Paddle Choice

A kayak paddle is something that can become a lot more complicated than might first appear. Often a basic paddle will be included with the purchase of a new kayak and while these can get you straight onto the water and are adequate to propel you through the water in time you may find that you wish to progress further as you begin making further demands on yourself. It is vitally important to remember that the paddle is your primary method of propulsion and as such is the most important purchase after your kayak itself. A good paddle is a delight to use and becomes an instinctive extension of yourself, taking more of the strain of your voyage than a poor one. There are many aspects to paddle choice however and the following are some of the important ones.

Blade Material

Paddle blades are manufactured from many different materials. Those most likely to be encountered by recreational paddlers come under six main types.

Polypropylene

An injection-moulded plastic this is the material used for most budget blades. Strong, stiff and durable, it is also light for a plastic.

Short Fibre

Fibreglass-reinforced polypropolene, this is stiff and durable and has the benefit of being lighter than a standard polypropylene blade.

Nylon

Manufactured from a high-strength, damage-resistant fibreglass-reinforced nylon resin these blades are superior to both polypropylene and short fibre blade materials and are a good choice as an all-round, durable blade material.

Carbon Fibre

Made from carbon-reinforced nylon resin it is a lighter material than standard nylon while still being resistant to damage. As a blade material for heavy use and distance paddling it is perhaps the best compromise for kayak angling applications.

Fibreglass Composite

A composite material made from fibreglass and epoxy resin this is lightweight, strong and cheaper to produce than carbon-composite. Allowing a thin blade to be produced it benefits from inherent stiffness and is a good choice for a lightweight paddle on a budget.

Carbon Composite

The premium blade material, carbon composite blades are manufactured from layered carbon and fibreglass cloth impregnated with an epoxy resin which is released upon heating to bond the blade together. The end result is light, strong, stiff and thin. Designed for high-end performance they are the most desirable material for long distance paddling and should give many years of service.

Blade Style

Blade shape is an important choice for any paddler. Generally, kayak anglers are inclined to paddle to where the fish are likely to be and these distances can vary considerably. While fishing on inland rivers and lakes a high-performance paddle is unlikely to be a major issue, use in the sea where wind, current, waves and chop can at times make for interesting conditions where correct paddle choice can make all the difference.

Symmetric

Symmetric blades have the least application for kayak fishing. Commonly sold as cheap starter paddles they do, however, have an advantage where stand-up paddling is concerned. This is a technique common in the United States, especially in freshwater when navigating amongst shoals and marshy areas as fish can be located visually. Having a flat, symmetric blade with a straight shaft, much like a long canoe paddle, allows greater balance from this position as they reduce blade wobble. Symmetric blades can also be useful in rough water where their even distribution of power can be brought into play.

Asymmetric

Asymmetric blades are less tiring to use due to having an easier entry into the water and smoother exit with less water being caught. Due to the dynamics of the design the blade is more stable in the water and the equality of the pressure allows the entire paddle to feel more balanced thus reducing flutter. Surface area is reduced below the level of the shaft and length is increased above which evenly distributes water along the face. The ensuing softness of the catch (variable with individual blade shapes) ensures a smoother and less-tiring stroke and reduces strain on both the shaft and the body. Asymmetric blades come in both high and low-angled designs and both dictate and are dictated by your paddling technique.

Wing Blades

Wing paddles are the most advanced design of blade and in the right hands and with proper technique these high-performance paddles can propel kayaks for long distance with great efficiency. Winged paddles create lift with their smoother exit from the water and are designed to be used at a high rep rate to push racing kayaks to their highest speeds. While true racing wings are not designed for general touring semi-wing blades (a cross between a true wing and a touring blade in design) are becoming more popular for the benefits that they bring on longer distance paddling.

Blade Size and Shape

Blade size is an important consideration and one that is easy to get wrong. There are two main areas to look at – how and under what conditions you intend to paddle and what your physical build is. A large blade pushes a lot of water and while producing a great deal of power it is also more tiring over distance. For battling through surf and against strong currents it really comes into its own but unless you are strong enough and fit enough to continue at a steady pace long-term any advantage past the surf zone becomes less pronounced. A smaller blade on the other hand, while not moving as much water, requires less energy and generally allows a higher stroke rate over a greater period of time. Smaller blades, by requiring less effort to pull through the water, also reduce the likelihood of strain injuries on both wrist and torso. This choice of blade shape also to a large extent defines your paddle technique with the former more suited to high-angle strokes and the latter to a low-angle style. It is worth bearing in mind that the design of fishing kayaks and the equipment carried upon them leads to a heavier craft than that used for sea touring and thus a smaller, low-angled asymmetric touring blade with a softer catch is perhaps the best all-round choice.

The curvature of a blade is also important. The additional power available from a curved blade comes from the stabilising effect caused by the more efficient aerodynamics and minimal slipping experienced when allied to a ribbed cross section. This helps to reduce both twist and flutter by better controlling the flow of water during the movement of the blade through the water and results in less power being lost from the blade.

Shaft Material

Aluminium Alloy

A reasonably lightweight shaft material, aluminium tubing benefits from being cheap and easy to produce as well as resistant to corrosion but has the disadvantage of being the least damage-resistant of the various shaft materials due to the softness of the metal and its inability to flex and are thus more likely to bend under pressure. It is also cold to the touch when paddling in colder weather which can cause discomfort.

Fibreglass Composite

Strong, hard-wearing and light, Fibreglass shafts give good performance at reasonable cost. Available in different grades and thus weights they are a good, all-round compromise for all aspects of use being stiff, strong and reasonably light.

Carbon Fibre

The lowest weight and highest strength of touring paddle materials, carbon composite shafts have excellent stiffness and are available in different grades dependant on their application. Additionally the material does flex slightly which absorbs shock and reduces fatigue. When combined with blades of the same material the ultimate distance paddle is created and is a pleasure to use.

Shaft Type

Straight Shaft

The majority of paddles sold have a straight shaft as these are easier and cheaper to manufacture and can be used by anyone irrespective of reach and build. These shafts allow the user to vary the position of their grip in order to put extra power on a specific side allowing them to alter or correct course. Due to their simple design they are lighter than cranked shafts as the do not require as much reinforcement due to the lack of bends. Straight shafts have the disadvantage however of placing greater stress on the paddlers arms and wrists and this can lead to tensynovitis, a painful inflammation of the tendons in the wrist caused by repetitive movement often compounded through gripping the shaft tightly.

Cranked Shaft

Cranked shaft paddles are designed in such a way that a correctly-sized one will feel more comfortable in the hand than a straight shaft and, with a modified crank, will also perform better by allowing the shaft to act as a lever, correctly positioning the blade in the water for a more efficient stroke. Cranks stabilise the blade and minimise sideways wrist movement while allowing an almost automatic positioning if the blade as it is pulled through the water. It is both unnecessary and undesirable to grip tightly and these shafts show distinct advantages for long distance paddling through the reduced sideways bending at the wrist and the lighter grip. Heavier than straight shafts, cranks have additional reinforcement along all stress points. Of vital importance when choosing a cranked paddle is the positioning of the bends in relation to the natural position of the paddler’s hands. This ‘Distance Between Thumbs’ is every bit as important as the overall length of the shaft if you wish to be comfortable and get the maximum benefit and as such a compromise between the two is sometimes necessary.

Shaft Length

The traditional advice for choosing the correct length of paddle for a touring kayak was to raise your arm while standing up and curl the tips of your fingers over the end of the top blade in the centre – the length of the paddle being related to its length through the centre line of the shaft. A touring paddle benefits from being long as it allows a slower stroke rate which is more suitable for long periods of maintained cruising. Conversely a short paddle is more suitable when manoeuvring and a fast response or acceleration is required – for example in the surf zone. With a longer paddle a low-angle paddling style is generally adopted while a shorter shaft will force a higher angle. While a low-angle technique can be less tiring over extended periods it does restrict the choice of strokes available to the paddler and does not lend itself to instant adjustments. These considerations are only a part of the decision making process however – as the majority of kayak angling is done from sit-on-top kayaks an important adjustment must be allowed for. A sit-inside kayak places the paddler lower and is generally narrower in width. With a wider craft that entails a higher seating position an increase in shaft length is generally required to allow the paddler to obtain the most efficient propulsion from his chosen paddle.

Multi Piece

Another important decision when purchasing a paddle is how you would prefer to store and transport it. A single-piece paddle, while lighter and arguably stronger as well as being less prone to wear at the joints is generally two metres or more in length and thus more likely to get in the way on land which is why many kayakers prefer to go for multi-piece paddles. Single and two-piece paddles are readily available and the latter allows the user to break it down into a more manageable size. Further choices are available however with three and four-piece options available from some manufacturers. These allow the shaft to be either one or two-piece with removable blades. Apart from the space-saving advantage these allow two further benefits. Firstly, the possibility of being able to change blade shape or type for different situations without having to find the space for two complete paddles, or even from long to short, straight to crank shaft for other situations. An example might be using a larger blade to punch through the surf at launch and recovery before changing to a slimmer blade for distance touring once the conditions are more settled, or using the same blades on a shorter straight shaft and longer cranked shaft for the same purposes. Another advantage is that should your paddle be damaged each component part can be replaced individually without the whole paddle being ruined. Furthermore, some manufacturers produce an adjustable shaft connection that allows paddle length, feather and hand to be altered – by realigning the shaft to a left-handed configuration and swapping the blades to opposite ends a the paddle can be made suitable for a left-handed paddler. A multi-piece paddle can also be stowed away for use in an emergency situation such as a broken or lost paddle.

Another important consideration with a split paddle is that it allows the paddle to be altered. This can include a length adjustment either with additional extension pieces or through variable-length joints as well as the more common feather adjustment – the angle at which your blades are to each other.

Feather

The most basic style of paddle is unfeathered, where both blades lay at the same angle. Aside from older paddles, these are usually to be found at the bottom end of the market or on children’s paddles as they are the easiest to use in the initial stages and place less stress on the wrists. There are circumstances when you may find an unfeathered paddle to be of benefit, such as in surf, but generally people choose a feathered paddle for the increase in performance it offers and the reduced resistance when paddling into a headwind. To benefit the most from this a ninety degree feather is required – however this places a large amount of stress on the tendons due to the increased wrist action needed to operate it effectively and consequently most paddles are feathered at lower angles than this, typically forty-five or sixty degrees. With two and four-piece paddles there is usually a selection of feather angles which can be set either by the locating of a button into a preset hole or by rotating one half of a grooved shaft around the spigot until the desired angle is reached with some manufacturers producing a joint that can allow a full 180 degrees of rotation, ninety degrees each for left or right-handed configurations. While on the subject, don’t forget to make the distinction between left and right-handed paddles and remember that the oval side of the shaft should be in your stronger hand with the short side of an asymmetric blade on the bottom.

I'll get my anorak.