Re: [Paddlewise] Bent-shaft kayak paddles -- pros, cons, andrecommendations

I'm on my second Lendal crank -- My old one is a 216 Nordkapp.  The new one
is a 210-216 Nordkapp crank with adjustable feather angle (same shaft as
Gabe's).  The thing I like most about the crank is the highly positive
indexing, and the Lendal shaft fits my hand nicely.  Secondarily, the
adjustable gave me the ability to experiment with feather angles.  I settled
on a 50 degree feather.

On the other hand, I've recently experienced several other paddles,
including a new straight Werner paddle (Quest blade, I think, but don't
quote me).  The indexing on the new Werner shaft is much improved, and is
every bit as good as that on the Lendal (for me).  While the crank lets you
know where your hand is relative to the length of the shaft as well as the
angle, I didn't find the lack of the bend much of a problem in that respect.
It  seems that the feel of the paddle moving against the water on each
stroke gives me that information.

Since I tend to open my hands when I paddle, the crank doesn't matter that
much in terms of wrist angle for me.

So the way I see it, it comes down to your preference for the overall feel
of the paddle.

Oh yes, one minor drawback to using a crank as a spare on the rear deck:
the crank will ride a little higher on your deck, and may be more likely to
snag a tow line.  Gotta be vigilant for that when towing.

   Bob V



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