Pitch is a powerful; stroke, not intended for many hours of lake paddling. I doubt that PaPaddler is talking about the pitch. I also not sure what "lifting outwards" means in this context - is it Canadian-style correction?
My problem with envisioning such 10-degree off straight line stroke is that the paddle is traveling away from the canoe from the very beginning of the stroke, which requires it (paddle) to get off the vertical more and more as the stroke progresses - and the less vertical the paddle is during the power phase the more correction required, or so I heard. Probably, my interpretation of the PaP description is wrong.

I did some quick research to make sure we are comparing apples to apples (I had never heard the 'goon stroke' term before). 

First, to respond to Eddyturn's question:  when I said 'lifting outwards' I should have described it as finishing the stroke with a slight power face pry...and it is certainly a 'thumb-down' on the upper hand. 

From what I saw of the goon stroke, that is a rudder or pry with the back face of the paddle - which would cause substantial reduction in forward motion as well as rather awkward paddle rotation...and I am by no means doing that.

I believe the most accurate 'defined' stroke that matches what I do was, in fact, the Pitch stroke.  However, I saw two descriptions of the pitch stroke that were conflicting.  The link below describes the pitch quite similar to my adopted method...and also includes a 'northwoods' stroke that isn't too different (and you will notice that the subject in the video has a slight lateral movement of the canoe with this stroke - so the direction of travel is slightly different than where the bow is pointing).   I will occasionally finish with a 'Canadian' stroke by returning the paddle forward while keeping it in the water.

Thanks for all of the insights - I think it is always worthwhile to question/challenge the status quo to figure out...is there a better way to do this???

https://home.cc.umanitoba.ca/~burchil/pm_canoe/subtle_correction.html

I use the J when I'm not in a particular rush but I find I'm surprisingly much more efficient with the goon and it feels more natural to me.

@PaPaddler that link to Charles Burchill is great! He is a master of technique.

Eddy Turn and I started this conversation in that other thread. So, at the risk of boring people to death and promoting the wrong way to paddle, here is the extended version from that trip of me paddling a solo canoe, on the left hand side, J-Stroking, forever.

Actually I think there are very few J's (and C's). It's more of a Canadian Stroke with most of the correction happening on the retrieve. I think my bent shaft paddle with its small surface area and very thin blade is fine for this. I drop the paddle shaft low and in front of my body and have a great deal of control over both the angle and depth of the blade on the retrieve. Both of these elements effect correction. By dropping the hand low and across the body, you also minimize the pain from wrist overextension that comes with performing a more vertical retrieve after a J-Stroke. I think the video shows this is a very efficient way to paddle.
 
If you take the time to watch the video I am referring more to the times that I am going straight as opposed to cornering. If there were more switch backs and ox bows you would have seen me switch side a few times in order to accelerate more through turns.



 

@MartinG - our strokes are quite similar - I add a little more of a rotation to the shaft of my paddle earlier in the stroke but likely due to the fact that I'm paddling a tandem canoe from the front seat which doesn't respond as well to solo paddling as the boat you are in.

Very helpful, thank you!