in the flat
• Felt tippy in small canoe side swell
• Felt tippy going with swell
• Light 10 knot wind.
• Seat felt good

Second Paddle
Plus 2.5 inches from hull
Plus 2.5 inches from hull
Plus 0.75 inches from Ama
Notes
• Ama felt much lighter but under control
• Felt much faster going with bumps
• Canoe felt good going into swell
• 15 knot wind.

Third Paddle
Plus 2.5 inches from hull
Plus 2.5 inches from hull
Plus 0.75 inches from Ama
Notes
• Ama felt more controllable than previous paddle
• Canoe not tippy going into or with bumps.
• Ama not very easy to fly.
• 15 knot wind.

Fourth Paddle
Plus 1.5 inches from the hull
Plus 1.5 inches from the hull
Plus 1.5 inches from the Ama.
Notes
• Ama felt more controllable than previous paddle
• Canoe not tippy going into or with bumps.
• Tried to make canoe pearl but re-emerges with very little reduction to speed.
• Ama easier to fly.
• 20 knot wind.

Fifth Paddle (& next 10 sessions)
Plus 1.5 inches from the hull
Plus 1.5 inches from the hull
Plus 2 inches from the Ama
Notes
• Ama still felt under control
• Canoe not tippy going into or with bumps.
• Canoe felt very fast in the strongest wind so far.
• Punching into 1m (3.5 foot) wind chop canoe slices through without slapping, little reduction to speed.
• Ama easier to fly, wants to lift but only to a point.
• 25 knot wind.

First Race
15km flat water!
Plus 1.5 inches from the hull
Plus 1.5 inches from the hull
Plus 2 inches from the Ama
Notes
• Ama felt light and under control
• Canoe had a surprising amount of boat run in the flat conditions.
• Ama wants to lift but only to a point. Seems to be when I reach a speed of 10 km/hour.
• Can paddle whilst flying Ama is easier on this canoe than others.
• Boat easy to wash ride on, unfortunately is easy to wash ride off as well.
• Seat extremely comfortable in flat conditions.

Additional comment: The ‘guide’ is just one paddler’s record of how he trimmed his Zephyr.

Naturally you should make your own little chart to see how your set up works for you in your specific water conditions.

You can also email Outrigger Connection and ask the designer of the boat for advice.

Following Paul Gay you should trim your ama by using a water balance and make sure that your deck is horizontal; ( measure while in flat water ).

Next to feel, you can do the following:

I count my strokes on a short segment of about 100 yards before/after almost every practice - upwind, turn around, downwind.
This gives me a general feel about the glide that I have that day. This info may convince me to keep a setting or change the rigging.

OC 1 History - Paul Gay

2009-01-07T14:51:00.000-08:00

Paul Gay on a Tahitian canoe during a Molokai Solo in the late 70ies.
Paul Gay on a Tahitian canoe during a Molokai Solo in the late 70ies.

OC 1 History - A Peek Back In Time - Just 8 Years Ago

2009-01-05T02:06:00.000-08:00

By Linda Aragon Special to the Star-Bulletin - 2000

...

Tommy Conner's Sea Ski is still a popular kayak, which many people will be using tomorrow. Some kayakers say they prefer his boat because it's easier to ride.

"That's supposedly why people gravitate to it," Conner said. "It's comfortable and fairly stable, and just about as fast as everything else."

That comfort and stability might be an advantage in an endurance race like Molokai.

"Normally when you're in a race for three or four hours, your equilibrium tends to leave you," he said. "You want a boat that works with you rather than against you when you get tired."

After 15 years of making surf skis, Conner has ventured into the solo canoe business.

"The equipment is so much better. The canoes today are just as fast as the skis 10 years ago," he said. In the channel, Conner will be racing his latest boat, the Striker.

"It's fairly new. I've only had it out for a couple of months," he said.

At 21 feet, the carbon fiber boat is, "a little bit wide in the middle and a little bit shorter (in length)," Conner said. "It's more ski looking than canoe looking. It's maneuverable. It will point and shoot where you want to go. And in the channel, there are bumps going in eight different directions."

Solo-canoe racing continues to grow. This is the first time in the 24-year history of the solo Molokai race that canoe paddlers are equal to the number of kayakers.

Kayak makers like Conner and Twogood have responded by taking designs that give a kayak it's speed and surfing ability to develop a model for a canoe.

Canoes, thought to be bulkier and slower, would usually be the last place a kayak builder would look for inspiration. Unless your name is Karel Tresnak Sr. and your business, Outrigger Connection, has just come out with a really good solo canoe.

The Mantra, Tresnak's latest solo canoe, was the model for the kayak named the Matrix. The Matrix, 18.5 inches wide and 22 feet long, will be ridden by Kala Judd this weekend. The kayak is so new that it's hard to tell whether it will be as successful as the Mantra.

His son, Karel Tresnak Jr., has used the Mantra in several first-place finishes this season.

"The Mantra came out this year. It's just a good boat. It's well made," said the boat's maker, Brent Bixler. "It has eye-pleasing elements. For us local guys, it's professional."

For a race like Molokai which is about catching downwind swells, expect the Mantra to be in the front pack.

"The Mantra will probably have another year running, and then expect to see a change again," Bixler said. "Things are getting better at a fast pace.It's great, wondering what's around the next corner."

This week as John Martin celebrates making his 500th Naia canoe, he is looking ahead to a new design that he is working on. Even five years after its introduction, the Naia has retained a following. When kayak champ Kelly Fey switched to solo canoe racing this year, she did so with Martin's boat.

"It's a smaller volume boat, so women feel more comfortable," Martin said. "It's designed for the Molokai Channel. It surfs well. The lighter you are, you can have a lower volume boat."

If you're a big guy in need of more volume in big surf, Tiger Taylor has developed the Ono.

Taylor has also developed the Kolea, made with kevlar, for women and average size men.

The fastest paddler will win, but the maker of the winning craft is sure to feel like a winner too.

OC 1 History - Significant Steps In OC 1 Development

2009-01-04T23:33:00.000-08:00

(This list will be updated and/or corrected when other information becomes available.)

Unlimited design
'Koakanu' writes on 'ocpaddler':... significant development was the concept of unlimited design, pioneered by Kanaka Ikaika founder Dale Adams, who withstood the pressure for design standards, weight, length, and width restrictions for the one-man canoes in the races. This unlimited concept open up and made possible all the new one-mans and innovations we enjoy today.

Addition of a rudder
... addition of the rudder by Walter Guild to his Horizon one-man outrigger canoe in the late 80’s. The Horizon was the first production solo outrigger canoe to be sold with one. The Horizon was later made by Tiger in Kona where the water was more suitable for it.

Conversion of surfskis
... the conversion of surfskis to outriggers. This way paddlers who couldn’t balance on surfskis were able to enjoy the ocean and the bumps. Conversions were later superseded by production models. Prior to conversions, only surfskiers enjoyed the bumps. Now everyone had access and popularity of the new one-mans soared.

Enclosed cockpit
The development of enclosed cockpits by Outrigger Connection.

Large rubber seat

The large rubber seat was introduced by Outrigger Connection. The notion to use it as a floatation device is credited to Sonny Bradley.

Aluminum Iakos

Outrigger Connection

Iako/ Ama Connection

The 'over the top' vertical connection with the iako running down into the ama was invented by Outrigger Connection.

Drain hole in the hull

The drain hole in the hull with rubber stop was first seen in Outrigger Connection canoes.

Venturi drains in the foot well

Venturi drains in the foot wells were introduced to OC 1 by Outrigger Connection.

Carbon/Kevlar

Carbon/Kevlar 'hight tech' materials for the hull in OC 1 were first used by Outrigger Connection.

OC 1 History- Kaiwi Channel Winners

2009-01-04T02:08:00.000-08:00

Here is a list of past Kaiwi Channel winners on OC 1

( click to enlarge )

OC 1 History - Speed development

2009-01-04T01:47:00.001-08:00

The Molokai Solo time differences between OC 1 and Surfski over the years ( source: www.surfski.com )

Record surfski: 3:21 ( 1995 )
Record OC 1: 3:42 ( 2002 , 2008 )

OC 1 History - Paul Gay, Bill Bright and Dale Hope

2009-01-04T01:28:00.000-08:00

In the year 1980 - Bill Bright and Dale Hope cross the channel on an early OC 1 - the very first ? These outriggers were made by Joe Quigg.

Paul's daughter remembers:
Rudderless one man Molokai crossing has definetly been done. I can’t remember the year exactly - 1977, 1978 or 1979. It was during a very early Kanaka I Kai Ka crossing. Three one mans joined the kayakers. The race started at Laau Point and ended at Hawaii Kai. The paddlers were Paul Gay, Dale Hope(?) and I think Tommy Holmes. Doc Adams would have the correct info. Paul came in first paddling a Tahitan one man brought back from an earlier visit to Tahiti. I think the other two were more Hawaiian style canoes. These may have been the very first one mans to cross in modern times, not absolutely sure. It was a long, hot day. The water was near glassy, not that any other conditions would have stopped them. I know, cause I was there, escorting my Dad (Paul). It has always been an inspiration to me.

OC 1 Gadgets - Underwater Camcorder Housing

2009-01-02T21:16:00.000-08:00

This got to be one of the most simplified underwater camera housings possible.

Parts:
Acrylic tube: 6"x 4"x 0.125" ( use different length, wider diameter as needed )
Acrylic scrap parts
Test Titan 4" Schedule 40 ( use diameter that will ~ fit inner diameter of the tube )
Acrylic glue for 'capillary welding'

Tools: Saw, Sander

Cut the endplate out of scrap acrylic. Join it to the tube. Make sure that the bonding surfaces are smooth and clean. Use 1500 grit wet sanding.

Buy a test titan Sioux Chief. It is a plug for PVC pipes. Sand the perimeter down by ~ 0.1" until its slides more or less well into the tube.

Make a mounting plate for the camera out of a scrap part. This mounting plate will hold a screw - not on the picture yet - that is used to screw the camera down.
In addition some small acrylic rails will be glued inside the tube to guide the plate.

Test under water. Use at your own discretion, no guarantees based on this description please. There are some irregularities at the bottom of the top plate that you may want to sand down.
Modify to your liking; add a camera hood, a grip ...

Cost: $ 30 including the special glue and a related applicator.

Good for the beach, definitely for short under water action, too, and after some testing and maybe use of Vaseline this should also work for longer under water activities.

OC 1 Technique - Surfing - Danny Ching

2009-01-02T00:35:00.000-08:00

This video was posted on blip.tv by j.outpaddlin. This is probably the best open ocean surfing video in 2008.

Danny Ching paddling with teriffic balance. Time to cross the Kaiwi channel was somewhere around 3:50, third place, following Karel Junior and Kai Bartlett

OC 1 History - The Evolution Of Todays OC 1

2009-01-01T22:13:00.000-08:00

This is an attempt to chronicle the development of Hawaiian OC 1.

OC 1 Technique - Flatwater Rudderless - Taaroa Dubois

2008-12-26T00:02:00.000-08:00

Another great video form Tahitian689 featuring Taaroa Dubois

OC 1 Technique - Flatwater - Rudderless

2008-12-25T23:57:00.000-08:00

Best te Aito 2008 from Tahitian689

OC 1 Technique - Flatwater - Danny Ching

2008-12-25T23:41:00.000-08:00

Marina to Malibu - Footage from Danny Ching, canoe: Kainalu

OC 1 Clinics - Karel Tresnak Jr 2.

2008-12-25T22:38:00.001-08:00

And more great footage from Mindy Clark at a Q & A session with Karel Jr.

OC 1 Clinics - Karel Tresnak Jr 1.

2008-12-25T22:09:00.000-08:00

More from Mindy Clark at outriggercanoe.blogspot.com

OC 1 Video - Zephyr - Terry Russel and Colin Bartley

2008-12-22T10:58:00.000-08:00

"The Doctor is in."

This video was recorded in Mandurah, Western Australia on a famous run, 'the fremantle doctor'.

The Zephyr in action.
The increased vertical bow volume as well as the flattened deck towards the stern handle the
conditions very nicely - no pearling and no green water.

View Larger Map

During summer months it consistently blows from the South-West along the southern half of the west coast, starting between noon and 3 pm. It can penetrate as far inland as 100km, reaching York in the early evening.

In Perth, the capital city of Western Australia, the wind is named the Fremantle Doctor because it appears to come from the nearby coastal city of Fremantle, and it brings welcome relief from the summertime high temperatures. However, it is almost certain that the term Fremantle Doctor has its origins in Fremantle's dark past. At Catherine Point, a short distance south of Fremantle, crematoriums were established during the colony's early days to dispose of the corpses of those who had fallen to the illnesses which preyed upon the population in the city's early days. It is reported that the Doctor was named in honour of the wind which blew the stench of burning human flesh inland, as this was otherwise noticeable in both Fremantle and her environs.[citation needed]

The Fremantle Doctor often cools the Perth suburbs by several degrees, whilst nearer the coast the wind can be quite strong, often blowing between 15 and 20 knots and making afternoon beach visits unpleasant.

On days when the wind fails, the afternoon temperatures of Perth suburbs are considerably higher, often reaching 40°C, although this is also attributable to the influence of a strong easterly wind blowing in hot desert air from the arid interior of the state.( source Wikipedia )

OC 1 Technique - Videos - Staying in the trough - Matt Sheperd

2008-12-08T14:14:00.001-08:00

.

Lake Whatcomb, North-West, between Seattle and Vancouver

OC 1 Clinics - Peter Heaver

2008-12-07T03:34:00.000-08:00

"Power phase technique" ( excellent )

OC 1 Clinics - Drill - Top Arm - Chris Hill

2008-12-07T03:18:00.000-08:00

OC 1 Clinics - Drill - Power Pase 2

2008-12-07T03:05:00.000-08:00

OC 1 Clinics - Drill - Power Phase

2008-12-07T03:03:00.000-08:00

OC 1 Clinics - Drill - Connection Drill

2008-12-07T02:59:00.000-08:00

OC 1 - Clinics - Julie Wolfe 6

2008-12-07T01:08:00.001-08:00

"video taping" "cross training" "rest" "secret of success"

OC 1 - Clinics - Julie Wolfe 5

2008-12-07T01:07:00.001-08:00

"stroke technique" "stroke rate"

OC 1 - Clinics - Julie Wolfe 4

2008-12-07T01:06:00.001-08:00

OC 1 - Clinics - Julie Wolfe 3

2008-12-07T01:05:00.001-08:00

OC 1 - Clinics - Julie Wolfe 2

2008-12-07T01:03:00.000-08:00

OC 1 - Clinics - Julie Wolfe 1

2008-12-07T01:02:00.000-08:00

OC 1 - Clinics - Foti brothers 4

2008-12-07T01:00:00.000-08:00

"open ocean surfing" - excellent

OC 1 - Clinics - Foti brothers 3

2008-12-07T00:59:00.000-08:00

"how to hold a paddle" "stroke technique"

OC 1 - Clinics - Foti brothers 2

2008-12-07T00:58:00.000-08:00

"switch over' 'balance" "secret of success"

OC 1 - Clinics - Jonny Puakea & Danny Ching 5

2008-12-07T00:55:00.000-08:00

"Drills"