Braca XI - Stroke technique

Hi

I am hoping someone can shed some light on this.

Braca, with reference to the XI van Dusen state "The blade has a special twisted tear-drop shape which facilitates a powerful catch and clean exit. It's movement through the water is different from other Brača-Sport blades, therefore it requires a slightly different paddling technique"

What is this different paddling technique that is required?

Maybe someone will shed more light for you, but I can only tell you how I see it:

That statement actually made me contemplate moving away from my comfort zone: the Braca IV. However, when it boils down to it, the Braca XI feels way more natural to me, whereas the Braca IV requires a little more precision and finesse.

The Braca IV felt really good on flat water, where I was able to focus on precision. The Braca XI isn't as demanding: very forgiving blade, which comes super handy when things get super sloppy in Open Ocean.

Looking at it another way, the Braca IV requires one movement, and the Braca XI allows variations in your movement. So yes, it's slightly different, but it also happens to be more natural (to me).

Thanks Ludovic

For Braca to make the statement I would have thought that there is a specific technique required to make the blade work optimally. Let's see if there is anyone else who can shed some light.

M

Hi Mike,

When used correctly the van Dusen #8/Braca XI blade tracks wider of the boat between the knees and the exit point.
In other words it has a more aggressive "J" path.
This is different to more traditional blades with less twist/less teardrop which stay closer to the boat.
The wider exit forces you to rotate your body more, and encourages you to exert a little more control/direction with the top hand.
It is very much a "catch and release" blade, a sprinters blade, or useful for paddlers constantly changing their stroke rate, which is why it is very popular in the ocean and on whitewater.
It is a blade which feels "good" for most paddlers straight away due to it's very strong catch.
This provides a feeling of stability for a lot of paddlers.
It isn't a blade I'd personally recommend for a beginner, but over time with a bit of practice it will suit most intermediate to advanced paddlers.

I've used this blade shape for the last 10 years (under another name) so couldn't resist answering your Q.

Cheers,
Ben

Thanks Ben, that is the insight that I was hoping for.

I paddle a Jantex Gamma medium. An experienced K1 paddler in our club told me after trying my paddle, that it's the same shape as his Braca XI. Didn't try myself, but no reason to doubt him.

I learned to paddle with a Braca IV max and respect that paddle a lot. I can make some comparisons between the two:

1) Gamma/BracaXI has a firmer catch. Like a member of this forum once said, it's like setting the paddle in concrete. It will hope You a lot in rough water, because You can use it as a stability pole - just hit the blade into the water and hold on to it So I would definitely prefer it for surf skiing in textured water.

2) G/XI is on the one hand forgiving at the catch, but is much more cruel if You don't pull the blade away from You in the pull phase. If You try pulling it close to the boat, especially if Your boat is unstable, You will capsize!

3) I know it's not ideal to compare a Gamma medium to Braca IV max, but a major difference between these two is among other things the cadence. Gamma is a high stroke rate paddle. It's much easier to pull through water and the exit is super clean and fast, so to paddle faster You will have to increase strokes per minute. I personally hate that part, when I try to sprint, because my fitness level lacks the endurance to increase the stroke rate. I would rather pull hard on a larger blade with a quiter tempo.

4) Bracing is better with the Gamma/XI than IV, because it doesn't sink It's hard to explain but for me it's much harder to press the medium Gamma under water than a max IV. So again, if You tend to brace a lot, Gamma/XI is the way to go.

5) Varying force through the stroke. Gamma/XI is not so straight forward during the catch/pull/exit phases. In my view it goes like this: a) super-solid catch; b) initially a bit lighter pull in the first 1/3 of the pull phase; c) then get a bit heavier in the other 2/3; d) super easy exit. It takes a bit of getting used to, but nothing too hard:)

In conclusion, I would say that the Gamma/XI is by far my preferred paddle from the two for surf ski. I am currently thinking about buying a second paddle with larger blades for flatter days and maybe double surf ski, which will allow me to apply more power for shorter distances. I will try to understand other paddles as well, but think there is a good chance I will go with another Gamma at larger blade size.

Thanks Estonia for the detailed response. Very informative and useful. Sounds like a great paddle to use.

M