Attainment

[Dyno]

Any tips for attaining upstream eddies or holes/waves. If I leave the eddy with a downstream boat tilt, it seems like I can ferry, but not make much progress upstream. Should the boat be flat? Pointed straight upstream or angled to the target? Should I be trying to carve a long arc to the target? Is it easier to attain across the river or back to an eddy on the starting side. Is it more important to have a high stroke rate or to make each stroke as powerful as possible?

Thanks for any help.

[rterry]

hey, sorry I didn't get back to you sooner, I've been away from my computer for a couple of weeks. OK, attaining. First, what type of boat are you in? Different styles of boat have different types of edges, so this will be a factore in the answer to your question. Basically you want good consitant powerful storkes, a high stroke rate is nice, but not at the expense of technique. When you are attaining, pay close attention to the point at which you are ending your storke. It should come out of the water right at your hip, any further back and you will be losing a little power. Let me know what kind of boat you are working with and I'll get back to you on the proper edging.

good luck.

rt

[Dyno]

Thanks for the reply. I am paddling an EZ. This boat doesn't seem to be super fast, but it seems to have enough rocker to prevent pearling. I guess my confusion is on the effects of ferry angle and boat tilt when paddling upstream. Do I minimize the current's effect on the hull by holding the boat on edge or keeping it flat? I can see that straight upsteam would be better than angled to the current based on surfing experience. So intuitively I should try to attain straight upstream with the boat on edge?

[rterry]

if you are paddling directly upstream, without features to work with, keep the hull as flat as you can. if you are eddy hopping upstream by "jumping" up over small chutes of current you want to get up a good head of steam, take a classic ferry line as you exit the eddy and then sweep on your downstream side to push our boat up and back in the opposite direction. hope that helps

rob

[scottyb]

If you want to be serious about attaining up anything you need the boat for the job. An EZ is not what you want. You are not only limited by the designs lack of hull speed but also by the whole mentality of the short boat.

You should look for a used race boat that you can learn good technique in first. Atleast something of a full length to maximize the hull speed and thus your effort. Much of attaining is also exact boat placement on eddy lines and currents, speed and timing. The fastest way up is not always the easiest and visa versa.

Attaining will teach one so much more about boating, one can never hope to learn even half of what the river has to teach by just going downriver.

It will give you a much sharper eye for judging everything and serve you well in the years to come.

:)

[thewildwaterguy]

i agree with everything said, and i think most people will agree a slalom boat, or any longer, faster design is better than an ez for attaining. some of the best play spots on the po are also only acessable in a long boat. (odeck) the ez is pretty worthless for going upriver in. anything shorter/slower than an X is better suited for play and river running.
however, it is often nessesary to attain to get to some of the potomacs best play waves. so i guess you need to know how to get the ez upriver. power is most important, but stroke rate becomes more and more important the slower you are going/more resistance you have (this applies to you) a flatwater sprint kayak can go close to full speed at only 60-90 strokes per minute, because it glides. an ez does not, so you will need to have an explosive stroke. most attainments on the po are a series of ferries, where yoy will need to hold the boat at and upstream angle with downstream lean, and paddle hard. when you simply have to jump up to the next eddy - go straight upstream into the current - you will need to keep your boat flat, prevent the bow from burying, or the boat from rocking from side to side. you'll need to hit the eddyline with as must speed as possible also. pretty much everything rob said.

[Dyno]

Thanks for the good advice. I'm not sure I can get a race boat, but I should be able to borrow a longer boat to practice. I could not find any info on this skill anywhere. At least now I have a clue to a way to learn.

[scottyb]

If you can hook up with others who are doing attainment work outs, you will learn quite a lot just by watching and emulating how they do it. If you check around I bet you could find an older design boat in good shape that would be ideal for attainment. Any of the Lettman or older Prijon series of boats would be a great start, you might even find one for FREE. :)

I try to do regular attainment work outs through out the summer around Harpers Ferry where I live. Good luck! ;)

[scottyb]

The river levels have dropped to a great attainment level around Harpers Ferry. White Horse rapid has great squirt boat action as well. :)