complex formations

If the manoeuvre is the basic building block for single boats and the formation can be built using multiple boats performing manoeuvres, complex formations can be built by combining simultaneous simple formations. As an example, two boats performing pivots can be combined into an interlocking pivot (figure 1 below), a simple formation; two groups of two boats performing the parallel pinwheel formation can be combined to create interlocking parallel pinwheels (figure 2 below), a complex formation.

The difference between simple and complex formations may be subtle but it is a useful way of expanding the language of formations: any simple formation that moves as a whole can be doubled (or tripled...) or concurrently combined with another formation to create a new formation. In theory, some complex formations could, themselves, be built up to another level of complexity, but we won't go there. Yet.

These figures represent generic types rather than specific instances. Though they make excellent studies for practising your paddling, the real interest lies in what you can do by varying and connecting these and other formations in a dance.

Ratings: simple (for a competent style paddler) ; challenging ; really hard