Sea Kayaks Techniques Bulletin Board

Re: Really short paddles

Posted By: risto
Date: Thursday, 11 January 2001, at 10:26 a.m.

In Response To: Re: Really short paddles (Nick Schade)

: I did try someones 240 cm recently and it felt like it was impossible to get
: out of the water.

Years ago I bought one with flat 49x14 cm blades ("these are the only paddles for serious sea work" - Derek Hutchinson!) and actually used it for one season, including a longer tour. Before cutting it, first to 232, etc.

Now it is at 196 and feels very nice - smooth, easy, no surprises in any conditions. It cruises very nice but has a lack of power for acceleration, as one would expect.

Now that I think back the funniest thing is that Derek's arguments for these long paddles seemed perfectly logical and true to me at the time. Funnier still is that he swears by this lenght even today. But then the kayaks he has designed all seem to be "straight runners", or equipped with large skegs.

Learning to use shorter sticks at higher cadence ("more revs") has kind of spoiled even medium paddles for me - I no longer like the resistance they offer due to the longer lever arm. A bit like learning to use the gears on one's bicycle, no going back to the stiff old one-speed.

Messages In This Thread

Author, Author
Pipeguy -- Wednesday, 20 December 2000, at 12:01 a.m.

Re: Author, Author
Greg Stamer -- Wednesday, 20 December 2000, at 4:02 p.m.

Re: Congrat's to the Author *Pic*
Mike Hanks -- Tuesday, 26 December 2000, at 7:38 p.m.

Re: Congrat's to the Author
Greg Stamer -- Tuesday, 26 December 2000, at 9:37 p.m.

Re: Forward tilt?
Don Beale -- Wednesday, 3 January 2001, at 4:29 p.m.

Re: Forward tilt?
Greg Stamer -- Wednesday, 3 January 2001, at 6:01 p.m.

Re: If Ive got this straight
Don Beale -- Wednesday, 3 January 2001, at 10:37 p.m.

Re: If Ive got this straight
Greg Stamer -- Wednesday, 3 January 2001, at 11:12 p.m.

Re: Too late!
Don Beale -- Thursday, 4 January 2001, at 1:31 a.m.

Re: Too late!
Greg Stamer -- Thursday, 4 January 2001, at 9:34 a.m.

Re: If Ive got this straight
risto -- Thursday, 4 January 2001, at 9:33 a.m.

Re: If Ive got this straight
Greg Stamer -- Thursday, 4 January 2001, at 10:24 a.m.

Re: If Ive got this straight
risto -- Thursday, 4 January 2001, at 10:51 a.m.

Re: If Ive got this straight
Nick Schade -- Friday, 5 January 2001, at 1:08 p.m.

Re: If Ive got this straight
M.Hamilton -- Friday, 5 January 2001, at 6:33 p.m.

euro and greenland
risto -- Monday, 8 January 2001, at 12:27 p.m.

Re: euro and greenland
Nick Schade -- Tuesday, 9 January 2001, at 11:21 a.m.

paddle
risto -- Tuesday, 9 January 2001, at 11:48 a.m.

Re: Really short paddles
Nick Schade -- Wednesday, 10 January 2001, at 9:34 a.m.

Re: Really short paddles
risto -- Wednesday, 10 January 2001, at 12:05 p.m.

Re: Really short paddles
Nick Schade -- Thursday, 11 January 2001, at 9:12 a.m.

Re: Really short paddles
risto -- Thursday, 11 January 2001, at 10:26 a.m.

Re: If Ive got this straight
Nick Schade -- Thursday, 4 January 2001, at 10:24 a.m.

Re: If Ive got this straight
Greg Stamer -- Thursday, 4 January 2001, at 11:13 a.m.

Re: Forward tilt? *Pic*
Mike Hanks -- Wednesday, 3 January 2001, at 10:43 p.m.

Re: Forward tilt? *Pic*
Greg Stamer -- Wednesday, 3 January 2001, at 11:59 p.m.

Re: Forward tilt?
Will -- Friday, 5 January 2001, at 9:58 p.m.

Re: Forward tilt?
FBC -- Friday, 5 January 2001, at 7:35 p.m.

Re: Forward tilt?
Bert -- Saturday, 6 January 2001, at 7:57 a.m.

Re: Author, Author
FBC -- Thursday, 21 December 2000, at 7:02 p.m.

Re: Author, Author
Greg Stamer -- Friday, 22 December 2000, at 11:11 p.m.

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