What Works / What Don't | Page 7 | SouthernPaddler.com

What Works / What Don't

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tx river rat

Well-Known Member
Feb 23, 2007
3,043
2
Waco Tx
Bob
The paddles I have gone threw have worked well for me from a 20 dollar one up till my graphite bending branches.
I work on my paddling skills for tripping and racing and just like anything else as you improve you find out what works the best .
The bending paddle is great ,but it doesnt have enough blade surface ,I can pull hard on it and still make it cavitate, so I am losing power when I need it . the reason for a higher area and performance paddle.
My boats are just about as fast as I can get them or I should say efficient, now the paddle needs to be upgraded so I can get the same efficiency out of the paddle.
Ron
 
O

oldsparkey

Well-Known Member
Aug 25, 2003
10,479
123
Central , Florida
www.southernpaddler.com
I don't trust myself with an expensive paddle since I use them for everything , a push pole , fish filleting board , shovel and even a dead man to tie lines off to , to name a few uses of them. "O" I even use them to paddle with. :wink:
The wood ones from Wally World are great for that along with the plastic blades and aluminum shaft ones , those make good shovels since the plastic never wears out and you can move a lot of sand with them. Those I got from Mohawk Canoes a long time ago and they are still going.
:lol: Picked them up for $20.00 from there reject bin , the rejects had a few scratches on them , now they have a lot more. Use it up , wear it out and get more.
 
T

tx river rat

Well-Known Member
Feb 23, 2007
3,043
2
Waco Tx
Chuck
I use a paddle the same way , but I figure it can be used in any boat I own and I dont need it if it want stand up for me.
Ron
 
O

oldsparkey

Well-Known Member
Aug 25, 2003
10,479
123
Central , Florida
www.southernpaddler.com
I am a slow paddler , do not get in a hurry and like to ease along enjoying the area. About the same as you do on the Brazos River trips. But there is one difference ... you are thinking about racing and have been in a few as of this date.

For that you want a very efficient paddle and the lighter the better since you would be taking three or more strokes with it then I would just geezering along. ( According to spell check I just invented a new word ... geezering ) :lol: Less weight , less wear and tear on the paddler pushing the limits of him and the boat for a long distance.

The Brazos River paddler has lost weight so it is the paddles turn to thin down. :wink:
 
K

Kayak Jack

Well-Known Member
Aug 26, 2003
13,976
171
86
Okemos / East Lansing Michigan
tx river rat said:
Chuck, I figure I can paddle slow with this paddle but if I need it the power is there.
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That pretty much reflects the way I think too. Slender paddles with little grip are easy on your shoulders - because they aren't moving the boat along. As I remember, that's what a paddle is supposed to be doing in the first place. If I want it easy on my shoulders, I just push/pull easier. Not that hard to figure out.
 
J

jdupre'

Well-Known Member
Sep 9, 2007
2,327
40
South Louisiana
I'm kinda thinking I need a new, larger paddle. My touring paddle works great but I find myself wanting to pull a little harder at times and it seems to want to cavitate a bit. I'm not a racer, but I do like to make time and see the countryside slip by.

Joey
 
B

beekeeper

Well-Known Member
Mar 4, 2009
1,917
59
jdupre' said:
I'm kinda thinking I need a new, larger paddle. My touring paddle works great but I find myself wanting to pull a little harder at times and it seems to want to cavitate a bit. I'm not a racer, but I do like to make time and see the countryside slip by.

Joey
Click to expand...
What shape/size is considered a touring paddle? What other type kayak paddles are there?


This the paddle I am useing now. The 9' length is working well for my elevated seat and wide beam. It also doesn't drip water on you or in the boat like the shorter ones do. What blade shape might work best?
Picture039.jpg



beekeeper
 
J

jdupre'

Well-Known Member
Sep 9, 2007
2,327
40
South Louisiana
Bee, from what I've seen out there, most of the paddles on the market seem to be some form of touring paddle -- assymetrical and medium width. They are geared to the "average" paddler - mostly day trips at fairly slow paddling cadence, low paddling angle and slower average speeds. Most of us fall into that category MOST of the time. But sometimes you want to fight heavy current, high winds , beat a brewing rainstorm, or just sprint for the heck of it. That's when a wider paddle comes in handy. Wider is generally heavier and maybe catches the wind more. Like some Texas guy says " There ain't no perfect paddle......................."
 
B

beekeeper

Well-Known Member
Mar 4, 2009
1,917
59
Kayak Jack said:
beekeeper said:
<SNIP> The 9' length is working well for my elevated seat and wide beam. <SNIP>
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(Chuck, you can delete this unserious post after a while, but I JUST HAD TO ASK) Whose wide beam, BK - the boat's? :wink:

(There goes my Hershey bar)
Click to expand...

:lol: :lol: beekeeper
 
B

beekeeper

Well-Known Member
Mar 4, 2009
1,917
59
jdupre' said:
Bee, from what I've seen out there, most of the paddles on the market seem to be some form of touring paddle -- assymetrical and medium width. They are geared to the "average" paddler - mostly day trips at fairly slow paddling cadence, low paddling angle and slower average speeds. Most of us fall into that category MOST of the time. But sometimes you want to fight heavy current, high winds , beat a brewing rainstorm, or just sprint for the heck of it. That's when a wider paddle comes in handy. Wider is generally heavier and maybe catches the wind more. Like some Texas guy says " There ain't no perfect paddle......................."
Click to expand...

My long paddle's blade is basicaly rectangler shape, 7.5" wide, I think. This is my shorter one:
IMG_1680.jpg


I think I recall it being about the same width, but cuped and curved. What kind would they be considered (besides cheap or junk)?

beekeeper
 
T

tx river rat

Well-Known Member
Feb 23, 2007
3,043
2
Waco Tx
Beekeeper
Go back and look at the video again they are pulling the boat with the boat sitting flat and showing the water that is moved then heeling the boat so you can see the difference.
Wing paddles are not for me ,they are for straight line paddling and the handling of a boat just isnt there with them ,I have tried one and hated it.
Most touring paddles are around 600 sq cm blade area the high performance blades are much bigger 710 sq cm. The top performers also have foam built in them so the blade is more buoyant and actually helps pop the paddle out of the water at the end of the stroke plus takes away some of the lifting on each stroke they are very light. the one I am looking at weighs 24 ounces.
The blade size really hit me when I let a guy use my paddle, he had an old plastic heavy one I used while he tried mine,the blades were huge and had a big cup. When I dug in it was like hitting another gear I could feel the difference big time , a lot more power transferred to the water.
Touring paddles are normally long and slender , performance paddles are wider and shorter
Touring paddles are normally a low angle stroke paddle and the performance paddles are a high angle.
90 percent of the time I dont need the extra power , but if fighting a head wind, running from a storm racing or just playing the extra power is available when and where I need it.
Ron
 
B

beekeeper

Well-Known Member
Mar 4, 2009
1,917
59
Ron
Wouldn't the added foam also require an equal amount of effort to submerge the paddle? That would cancel out any energy saved by it being more buoyant. Maybe a heavy, big cuped blade paddle is needed for power? It may not be best for long distance because you would tire. Just asking, I don't know.

beekeeper
 
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