Paddler #1 does their normal cruising forward stroke; paddler #2 will focus on completely submerging the blade before applying any force to it. You can get the blade completely submerged either by dropping the on-side shoulder or by stabbing the blade into the water like spearing a fish or gigging a frog. The key is to not pull back on the blade until the whole thing is in the water. Again, switch with your partner. What effect did the fully submerged blade have on the boat’s speed?

What most paddlers find:

The submerged blade paddler moves ahead of their partner.

Lessons to learn:

A partially submerged blade only provides partial power. To get the most from each stroke make sure the blade is fully submerged prior to applying force.

Further experimentation:

Instead of placing the blade near your toes, intentionally shorten the stroke so the blade enters at your knee. How does this affect your speed? How does it effect your rotation? Did you have a greater tendency to use arm muscles?