The people I paddle with are all talking about getting the latest 4- piece paddle: take-apart shaft with replaceable blades. I can understand the use of a take-apart for an on-deck spare or if you have a tiny little car and can't carry a 1-piece, but 4-piece??? The other big thing in paddles these days is an adjustable ferrule that lets you change the length or feather. What is the appeal of these things? Do people really swap out blades all the time? Are they really changing the length and feather? I can understand if you are a new paddler and don't know what you like, but are these features really useful for an experienced paddler? I personally make my own paddles, but have always felt that a 1-piece will be lighter and stronger as well as being immune to jamming and loosening. But it is almost impossible to find a 1-piece paddle intended for sea kayaks these days. Stores don't stock them and catalogs don't list them. They are typically a special order item. I did special order a wing paddle recently. I got a 1-piece with heavier glass blades. It was much cheaper than the full carbon take- apart and only barely heavier. One-piece paddles are still easily available for whitewater. My first impression is that manufacturers and dealers are just trying to save oversized shipping charges, or maybe it is a way to giving the appearance of higher value to support higher retail prices. The replaceable blade system is probably a good way to sell more blades as people lose or break one and have to buy two to replace it. Why are people buying these things and why can't you find a good 1- piece any more? Nick Schade Guillemot Kayaks 824 Thompson St Glastonbury, CT 06033 USA Ph/Fx: (860) 659-8847 http://www.guillemot-kayaks.com/ *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - Any opinions or suggestions expressed here are solely those of the writer(s). You must assume the entire responsibility for reliance upon them. All postings copyright the author. Submissions: PaddleWise_at_PaddleWise.net Subscriptions: PaddleWise-request_at_PaddleWise.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************Received on Thu May 19 2005 - 05:57:23 PDT
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