Hello everyone, I am helping a friend shop for touring paddles and I wanted to hear an opinion from you touring types regarding the ferrules of a touring paddle. Disclaimer: I sell paddling gear. My friend has done his homework and came to me looking for an Aquabound Tripper in carbonfiber, or a Cadence Phantom Gx. No problem, both in stock. However, when he pulled them off the shelf, and waved them around a bit, it became clear that the Aquabound(s) had play in the ferrule even though the paddle had just come off the truck the day before. I wiggled the ferrules of all the Aquabounds, and they all had some measure of room, some more than others, while the Cadence was as solid as a one piece. As a whitewater paddler, and owner of several "nice" one-piece paddles, I had not ever personally experienced this "freeplay" as all of my long touring trips involve nonslip crown joint ferrules. I've seen it in old paddles, but never paddled with it. so my question for you touring types: My friends question for me, that I need to find a good answer for, is does a small amount of play in the shaft bother you on longer trips? Or would my friend, a customer, be better served to buy the snugfitting Phantom - similar price. Note: I have sold dozens of Aquabounds and customers seem to love them, I know it's good stuff. But I have yet to paddle with the new Phantom, so I am selling on faith for the next week or so 'till I get it outside. I'd love to hear from you, - esp. the long-timers with two-pieces. Respectfully, Phil Huck thekayaker_at_yahoo.com huck_at_mhd1.moorhead.msus.edu thekayaker_at_yahoo.com huck_at_mhd1.moorhead.msus.edu "Chopped cabbage is not just a good idea, its the slaw." *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - All postings copyright the author and not to be reproduced outside PaddleWise without author's permission Submissions: paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net Subscriptions: paddlewise-request_at_lists.intelenet.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
At 08:51 PM 4/15/00 -0500, huck wrote: > so my question for you touring types: > My friends question for me, that I need to find a good answer for, is does a >small amount of play in the shaft bother you on longer trips? Judgement call, I guess. I have several breakdown paddles, all wood, with metal ferrules. All have a little play, but very little, and the worst of them is not very objectionable. I can't say if the worst of mine is better than the best of yours. -- Wes *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - All postings copyright the author and not to be reproduced outside PaddleWise without author's permission Submissions: paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net Subscriptions: paddlewise-request_at_lists.intelenet.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
The short answer is "no". I have two two-piece paddles. The one I actually used most, a Werner, has developed a bit of play over the years. It does not seem to make any difference to the actual paddling, but it is annoying. I have since switched exclusively to one-piece paddles. Less stuff to go wrong, won't sink, lighter and less expensive. The two-piece makes a dandy spare to put on the back deck. Otherwise I find them inferior for my purposes. There are several fancy two-piece paddles with length and feather adjustments. I consider them high-gimmickry. I'm not approaching this from an "expert" perspective, but as a klutz who has enough trouble adjusting to the differences in a few paddles for a few boats. When things get uncomfortable, the last thing I want to occupy my rapidly numbing brain with is, "lemme see, what did I set the length and feather at today?" My personal guide is: "equip and plan for stupid and clumsy" because that is what cold, wind, salt-water and fatigue do to me. Bob ----- Original Message ----- From: "huck" <huck_at_mhd1.moorhead.msus.edu> To: <paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net> Sent: Saturday, April 15, 2000 6:51 PM Subject: [Paddlewise] Retailer question/loose ferrules/Cadence > I wiggled the ferrules of all the Aquabounds, and they all had some measure > of room, some more than others, while the Cadence was as solid as a one piece. > > so my question for you touring types: > My friends question for me, that I need to find a good answer for, is does a > small amount of play in the shaft bother you on longer trips? *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - All postings copyright the author and not to be reproduced outside PaddleWise without author's permission Submissions: paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net Subscriptions: paddlewise-request_at_lists.intelenet.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
A little play is okay. I have actually lightly sanded down the male part of the two-piece connection on my paddles (all are fiberglass these days), and on my four piece paddle as well (i.e. three points of contact). My concern is having a paddle get stuck and not be able to be pulled apart. I have seen it happen all too often with other people's paddles even on just a day trip. Never with mine. I don't think it really affects performance. And none of my paddles, even 12 year old ones, have had any breakage or problem in the connection area. I mentioned this in PaddleWise earlier as advice I had actually got from a Werner rep I knew back then when I reported that mine and other paddlers paddles were getting stuck. I forget who jumped in on PaddleWise to say that this was unsafe advice and not what the company recommends. Could be true currently. It may have been something they said early on but may have found that people went overboard in sanding and screwed up their paddles. If one does this in a moderate fashion, it should be okay. ralph diaz -- ----------------------------------------------------------------------- Ralph Diaz . . . Folding Kayaker newsletter PO Box 0754, New York, NY 10024 Tel: 212-724-5069; E-mail: rdiaz_at_ix.netcom.com "Where's your sea kayak?"----"It's in the bag." ----------------------------------------------------------------------- *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - All postings copyright the author and not to be reproduced outside PaddleWise without author's permission Submissions: paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net Subscriptions: paddlewise-request_at_lists.intelenet.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
I had a very well used ten year old fiberglass paddle split on the female half of the ferrule, I believe as a result of excessive wobble created from the wear of constantly taking the paddle apart. Nowadays, though I still like the occasional benefits of having a two piece paddle (like being able to tuck it inside the boat, concealed by the cockpit cover when I'm away from my boat) I rarely disassemble my paddles. Scott So.Cal. *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - All postings copyright the author and not to be reproduced outside PaddleWise without author's permission Submissions: paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net Subscriptions: paddlewise-request_at_lists.intelenet.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
We have three different Aquabound paddles. Two are Expeditions with different lengths and the third is a Tripper. I have used all three paddles and have not noticed any wiggle when paddling. I just ran out to the garage and tried one of the paddles. It will move because of the takedown button is smaller then the hole on the other part of the paddle. But that is the only movement I can feel. I've never had any problems paddling. Now the Wifey really wanted a Lightning paddle but the local dealers don't carry them so we took Aquabound ones. She almost got one a couple years back when we were in Florida but the owner had closed the store and gone on vacation... Hope this helps... Dan *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - All postings copyright the author and not to be reproduced outside PaddleWise without author's permission Submissions: paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net Subscriptions: paddlewise-request_at_lists.intelenet.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
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