How to shorten a paddle?

I've just got into learning how to paddle my mako xt, that is right after I learned to keep my balance in it. I've got a Bracsa IV recreational paddle and I have it adjusted down to the smallest setting of 213 . How can I shorten this paddle more? How can I tell to what size to cut it down to?

I'm 5'3" so I'm gonna have to chop off quite a bit? and if I only cut from one side it will really shorten up that side so the connection won't be at the center.

I have a white water paddle at 204 that I want to paddle on my xt to see how that feels for size.

Check if blades are glued to shaft with hot melt adhesive. If so you can remove them with a hair dryer-or even hot water. Trim shaft ends and re-glue using a strong grade of hot melt adhesive-not the hobby shop stuff.
Hope this helps.
Jim

I like this idea, I hope it works!

I can't tell just by looking at it so I'll have to try and soften it up with some hair dryer heat (slowly) .

.

I put the 1500 watt hair dryer to it at the edge to see if it would melt and it did not. It softened so I could scrape it a bit, but that was all.
.

I've also seen paddles shortened at the ferrule. Heat and then if the glue/epoxy is soft enough remove the ferrule. Then cut equal lengths squarely from each half and reglue the ferrule. If epoxy was used at the joint I don't think a hair dryer will produce enough heat to loosen the bond, you may need a heat gun. A word of caution about heating. It's a fine line between enough heat to break the bond and too much heat that ruins the shaft. Please be careful. If it is an option you may want to consider having a professional do the job, probably not very expensive.

Haven't seen one of those Perception paddles for a really long time.

so I still haven't shortened my paddle but I got a new idea.
I'm thinking about making it a three part paddle.
If I just use a ferrule in each blade part,
just past where the hands go,
then I can have any length center piece for for the middle section.
I can even have several, depending on what type of boat I'll be in,
ski, kayak, pack boat or whatever,
or if someone else wants to try it out to get the exact size/length figured out.

Now I just have to find material for a couple of ferrules
and the center sections. Suggestions ? Suppliers?

Yeah, I know, this will make the paddle a bit heavier
by the weight of one ferrule but .....
getting the exact size while on a budget is more important right now.

also, if I want to fly with it it'll be easier to pack on the airlines.

on a side note, I just finished paddling the entire coast of texas by kayak.
I brought along my brasca 4 as a spare ....
I figured I had plenty of time to give it a try!
Ok, now I'm kinda familiar with it and want to use it more now.
you can see my trip here
unlitter.com
(my sponsor for my spot2 gps tracker/locator)

www.clcboats.com/shop/products/boat-gear...-paddle-ferrule.html

Link above for ferrules but for the price of having a CF ferrule shipped you might find that a local kayak/surfski builder/repairer could sort it out cheaper.

I recently took one of my paddles with a smashed shaft to a local kayak repair shop and they replaced the whole shaft for about $40. it was just a fibreglass shaft but it was my old beat up training paddle so the miniscule weight gain and small increase in deflection doesn't worry me for the price I paid

yup, those clc parts are pretty expensive! 57 bucks! and I wonder if they are the right diameter? and then there's still the shaft to get ....... but I'd suppose I could use my existing shaft and then it would end up being a 4 piece paddle using three ferrules ..... but I'd require two of them? 57x2= ouch!

or 38 bucks for the Quickloc

I don't have a local shop for this kind of work, but texas is a big place, and maybe some of the tws (texas water safari) folk can give a suggestion on a shop?