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Lets Talk Paddle Shaft Length

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Oct 26, 2017
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Western Massachusetts
Firstly i am paddling a Kee 15 Solo, am a smaller stature guy at only stocky 5'3". My 2 go to paddles are a 48 Java II Bent (soon to be a black pearl) and a 52 Sunburst Straight. I paddle probably 50/50 between Sit and Kneel based on conditions and if i am in a "get there" mode or just out enjoying the day. I am beginning to thing my straight is actually a bit long for the way i paddle and the cadence i am comfortable with. The Sunburst Straight is a shorter /wider blade and when i am in my boat sitting with the blade submerged the grip falls smack in the middle of my forehead. It also just seems slow cadence wise (for me), and the blade seems to far aft when i finish at my hip. It also feels unwieldy to do a cross stroke and i'm banging things there! So i am considering shortening it.

My bent feels right! . I can cruise along at a good 4+, gives me the shorter quicker cadence i and my body like,and the switch feels right (quick and crisp) so i'm happy with that paddle.

What verdict might i get from the jury here? Am i on the right track with my on the water evaluation and the Grip as high as it is? Depending on how far the grip projects into the carbon tube i am thinking try 2" shorter and tape the handle after i shorten it and test it out. If i feel i need shorter yet, go 3" which brings me to nose height with the blade submerged.

Keep the Round side down!

Ken
 
It's personal preference, but I like my straight shaft paddles to have the top of the grip at shoulder level so my off arm is level. Don't use bents,so no comment there.
Turtle
 
For canoe racing I have bent carbon paddles in 1 inch increments from 49-54 inches. a single inch really does make a difference when you are race paddling nonstop for many hours a day (20+ hours on the Yukon). Which paddle I choose to use depends greatly on which canoe I am in, seat height, gunwale height and whether if seated solo, bow, stern, or somewhere else (in a C4 or voyageur).
The Caleb Davis method works pretty well for straight paddles. Holding the paddle with both hands by the grip and throat just above your head, your elbows should both be at equal 90 degree angles.

Whichever paddle i use, when underway, I am most comfortable when my grip hand just after the catch and in the power phase is at the height and position to hit me in the nose if I were to hold the stroke straight back instead of rotating at my torso.
 
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The Bending Branches Sunburst is the worst paddle I have ever attempted to own. Took it back the same day.. Way too long a shaft for its overall paddle length.. BB is one of those mass market paddle makers where you have to do some math. I tried a 56 inch and the grip was at my forehead. I measured it and that thing had a 36 inch length shaft. I know I take a 33. a 33 fits me with grip to nose.
Going any shorter though than a 33 inch length I would give up immersing the blade fully for cross strokes. I am 5'5"

Yes take a saw to the thing.. You might do a couple of onwater measurements first.
1) put the blade in the water and hold it with the grip at your nose. Place a piece of duct tape where the shaft is at the waterline.. Most likely it is sunk two inches too low or more
2) do a cross stroke and note where the water hits the shaft or if it hits the blade. It should hit exactly at the intersection of shaft and blade.

This gives you a bit of an idea of how far to trim.. It is not easy to put the length back if you over saw.
 
the way Caleb sizes is way too long for me. I never get above my nose. Perhaps that is why my Tremelos are all too long by a couple of inches. That sizing is based on some assumptions outlined in the article that may or may not pertain to you.

Canoe people never agree. Yet can remain friends. Had a blast staying with Caleb and his wife last winter. In Florida. Paddling with.. ooh.. double blades!
 
Caleb's method is great for paddling standard to large size canoes and is what I use for them, maybe more so in the stern position where slightly longer may be better for directional control, especially for racers. However, I asked Caleb make a paddle with a 2.5 inch shorter shaft than his standard so that it better fit for paddling single blade in my RapidFire (the only preferred way for me to paddle the RF.I am 6' tall and of normal build)

Look around and you will see all kinds of odd ways to measure a "correct" paddle length on dry land. The best method always is what works best for you while on the water, but you can't always tell unless and until you have a few hours and miles logged with it.
 
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The wife and I use 49 and 50 inch bent shaft paddles in our solo canoes paddled seated, and 51 and 51 3/4 inch bent shaft paddles in our tandem, also seated.

I guess there is no correct answer to this question. Appears you
 
With the paddles I've made over the years, shortening the shaft length by three inches shorter than recommended seemed to be a change for the better. So now it isn't grip to nose, instead grip to chin... with a straight shaft ottertail. This was based on Bill Mason commenting that he found shorter shaft lengths to be more efficient.

I've made some pretty bad paddles, evolution takes time, school of hard knocks, if you don't make mistakes you won't learn, etc, etc and on and on and on... oh yeah almost forgot... size matters.
 
Well Ken I do think you are on the right track. I've never shortened a Bending Branches carbon shaft paddle so it may be worth calling BB to discuss. Maybe the glue releases with heat like a Zav. If you can I suggest you take no more than an inch off before you try it again...you might even start with half an inch. You will feel half an inch. The cutting part is easy and you can use tape to hold the handle in place until you find your ideal length.

I'm a bit over six feet tall and I love straight paddles with stubby blades since you can use them like bent shafts or like straight shaft paddles. I have the older Sunburst XL in 56 and it's a perfect fit. I'm borrowing a friend's new Sunburst and it feels way too long at 56. My ideal paddle shaft length is around 34-35 inches and he Sunburst is 38! Makes me wonder if a 54 would fit...or maybe your 52! At same time I have found that anything below 56 inches feels short to me, so my 56 inch Zav straight shaft has a shaft length over 36 inches but feels perfect to me.

In in my case my older Sunburst XL is also significantly lighter than my friend's new one even though the new one has a very small blade...so it also feels "blade heavy" to me which I do not like. Perhaps yours also has a balance problem. When you shorten it you could also consider adding a few pennies to the grip area to move the balance point away from the blade and towards the grip...this is also something you can play around with by taping a little weight near the grip and seeing if it feels better to you.
 
Thank you everyone for your input and comments!

I spoke with BB last week and decided to use Fri-Sun as my test days. The grip came off without too much hassle and i experimented with 2" off at first. I knew i wanted at least that much off. In the end i did end up with taking 3 off ( 31/32 ish shaft now) and it has made a huge difference! Everything feels and works so much better, and i don't feel so over leveraged with all the extra length. My local paddles are an out and back. Out with current, and back against it. I used the Straight blade the whole paddle (5 miles) and felt so much better against what was a decent current on the trip back.

As i understand, some of the carbon paddles are available with a long shaft and the grip unglued . Thinking i'l go that route when i decide to hop up to a full carbon. In the meantime i'll work on the motor so to speak and refine the technique now that things feel right.

Thanks again for the input.
 
Awesome! Congrats on the successful modification and congrats on getting a much better paddle out of it.

In many ways your paddle is better than most full carbon paddles. It has a symmetric grip which is nice. Just FYI that grip is on the small side so perhaps perfect for you. You also have a protective edge on it so you can use it anywhere and even abuse it without worrying. It is also replaceable. My Sunburst XL gets plenty of use even though I also have full carbon paddles (but when I use it I also have a straight shaft Zav back-up).

If you decide to go for a Zav in the future I recommend the "medium" lay-up. Even though I've found the light and ultra light lay-ups to be amazingly sturdy they are arguably too light to use on windy days...in a 56 inch straight shaft the medium lay-up comes in around 10 ounces which is plenty light for me. You also have to decide on the blade width and I recommend 8 1/4 inches (or 8.5 for a bent shaft but no more).
 
I am five feet eleven inches but have a short torso. I found a way to measure your paddle based on torso length. See if you can google paddle length recommendations and see if you can find information on measuring paddle length based on torso. My torso is 29 inches and the paddle for me in rivers with shallower water is a 56 inch Bending Branches Expedition straight shaft. I prefer a beavertail paddle in deep lakes like the Quetico and that paddle is longer but the shaft is the same, Shaft length is very important. The bent shaft paddle for me is 52 inches. I know that you can paddle faster with a bent shaft paddle but I prefer a straight shaft.
 
Thank's for all the input and experiences.

Firstly i apologize as i thought i posted an update, but it's possible i started and got distracted LOL! Anyway..

I was able to get the handle off with a heat gun, muscle, and time. I took an inch off at a time and paddled the same route for a day at each length. In the end i took 3 inches and am VERY happy with the results. My paddle cadence "feels" right and comfortable, very little gunnel banging, still good control and cross strokes, and my average speeds were higher with less fatigue. Not that speed was a goal, but it is nice to see an increase in efficiency.

Back in my Kayak days i was weaned in the BCU school as far as my Paddling training. To this day i can remember those words in a very Welsh accent from the coaches. "Don't paddle harder, paddle faster!" One or 2 blades, i think there is a lot of carry over.

All in all a good learning experience, and again i appreciate the input from all of you.

Happy Paddling,

Ken
 
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