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168 pages mono pages over 500 photos / illustrations
soft cover perfect bound A5 210 x 148 (8.27" x 5.82")
“Aloha Steve, thank you so much for putting words to actions to help coach and explain the art of paddling & steering. I have paddled most of my life and enjoy all your works. Huge Mahalo!”
1. Qualities of a Good Steerer
While anyone can learn to steer, there are some key qualities, natural or learned which will separate good steerers from average.
2. Paddles
A paddle is the paddler’s tool of trade and while they may get away with an average stick, the importance of a suitable, efficient, well designed steering paddle cannot be understated. All manner of handling problems quickly reveal themselves as conditions become more challenging. If a steering paddle fails to perform in the calmest of conditions, it stands to reason that its performance diminishes in direct relation to bigger seas, rougher water and higher winds.
3. Steering Strokes
Looks at all of the various steering strokes required by the steerer; poking, over-steering, quarter poke, half pokes, full pokes, steering in front of the body-line, vertical pokes, reverse grip, steering behind the body-line, leg positioning, removing the paddle, power/paddle steering, pitch stroke, draw strokes [seats 1,2,5,6], stern post/kahi, pry stroke, dynamic pry, static pry, back paddle, pushover stroke, brake stroke, steering double canoes.
“In Steve’s book, everything’s covered from all the great steerers in the world. There’s 20 years of research in the The Paddler’s Guide to Outrigger Canoeing and the Steering book. I have a copy of every volume of Kanu Culture and consult them often.”
4. Steering from Other Seats
Considers the steering roles and strokes required through seats 1,2 and 5. Take into consideration steering responsibilites from the front, draw stroke, bow post/kahi, bow rudder/uni, stern post/kahi [left], stern post/kahi [right] and draw strokes.
5. Commands and Motivation
Steerers need to communicate and motivate; mean what you say, say what you mean, watch your tone, establish lines of communication, empty vessels make most noise, build trust, avoid the negatives, develop a positive belief system, stay in the here and now, it's only water, creative visualization, maintaining enthusiasm, dealing with fear, controlled aggression, who does what and when, pet hates, specific commands.
6. Stability
Understanding stability, linear motions, angular and rotational motions, displacement, draft, free-board, list, heel, trim, loll, dead-weight, load displacement, centre of gravity, buoyancy, centre of buoyancy, transverse stability, equilibrium, moment of statical stability, stiff and tender, free surface effect.
7. Rigging
Why steerers need to know how to rig, concerns of stability, toe-in, fundamentals, the value of note taking, using wedge / chocks / shims.
8. Regatta/Sprint Racing
Lane distinctions, flags and buoys, landmarks and transits, adjacent crews, commands and instructions, race start procedure, the line up and start, steering along the course, overlapping lanes on the straight, the approach/set up and turn, rules at the turn buoys, steering combinations at the front, overlapping lanes at the turn mark [3 buoy and single buoy system], common collisions, race finish.
9. Open Ocean
Open ocean steering is a complex skill. Some of the issues considered include, learning to trust your judgement, finesse not brute strength, paddling smoothly, positioning the drop in, recognising a runner ahead of you, finding the sweet spot, anticipation and concentration, physical and mental endurance issues, bobbing, the capisze factor, finding the quickest route, variations between canoe designs and handling, seat 5 role, running the cliffs, punching upwind, working the flat spots, steering with wind/swell on your quarter, dealing with wind, bouncing the back of the canoe, preventing the ama from being swamped.
10. Change Overs
How to approach change over races, drop off and pick up of crew, communication with the support boat, the basics, missed paddlers and hangers on, changing steerers.
11. Race Strategies and Preparation
Discover the differing ways to approach racing. Pre-race preparations, analytical preparation, race day, race strategy, three basic strategies, lead and pace, even pace, negative split, strategies over distance, the start, after the start, dealing with problems, collisions, t-bones, rounding the marks, wake riding, climbing the wake field/bow wave, riding the inside wake, crossing backwash, in the draft, drafting the ama, riding the outer wake, interaction.
12. Maritime Rules and Risk Management
This chapter covers some of the issues relating to international maritime rules, collision avoidance, right of way, paddling in the dark, lighting, knowing your limits, club policies, checking equipment, ensuring proficiency of paddlers.This chapter covers some of the issues relating to international maritime rules, collision avoidance, right of way, paddling in the dark, lighting, knowing your limits, club policies, checking equipment, ensuring proficiency of paddlers.
13. Canoe Surfing
Whether canoe surfing or paddling off from the beach this chapter provides some great tips regarding paddling in surf areas, preparation, the paddle out, the line up, the drop in, left hand break, right hand break, basic manoeuvres, the wipe out, recovery, returning to shore. By Chris Maynard.
14. Canoe Sailing
Sailing is growing in popularity, this chapter considers steering a sailing canoe, where to begin, paddles, poking, over correcting, steering via the sheet, downwind sailing, over sheeting and being over powered. By Nick Beck, Holopuni Canoes.
15. Safety Items
GPS, mobile phones, hand held radio telephones, marine first aid kit, lighting, flares, hydration systems, food, sunglasses, cap, bailers.
16. Stretching and Steering Injuries
Injuries, stretching, warm ups, four forms of stretching, stability and balance, dealing with discomfort, massages, yoga.
17. Preparing for Long Races
Terry Wallace details issues regarding 'planning to succeed'; delegation, travel, accommodation, basic stuff, bags, rigging bags, rigging tools, capsize and safety gear, clothing and other essentials, food on Moloka`i, money matters, water, sea sickness, food on the escort boat, needs of the steerer. Terry Wallace details issues regarding 'planning to succeed'; delegation, travel, accommodation, basic stuff, bags, rigging bags, rigging tools, capsize and safety gear, clothing and other essentials, food on Moloka`i, money matters, water, sea sickness, food on the escort boat, needs of the steerer.
Over a period of greater than twenty years of observation, racing, listening, recording and photographing, there are specific steerers who have provided inspiration for this work and to them I owe my gratitude. My thanks to Chris Maynard, Australia’s most successful steerer, winning more Hamilton Cup races than any other since its creation and as such one of the world’s best and with whom I have conducted many a clinic since 1997 and had the privilege of being steered by him on several occasions, including the Moloka`i Hoe, Hamilton Island Australia and at the Fiji International. He is a true ambassador for the sport. Todd Bradley of Hawai`i, with whom I spent a considerable amount of time during 1995 and ’96 when steering Outrigger Canoe Club O`ahu who became the catalyst for my original research. Having sat in the wings to the legendary Tom Conners, an 11 time Moloka`i Hoe winner, his burning ambition to aspire to Tom’s level, drove him to seek perfection in all that he did. To Jim Foti of Lanikai CC, who continues to inspire, as the ‘consummate steerer’ possessing all that it takes to be the finest rough water steerer over the past decade and by virtue the world’s most accomplished. Thanks also to Kai O'pua steerer Jackie Taylor for her insights and inspiration and to Australia’s Sue Sheard one of Australia's finest women steerers, though rarely given opportunity to prove it so, and to Kirsty Holmes, Kisi Haines, Nicole Wilcox and Offshore California’s, Mindy Clarke, the sport’s most successful female steerer. Thanks to Australia’s Danny Sheard of Mooloolaba OCC, who I consider to be one of the finest of ocean steerers, capable of shaving more inches off a race course than any one I have ever known and a true waterman in the context of surf sports. To Karel Tresnak Jnr, who as a result of being raised on a diet of OC1 paddling and OC6 competition from an early age, has provided inspiration to many up and coming steerers and paddlers alike. Finally, my thanks to the many individuals and organisations, which since 1994 have provided their support and ultimately made this publication possible. STEVE WEST
ENVIRONMENTAL CONCERNS: We've taken environmental factors into consideration in the production of this new book, opting for 'Digital Printing', the future for environmentally conscious book manufacture. This process eliminates the need for lithographic plates and chemical usage and reduces waste disposal. We have also opted to use paper guaranteed to be grown under the guidance of the 'Forestry Stewardship Council' (FSC) who ensure the use of legal, sustainable, plantation timbers. Our chosen printers are at the top of the field in environmentally sound print production.