Ventilation

Ventilation is the drawing down of air with the paddle blade when taking a stroke. It is not uncommon to see this, especially when being very aggressive with a stroke. However, it reduces the efficiency of the paddle. Make sure you submerge the blade before pulling on the shaft - applying power to the paddle before it is well into the water is a common cause of splashing and ventilation in a paddle. Ventilation is also caused if you aren't setting the paddle vertically at the catch.

Ventilation when using a Greenland paddle is often announced by a "scratching noise", similar to if drawing your fingernails over coarse, cordura fabric. Getting a clean catch is key, as is allowing the blade to completely bury before applying full power as mentioned above. "Spearing the Salmon" (using your upper hand to insert the paddle laterally into the water), or using the canted blade technique (top edge of blade angled toward the bow), or using a vertical blade sliced quickly downward, are all methods to gain a clean catch with a Greenland paddle.

Compare with Cavitation, with which ventilation is often confused.