THE CORRECT PADDLE

Can anyone help, how long should my paddle be I'm about 1.87m tall
so my paddle should be about ?? .

Thanks

I'd go to Epic's website and use their paddle wizard. You should get a ballpark length from there and then can adjust based on feel, conditions, etc...

I would have started with 212 and played around with the length in +/- 0.5 cm increments

Get a 205cm to 215cm adjustable, you will be somewhere in there.

There is no way of knowing what length you will end up with.

Moran wrote: Can anyone help, how long should my paddle be I'm about 1.87m tall
so my paddle should be about ?? .

Thanks

I found a very interesting article, here in this forum:
www.surfski.info/getting-started/tips-ot...on-wing-paddles.html

As you can see the most used setting is reported below:
What angle do you set the feather?
67 degrees 30.26%
What length do you set your paddle?
2.12m 20.00%

Also I think you will find very usefull information about the best feather angle too.

Also interesting as reported here:
www.surfski.info/reviews/surfski-gear/it...-gear-inventory.html

"Paddle: Last but not least, I've just started using an Epic mid-wing split shaft paddle (www.epickayaks.com/). It's a beautifully made piece of equipment - I really enjoy the lightness of the paddle; and the ability to play with the length and feather angle. Until I started using it, I had a fixed shaft blade, length 2.14m. With the tendency of the top paddlers to use short shafts (for example Herman Chalupsky uses a paddle set to 2.10m), it was great to be able to shorten it and try it out. So far 2.12 seems a very comfortable length and I was complimented on the apparent change in my stroke. Whether or not that has anything to do with the paddle length is up for debate - but something seems to be going better!"

So, finally, I perfectly agree with suggestion of fredrik.



__________________________________________
Only on the sea you are really free (Eugene O'Neill)

Actually most, 70%, do not use 67 degrees and most, 80%, do not use 2.12m length. Just saying

I have found the use of a camera great for setting my paddle length and feather, the length so that the blades only are in the water, the feather so that I get a clean exit with the least amount of water lifted, off course their are other factors that contribute to a clean exit also.

My length 209cm, feather 53 degrees. But everyone will be different as are skis, height, arm lengths and techniques. Good advice from RAB in my opinion.

I am 186cm and either use a 214cm Epic mid wing or a 212cm Brasca VII max and shorten a couple cm for down wind. There is no right length, just make sure your paddle doesn't miss the catch and comes out of the water nice and clean and you are good to go

I am 187cm paddling with Fenn 1 212cm (Fenn Mako Elite) with no padding.
Try different lengths. Everybody is different. In realy windy conditions I go sometimes down to 210cm.

While talking paddles could someone point me to any articles or forum posts regarding the differences between tear drop shaped paddles and parallel shaped paddles.

Is the tear drop shape more beneficial over a longer distance or downwind than a parralel shaped paddle? Or is it mainly a paddlers preference on which shape to choose?

Im just getting back into paddling and used to paddle in Surf LS carnivals which are mainly sprint type affairs. I was using (and still am) a Bennett Sprint paddle at 212cm which would have to be 10 years old.

Now that I want to focus more on downwind, longer distance type stuff I thought the time is right to purchase a new paddle and any advice on the different aspects of the different shapes would be greatly appreciated..

Cheers

Kayaker Greg wrote: Actually most, 70%, do not use 67 degrees and most, 80%, do not use 2.12m length. Just saying

Kayaker Greg wrote: I have found the use of a camera great for setting my paddle length...

Using markers and gopro videocamera... great idea!

I'll give you my take on paddle shape.

This is what I have found and may very well be different to other peoples opinion.

Parallel sided blades work best with a very close stroke, one with a lot of vertical movement.
As the paddle goes in it continues down and only slightly out before then moving more rapidly outwards.

This suits K1 style boats very well as they are really quite short and are much more effected in their attitude by paddle forces, hence the importance of a technique that interrupts the boats running as little as possible by not allowing the paddle stroke to get too far from the boat centreline.

A teardrop shape works well with a stroke that is more horizontal, the paddle goes in and immediately goes outwards quite quickly.
There is more area of the blade near the end and the flow of water is more across the horizontal aspect of the blade than a combination of across the width of the blade and across the length as with a parallel sided blade.

The longer length of a surf ski is much more immune to side forces from a paddle than a K1.

I prefer teardrop shape as in an Epic blade and would like to experiment with a Gamma or an A series meek blade.

You will find that a parallel sided paddle with a close vertical stroke requires more twist in the blade to get a good catch and a clean exit.
This makes them much more critical of their initial placement and general stroke mechanics to get a clean exit as well.

A wider more horizontal stroke with a teardrop is much more forgiving and user friendly for a beginner with no extreme twists in the blade, they will never try and throw you out of the boat or run underneath it, as some extreme twisted designs will.


If your coach comes from a K1 background you will probably end up being guided towards a parallel blade, as that is what they learned and raced with.

I personally prefer a teardrop because the wider stroke also offers a wider bracing angle when in conditions, as well as a shorter paddle, (less effected by wind and a quicker turnover) as it does not have to go down as deep as a parallel sided blade.

It also tends to encourage a more forward stroke and an earlier exit, both of which I find beneficial.


So there you have it, part whatever of RAB's long running and continual paddle discovery journey.

My paddle length changes for the different boats I paddle - and was taught that the entire blade should be buried at the catch. If it isn't - lengthen you paddle till it is. For my everyday boat - my length is set at 212cm and I am 188cm tall. However, your mileage may vary..