Bill Leonhardt wrote> I would ask, though, that people describe their use (river vs. flat water. touring vs. racing, etc.) and the approximate beam on their boat along with the paddle length. I feel that this added information would be useful for people, like myself, who are trying to gather more information to make a paddle upgrade more rewarding. It might also be interesting to open discussions on the merits of right hand vs. left hand control. I have/had a few much older glass boats but, mostly paddle a poly P&H Capella (22 inch beam). I've had this boat for just about a year and very nice it is too. Most of my paddling is coastal touring. I have two paddles, one extremely nasty affair (plastic blades on a split aluminium shaft) which serves to decorate my rear deck, and a Lendal Nordkapp 220. White esdash blades right hand feather/control on a carbon/glass shaft. I can't remember which of Lendal's carbon/glass mixes, but the shaft is relatively flexible. I have absolutely nothing wrong to say about this paddle, relatively light, fantastic feel, relatively cheap (Scotland ..:-), and I haven't managed to break it yet. A few months ago I borrowed a mate's somewhat more expensive Lendal paddle, full carbon powermaster blades on a modified crank carbon shaft. Same length, and almost the same blade shape as my nordkapp, but much stiffer and lighter. Oddly enough I didn't like this paddle very much, it almost felt too insubstantial and light, and I think that I quite like a bit of flex in the paddle shaft. Can a paddle be too light ? Is a completely rigid paddle desirable ? Cheers Colin ______________________________________________________ Dr Colin Calder Centre for CBL in Land Use and Environmental Sciences (CLUES) MacRobert Building, Aberdeen University, Aberdeen, AB24 5UA, UK, Scotland ______________________________________________________ *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List Submissions: paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net Subscriptions: paddlewise-request_at_lists.intelenet.net Website: http://www.gasp-seakayak.net/paddlewise/ ***************************************************************************
At 02:09 AM 2/25/98 -0800, you wrote: >The thread on boats people paddle has been a useful one for me -- >learned a lot about different craft without even getting wet! I'd be >interested in hearing what others use to paddle their boats, and how >their paddle choice has evolved. Here's my saga to kick things off: Jeanne and I both started with longer paddles, I had a 240cm Werner Comano and she had a 225cm Swift. Last summer we both switched to Lendal carbon fiber modified crank paddles. I use a 218cm Nordkapp and she uses a 216cm Achipelago. We kept the Swift as our backup paddle. We're very pleased with the modified cranks. Robert -- Orlando, Fl ________________________________________________________ Robert Starling Member ASMP / APSG Robert Starling Photography, Inc. Orlando, Florida Phone 407 521-0041 Fax 407 521-0031 http://www.starling.com NetGuide Magazine Internet Site Of The Day *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List Submissions: paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net Subscriptions: paddlewise-request_at_lists.intelenet.net Website: http://www.gasp-seakayak.net/paddlewise/ ***************************************************************************
To answer your other questions (about what boat, length, etc.): my kayak paddles are 202 cm, and are most often used with a Dagger Predator slalom racing boat. I don't know the length on my C-boat paddles offhand, but they're also used with slalom boats. On Thu, Feb 26, 1998 at 03:57:41PM +0000, Colin Calder wrote: > Can a paddle be too light ? No. :-) Not when you're coming up on gate 21, a hard right upstream and your arms feel like lead. ;-) > Is a completely rigid paddle desirable ? No. It transmits too much of the force (whether paddling hard, hitting rocks, or whatever) directly to the joints and can lead to problems; a little bit of flex -- not enough to affect performance, just a little -- seems to really help. I know that when I switched from my Schlegel slalom paddle to the Mitchell that my minor problems with tendonitis almost entirely disappeared. ---Rsk *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List Submissions: paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net Subscriptions: paddlewise-request_at_lists.intelenet.net Website: http://www.gasp-seakayak.net/paddlewise/ ***************************************************************************
> Colin Calderwrote> SNIP........ > >A few months ago I borrowed a mate's somewhat more expensive Lendal paddle, >full carbon powermaster blades on a modified crank carbon shaft. Same >length, and almost the same blade shape as my nordkapp, but much stiffer and >lighter. Oddly enough I didn't like this paddle very much, it almost felt >too insubstantial and light, and I think that I quite like a bit of flex in >the paddle shaft. > Please tell us what a modified crank shaft is. >Can a paddle be too light ? I think probably yes. It would perform OK but just not feel "right" to us humans. Bill Leonhardt *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List Submissions: paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net Subscriptions: paddlewise-request_at_lists.intelenet.net Website: http://www.gasp-seakayak.net/paddlewise/ ***************************************************************************
On Thu, 26 Feb 1998, Colin Calder wrote: > Can a paddle be too light ? Only if the light weight results in the paddle being fragile, the same goes for boats ;-) Barton canoe paddles come in several weights - something like 7.5, 9 and 12 ounces. They recommend the 7.5 ounce paddle only if you will be paddling exclusively in deep water and have no possiblity of hitting objects with the paddle. Actually they recommended not using the ultralight paddle and buying one of the other paddles... > Is a completely rigid paddle desirable ? Maybe if your paddle stroke technique is absolutely perfect. I know several people who developed tendon problems from using an overly stiff paddle. One of my canoeing partners will only use wood bent shaft canoe paddles after he spent 9 months recovering from elbow tendon problems acquired during a 19 mile race using a new carbon paddle. The problems were sufficient he had to give up paddling, golf, and playing guitar (he was the lead guitarist in a "wedding" band). kirk *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List Submissions: paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net Subscriptions: paddlewise-request_at_lists.intelenet.net Website: http://www.gasp-seakayak.net/paddlewise/ ***************************************************************************
At 11:44 AM 2/26/98 -0500, Bill Leonhardt wrote: >> Colin Calder wrote> >>Can a paddle be too light ? > >I think probably yes. It would perform OK but just not feel "right" to us >humans. Those of us who have tried and switched to light paddles *know* that heavy paddles no longer feel right to us. Maybe we aren't human? <grin> I should say that I happen to be a manufacturer of lightweight paddles so you can take it with a pound of salt. But those who haven't tried it...... Hank Hays *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List Submissions: paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net Subscriptions: paddlewise-request_at_lists.intelenet.net Website: http://www.gasp-seakayak.net/paddlewise/ ***************************************************************************
Hank Hays wrote: >>Those of us who have tried and switched to light paddles *know* that heavy paddles no longer feel right to us. Maybe we aren't human? <grin> >>I should say that I happen to be a manufacturer of lightweight paddles so you can take it with a pound of salt. But those who haven't tried it...... As one who uses one of Hank's paddles - Lightweight paddles are a pure joy to use! My favorite paddle is a Lightning carbon fibre unfeathered 240cm. It weighs next to nothing and is my choice for long paddles. The only drawback is that the blades are so thin (ie. fragile) that I hate to use it when banging around on a rocky shoreline. After only a week or two of using this paddle nearly every day my other paddles simply began to feel like "clubs" any time I used them. But, when I know that I'm going to be spending a lot of time poking around in the shallows or doing a lot of landings on rocky shores, the old, heavy Werner gets the nod. ( of course, that might have something to do with the fact that the Werner cost maybe a third of what the Lightning paddle cost<g>) David Seng / david_at_wainet.com Wostmann & Associates / phone - 907.586.6167 223 Seward St. / fax - 907.586.2996 Juneau, Alaska 99801 *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List Submissions: paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net Subscriptions: paddlewise-request_at_lists.intelenet.net Website: http://www.gasp-seakayak.net/paddlewise/ ***************************************************************************
My first paddle was a Harmony (Aquaterra) Gulfstream fg paddle. It is relatively narrow, heavier than most fg paddles, 230cm long and I paddled unfeathered. I liked it but wanted a lighter narrower paddle. I used it for several years, all the while trying all the paddles that I could get my hands on ...and almost purchased a narrow ultralight. After getting my next boat, a Greenland style (22" ), I wished that I had taken the club workshop on Greenland paddle construction in 95. The next spring I got the John Heath article and make my first greenland paddle...tried it and did not like it. Did some modifications and read some articles on technique but did not feel that it was either comfortable or "efficient". Last spring got it out again and paddled with it exclusively the first month of paddling, also purchased Doug Van Doren's video ( a must) and haven't looked back. I love the Greenland style of paddling as it is very efficient and less stressful on this old body. Have made another paddle and right now am paddling a 88"(about 224cm )stick. I haven't finished any as I keep modifying and have the wood to build a least another. frank >*************************************************************************** >PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List >Submissions: paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net >Subscriptions: paddlewise-request_at_lists.intelenet.net >Website: http://www.gasp-seakayak.net/paddlewise/ >*************************************************************************** > *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List Submissions: paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net Subscriptions: paddlewise-request_at_lists.intelenet.net Website: http://www.gasp-seakayak.net/paddlewise/ ***************************************************************************
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