RE: [Paddlewise] Bent shaft paddles?

I saw the bent shaft/plastic blade that you are referring to but it felt
clunky. I have a Lendal carbon bent shaft with glass blades (the carbon
blades broke and are no longer in production)

One of the issues in comparing weights is that the total paddle weight can
be misleading. Making a strong but light shaft and heavier blades may weigh
the same as a paddle with a heavier shaft and lighter blades but will paddle
very differently.

I also find it strange that a company can all a blade carbon if it is
actually a thermoplastic with carbon fibers mixed in. Lendal is guilty of
the same sin. 

<Have any of you tried the ergonomic bent shaft paddles>

Those of you interested in the bent shaft concept may want to take a look at

the paddles from Cadence, a new company associated with Wenonah Canoe 
Company, (owner of Current Designs). They have introduced a series of 
bent-shaft touring designs with reinforced thermoplastic blades. The 
fiberglass-shaft bent model retails at $199 and the graphite shaft bent goes

for $250- price points that may broaden the market for bent-shaft kayak 
paddles. Weights are comparable to all but the lightest of the graphite 
models out there. Information may be available at www.wenonah.com.

Disclaimer: I have been using a demo graphite model since November, and was 
on the focus group at Wenonah last summer that designed the blades.

-Andy Knapp
Minneapolis
We just had the earliest ice-out dates in history- now no excuse to go 
paddling.
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