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COLLECTOR’S EDITION T-SHIRTS – https://www.hammerfactor.com/hammer-factor-t-shirts/
Top Of The Show Sponsor – https://www.canoekayak.com/
Mid Show Sponsor – https://calleva.org/

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…and here we are hammer factor 36 ‘live from china’. introductions.

– louis: how are you? louis is on the mend? how long until you’re back on the water?

weld: how are you, in Taiwan ehh? how does it work over there?? lets get into it after the top of show sponsor.

first things first, we gotta pay homage to the corporate overlords, Grace messed this up on round 1. our top of the show sponsor.

“Now a huge shout out to our top of the show sponsor, Canoe and Kayak. C and K has been leading the paddlesports media hustle for 45 years, reaching an unprecedented audience of nearly a half million people. With in-depth articles like the one detailing the fall of the Grand Canyon Escalade project, which I will link to in the show notes, there is no more compelling way to get your paddlesports beta than C and K. Check em out at canoekayak.com”

https://www.canoekayak.com/news/the-fall-of-the-grand-canyon-escalade/

personally it would be cool, to on day 3 of your trip head up the tram, play some poker, stumble back to the boat and head on down river, but hey to each his own.

weld fill us in on how it works over there at the IR factory.

past guest, chris gragletsmans writes in: “Hi Gents,
Thanks for having me on a few weeks back, and I loved the most recent episode. Fusilli and AGRG were both extremely funny.

I wanted to write in about one thing today- I totally understand the environmental despair of the current administration, but had an idea for Louis. I thought it might be powerful to provide one specific and actionable environmental advocacy task per week/episode.

For example- Hammer Factor listeners are charged to write this specific representative at this specific email address/physical address regarding this specific issue.

I think that might spin things more towards the positive and allow me and other listeners to feel like we are making a small difference.

Just an idea but figured I would pass it on. Congrats on the first sponsor and keep killing it with the show! Chris”

Louis You’re Up #eif

BOOOM SHAKE THE ROOM – we got a mid show sponsor. https://calleva.org/

“Join Calleva in Mexico for week long whitewater kayaking trips.
· Awesome trips for all levels of boaters

· Come down and see whats beyond the imaginary “big beautiful wall”

· Lead by Tom McEwan whom has been exploring Mexico for 30 years. He is supported by one of our other instructors like Dagger Team member Bobby Miller, Liquidlogic team member Steve-O, and Tom’s nephew, ladies man, and Waka bro Eric Hanson.

· Explore jungles, deep canyons, legendary waterfalls

· Trips on class II to IV+ rivers

· Most trips are based at the Mexican run eco-resort Aventurec know for it’s great food, orange groves, and proximity to the best whitewater in Mexico.

· Come for the waterfalls, stay for the tacos

· Check out the website at Calleva (C-A-L-L-E-V-A) dot Org”

weld you used to do some trips down in mexico with tom mcewan? gentle camping type trips?

Viewer mail before we get into our celebrity guest, Brendan Wells, fresh off the mighty Indus River.

——coming at us from his iPhone: Josh Helton writes in: I heard the discussion on the latest episode, with Dave Fusilli, about whether or not demshitz and the brown claw are still popular or relevant and I just wanted to let you guys and Dave Fusilli know that the brown claw is still inspiring us Intermediate paddlers. My group, inspired by the brown claw, has recently started doing an inverted brown claw which we call “the ball grab”.

Josh Helton

wtf is he talking about, weld these are your people, what say you?

——coming in from Colorado: Hey,
Was listening to the Green Race recap this morning and figured I need to finally send you this emailing I’ve been meaning to. I’ve been organizing the Gore Canyon Race and festival the past 3 years (taking it over because no one else wanted to basically). On the paddle in to the start line this year Tommy Hilleke and I were chatting about things you all have done with the Green Race and giving me some tips and suggested I get in touch with you as well. The big thing on my mind lately is the idea of a series. I’ve been throwing it around with some other race organizers in CO about doing something local, but the conversation always turns into doing something nationwide and the Green Race being the final blowout event. As of now it’s all just shit shooting and big ideas. Anyway, just wanted to drop you a line and see if you had a chance to talk about it a bit more.

Thanks!

Hattie Johnson, PLA

racer series thoughts anyone? i like the idea of it but struggle with the reality of it

——coming in from the Pacific North west: Paul Heffernan I recently starting listening to the podcast, I love it. In one of the recent episodes you mentioned you had sent out an example of Grace’s (?) 8 week race training program. Has that already been sent out? If so can you make it accessible to someone like me who was a little late in the game to getting on the newsletter?

i can work on this now that it is the off season

——paddle offset!!!!! 0 degree or 30 degree???? Nathan Woodward shares a link from professor paddle. “http://www.professorpaddle.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=15879

It has more to do with body mechanics… Hold a paddle (or broom) like you are taking a forward stroke on your right side (with the shaft close to vertical). Hold the shaft tightly with your right hand and switch to a forward stroke on your left side (with paddle close to vertical). Notice the angle of your top blade in relation to your boat. It will be about 30-35 degrees away from being perpendicular to the boat… That’s your paddle offset. It’s a side effect of having a control hand.

You can also use a zero degree offset and just not use a control hand, switching your grasp between hands on each stroke. Zero degree has some advantages in playboating, where your boat is tumbling in all directions, and it’s easier for the off-side roll, but 30 is preferable for most river running and creeking. There are lots of variables including arm length, shoulder width, posture, how vertical your paddle is in the water, etc, but it usually comes out to about 30-35 degrees, give or take. A few degrees off one way or another is not going to make a difference.

They used to do 90 degrees for racing because the top blade cuts through the wind as you move it forward for the next stroke, but it’s hell on your wrist. 45 degrees was just less offset than 90, so better, but not ideal. Some people still use 45 because that was the standard for a long time and people got used to it. If you are used to one offset and pick up a different one, it’s going to feel weird, but give it a few days and it will feel completely normal.

Short answer: for playboating, get a zero or 30 offset depending on your preference; for creeking and river running, get a 30.

Hope that helps clear things up a bit for you.

this is the last time we are going to discuss paddle off set…until next episode. will it ever end is my question?

Now Special Guest Brendan Wells!!!

Rants and Raves