[Paddlewise] high/low paddles

The Werner website http://www.wernerpaddles.com/tourc.html has what they 
call high angle and low angle designs, for high and low strokes 
respectively.  Due to rotator cuff problems, I paddle exclusively with a 
very low angle, similar to the Greenland stroke, and unfeathered.  The high 
angle paddle blades are shorter and wider than the low angle blades. 
Presuming two paddles of the same area and overall length, why would the low 
angle blade be better than the high angle blade for the low stroke?  I see 
no reason for this whatever.  So is the high/low design distinction a 
reality, or a Werner marketing gimmick?

My normal paddle is a 231 cm AT bent shaft.  I have been experimenting with 
my old 218 cm Descente with a large, short, wide blade, but using the same 
very low stroke that I used for a year with a Greenland paddle, and now use 
with the AT.   The low stroke seems to work very will with the Descente, 
which, before shoulder issues, I used with a high angle.  In repeated 
moderately hard 3 nm time trials I averaged 4.3 kts with the Descente and 
4.2 kts with the AT, an insignificant difference and using low stroke all 
the time.

I am thinking of a 215 Werner Ikelos with bent shaft to replace my old 
Descente, since now I am a strong believer in the bent shaft concept.  I 
like to have quite different paddles to alternate between.  I did not enjoy 
paddling with the wood Greenland that I had (Superior) and my roll is much 
more solid with the AT than it was with the Greenland, despite much 
practice.

Jerry 
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