Re: [Paddlewise] Paddle blade size

From: Matt Broze <mkayaks_at_oz.net>
Date: Fri, 19 Jul 2002 18:41:46 -0700
Paul Grant paragrant_at_webtv.net wrote:
<SNIP>>>>>>>  I paddled 1 mile course using two different paddles, a Lindyl
(sp?) that
is 218cm. long
with a 44cm x 20.5cm blade and a Whetstone that is 220 cm with a 44x17
blade.
              Lindyl                            Whetstone

cadence  70 spm                           80 spm
avg sp       4.6 mph                          5.3 mph
max sp      5.9                                  6.1<<<<<<<<<<<<

I think the reason for the difference in speed is pretty clear 7/8=.875,
4.6/5.3=.868. It looks like each stroke was moving the kayak just about the
same distance (which would be expected for paddles of about the same length.
For some reason you took more strokes with the Whetstone though. Was it
lighter or had lighter weight blades even if the same weight? Possibly with
the shorter blade you were not having to bury it as deep (takes time) to
completely submerge the blade or possibly you were using some energy to push
the throat area of the longer blade forward in the water due to the pivot
point being below the surface and that slowed the stroke rate. Does anyone
have any other ideas of why the stroke rate might have been higher with the
Whetstone paddle than the Lendahl.
Matt Broze
http://www.marinerkayaks.com


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Received on Fri Jul 19 2002 - 18:40:44 PDT

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