Pack Stroke - Orange County - Squeezeoc

Pack stroke - Orange County - SqueezeOC.com

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Moonlight hike A park naturalist volunteer leads a group tour through Santiago Park Nature Reserve on a moonlit trail on the first Friday of every month. Oaks tower above you and nocturnal critters scurry in the bushes nearby.

Outrigger canoeing is the ultimate team sport. By NATALIE HINES SqueezeOC.com

Stretching my arms out as I rotate forward, I dig my blade deeply into the water using the strength of my back; torquing my shoulders to pull the blade through the water, I begin to stroke.

The next tour is scheduled for Friday, Jan. 5, 6:30 p.m.-8:30 p.m. The nature reserve is at 520 E. Memory Lane, Santa Ana. $2 fee. 714-571-4288 or [email protected] for reservations.

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Pack stroke

Imua Outrigger Club members carry their boat to the water from the shore of the Newport Aquatics Club in Newport Beach during a practice session.

My feet are planted into the bottom of the boat to give me stability as I pull the blade back. Beneath me, the boat glides forward.

I make sure to watch the person in front of me drive their paddle into the water, STEVE K. ZYLIUS, SQUEEZEOC.COM following their timing of entering the blade into the More photos water, pull and release. Our paddles form a capital "D" in RELATED the water, our stroke starting > Paddling tips and glossary at the top of the "D," pulling the blade parallel to the boat. The curve of the "D" is made when the paddle is released from the water and the paddler swings the blade back to the starting position to make the next stroke.

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After 11 strokes, the paddler in Seat 2 calls the change of strokes, hollering "Hut!" at the beginning of the stroke. The rest of the boat responds with "Hike!" on the next stroke, followed by "Ho!" on the last stroke when everyone switches their paddle to the other side. My experience with outrigger canoeing, or paddling, begins.

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I decided to give paddling a shot after observing the positive changes in my father after he joined Dana Outrigger Canoe Club in 2003 and after becoming friends with some of the team members myself. My dad lost some weight, became really excited about this sport and met lots of new people. What excited me about outrigger canoeing was the possibility of learning a new competitive sport without having any experience. Once I learned about the history of outrigger, I was even more excited. Outrigger canoeing originated thousands of years ago, in the Pacific Rim region. Tied to Polynesian and Hawaiian culture, outrigger canoes weren't originally designed for racing - they were designed for travel, fishing and to discover new islands. My grandmother, who grew up on Guam, verified that when she was growing up, "It was the natural thing (to do)." She said that paddlers would travel back and forth between islands. "Beyond the reef you had to know how to maneuver," she said. "At that time there were no motors on boats, so if a boat went out (in the ocean), it might not return." Outrigger nowadays is more of a sport, with participants around the world. My practices with Dana Outrigger Canoe Club during the 2004 season were exciting and a definite learning experience. I learned a lot about the ocean, paddling and what it means to be a part of a team sport. I found I could push myself and learn new things. I learned that paddling has a long history and that it's one of the fastest-growing competitive sports in the world. I experienced sand, water, huli-ing, bailing water out of a boat, water changes, steering, sweating and, of course, a lot of good times.

1/1/2007 2:01 PM

Pack stroke - Orange County - SqueezeOC.com

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http://squeezeoc.com/squeezeoc/livingitup/hobbiesoutdoors/article_6612...

Here are some basics that will get you going. HOW TO BEGIN Contact your local outrigger club or find out when clubs' practices are and simply show up. The season for novices starts in February, but a lot of clubs practice year-round and will take newbies at any time. You can usually find outrigger practices on Monday and Wednesday evenings for women and on Tuesday and Thursday evenings for men. Outrigger teams also practice on the weekends. Keiki practices, or kids' practice, varies from club to club. THE BOATS Historically, Hawaiian boats were usually made of koa wood, a natural resource of the Hawaiian Islands. Koa boats are still used in some races. Today, boats are generally made of wood and fiberglass and weigh 400 pounds or more. They're very long and narrow, approximately 18 to 20 inches wide and 40 to 45 feet long. A six-man outrigger boat costs about $8,000 to $15,000; a one-man outrigger about $2,000 to $3,000. Each club typically keeps its boats close to the launch beach, with permission from local yacht clubs or water sports clubs. PADDLES Without your paddle, you aren't going anywhere. Don't worry: You will be able to borrow a paddle from the club during practice. Originally made of koa, paddles have transitioned to other types of wood, wood and carbon fiber or just carbon fiber. Some of the most high-tech blades are made of carbon fiber, or have a wood base and a carbon overlay. Finding the right size paddle is important. Usually paddles are measured by holding the paddle in front of you with the blade on the ground and the handle at your chest. The handle should come up to the middle of your chest. The average length for women is 48 to 50 inches. For men, the average length is 52 inches. If you're tall, you may want to look for a 52-plus inch blade. Paddles cost anywhere from $150-$300. THE PADDLERS Outrigger boats usually hold six paddlers. During a nine-man race, which is longer than a six-man race, there are nine paddlers to one six-man boat. During the nine-man race, paddlers switch out by doing an open water change to give each paddler a break and other paddlers the chance to race. There are also outrigger canoes made for one or two paddlers. Each seat on a six-man boat has specific assignments. Seat 1: At the very front of the boat, sets the pace for the other paddlers. Seat 2: Responsibility is to call the change of strokes, so should count the strokes from the start. Seats 3, 4 and5 are known as the engine room or the power house of the boat. Usually the strongest paddlers are in these positions. Seat 3: Follows the stroke of Seat 1, but also watches the top hand of Seat 2. This helps the rest of the boat see the pattern and timing of the strokes. Seat 4: Follows the stroke of Seat 2, but also watches the top hand of Seat 3. Seat 5: Follows the stroke of Seat 3, but also watches the top hand of Seat 4. Also assists the steersman or -woman from time to time, during turns. Seat 6: Sits at the rear of the boat, steers and paddles. Seat 6 is responsible for directing the boat, observing the other paddlers, giving guidance.

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Links to SoCal clubs... by Stephanie Snead, Imua Outrigger Canoe Club from Newport Beach, California - Nov 30, 2005 Thanks Nat, great article but I'm also biased as my club was pictured! For those of you looking for a club in Socal visit www.socaloutrigger.org or www.imua.bigstep.com 1 of 1 people found this following comment helpful. Was this comment helpful to you?

www.mahina-hoe.blogspot.com by AUMERAN jean-françois from TAHITI - Sep 11, 2005 here is my blog, about tahitian va'a. 2 of 2 people found this following comment helpful. Was this comment helpful to you?

buenas! by Matt Mateo from Mangilao, Guam - Sep 11, 2005 Hafa adai! Nice article on the greatest sport alive.... I too am from Guam, but going to school here in the mainland. Can't wait to get back to the islands. :) 1 of 1 people found this following comment helpful. Was this comment helpful to you?

Nicely done! by Michelle Cassel, Paopao Outrigger from Oceanside, CA - Sep 08, 2005 Great job Nat! Look forward to seeing you back on the water next season! 0 of 0 people found this following comment helpful. Was this comment helpful to you?

Cap'n Mike by Cap'n Mike from Columbus, Ohio - Sep 08, 2005 Very good article. it was nice being a novice to be able to read some of the technical aspects of the sport. 1 of 1 people found this following comment helpful. Was this comment helpful to you?

Can't Wait for Next Year by Nathaniel D. Hines II from San Clemente - Sep 08, 2005 Nice explanation of the process. For full disclosure purposes, I'm the biased papa. The sport does everything as advertized and more. It's so cool to see so many people of different orgin, vocation and culture blend together for a run at the ocean - which we all know can be as calm as it is wild. 1 of 1 people found this following comment helpful. Was this comment helpful to you?

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