Discussion About Paddle Types

Tuesday, July 24, 2007 / Posted by Rambo /

Ashley raised this interesting topic in an email and i thought it would be good info to share, so here it is.

Hello Rambo, I enjoy your blog and check it every daily for new postings. I saw in one of your postings where you came in .5 seconds from gold and it made me wonder what paddle you are using and whether you have ever tried a ZRE. I have paddled with Kialoa (wood, hybrid, and graphite), Gillespe, etc. In my opinion the ZRE is so far superior that there is no comparison. In my experience the only people who don’t like it are the ones with closed minds and those that have never used it. I can’t help but believe that a ZRE would easily give you more than .5 seconds. Also because the shaft is stiff and the Power Surge face grips the water so well that in my opinion it takes less effort to get that explosive power needed to catch a wave. Also the light weight (mine is 10 oz.) makes it easier to get a high stroke rate. I find that a heavy wood blade uses so much energy on the recovery phase of my stroke that my power phase is reduced. Anyway, have you ever used a ZRE Power Surge blade? What are your impressions? Looking forward to your reply. Ashley

And my Reply

Hi Ashley, glad you enjoy the blog as much as I enjoy sharing the info and my experiences. I currently paddle Oc1 with a 50inch Kialoa Axel series 2 and I’m working my way up to a longer shaft length, as I believe you should paddle OC1 with the longest paddle possible without causing injuries. I do like the feel of a blade heavy paddle in the conditions I mainly paddle in (windy and downwind). It allows me to feel where to place the blade accurately at the point of entry without having to sight it all the time.

I have tried the ZRE PowerSurge with the flexible carbon shaft and hope to use it in an OC2 for the 404km Red Cross Murray River Marathon Race at Xmas. I think you will agree a flexible shaft ultra lite weight paddle will be ideal in still conditions over that distance, and much better for the old body.

I’m not convinced changing paddle types will make you faster in sprint races, as any correctly planted suitable paddle should anchor you to the water and allow you to pull the canoe past it with no or very little slippage. (see attached time lapsed photo)

Changing blade sizes during a long (3 hour+) race is something different altogether.

Checkout this trial Al Ching did with his son Danny Ching during a race.

Interestingly we conducted several tests over the course of a one-man season. Four tests were done with Danny Ching using a different size blade in successive races. The average test was an hour to hour and a half. The results were mixed, since we could not switch paddles in the middle of the race and each was not the same distance.

However, in a five hour Catalina relay race Danny and his partner Dan Barbosa both started with a 9 ¼” blade and averaged a little more than 8.5 knots for an hour. After one hour the average speed began to drop by a half knot, accompanied by the onset of shoulder pain. Switching to a smaller 9” blade, both paddler’s speed went up by more than a half-knot for the next hour, but slowly began to drop. At three and a half hours, they switched to 8 ¾” and both paddler’s speed went up by almost a half knot. At four hours fatigue took over and they could not change speed.

Using three sizes, 9 ¼, 9 and 8 ¾, we found that with the larger blades, two things happened. First the acceleration was good only for about an hour, then the speed slowly dropped. Switching to slightly smaller blades the speed went up, also only for an hour. After four hours, switching sizes didn’t matter.

What we did not test were the effects stroke rate as compared to size of blade. We suspect blade sizes are like shoes, which will tend to regulate your rate to where you can handle it. Some teams are extremely strong with great endurance and can use larger blades. Big blades pull more water, but I always suspect who is doing the pulling? If you plant your blade cleanly, start up front, without cavitating and maintain race pace through out, you should do the best you can for your condition and your strength.

End Document

Very interesting isn’t it.
You might also be interested in these paddles (see attached photos) by Michel Levasseur … Levas Paddles. I believe they are 9 inch wide and 7 – 8 OZ.


It’s good to experiment with different paddles, as it is with canoes, it broadens your knowledge and feel for what is available. But eventually you should settle on what you like and what works for you, swapping and changing too much will not allow you to adapt to the paddle.
Cheers Rambo

For a very detailed analysis of long vs short go here
http://rambos-locker.blogspot.com/2006/07/long-or-short-you-decide.html

Anyone else have thoughts on this?? Click Comments below.

Labels:

8 comments:

Comment by Mindy on July 24, 2007

Interesting! Glad to see you posting again. Did you get any footage from Hamo?

Comment by Rambo on July 24, 2007

Yeah, but nothing super-duper Mindy. I'll put something together for you.
Cheers Rambo

Anonymous on July 24, 2007

Hi Rambo,

here on Hawaii the some of the experts that are still paddling age 55 plus recommend a smaller blade and the shortest possible/convenient shaft length.

I downsized from 10'', over 9.5'' to 9.25'' and have seen overall reduced race times.
See Lance Armstrong in biking, he used a very high cadence; doesn't make sense, but he won all the time.

I am 6'5'' and like to paddle 51'' in the OC1. It keeps my top hand lower- at least 80 % of my stroke comes from my leg/lumbar and bottom hand anyway.

A shorter paddle allows you to react quicker to wave/swells, don't you think ?

The smaller blade width makes it much easier on your body and overall endurance performance benefits from that, too.

There you are: Hawaii senior experts, short shaft, small blade.

What do you think ?

Eckhart

Comment by Rambo on July 24, 2007

Thanks for your comments Eckhart, yes there are different schools of thought on overall paddle length just like there is on whether to put your best paddler in seat 1 or seat 5 and i guess it's really up to the individual to experiment and find what works for them. Those were some pretty big blade widths you were using for Oc1 (10,91/2 and 91/4). A lot of very tall paddlers 198cm (6'5")or more accurately, paddlers with a large "wing span" of 82 inches or 208.5cm (arms out to the side fingertip to fingertip)use a 49 or 50 inch paddle here in Australia. The thinking is that the extra long gearing created by their large wingspan enables them to grip the paddle closer to the blade (bottom hand)and gain an advantage, this is obviously what you have found at your height.

I moved down from a 51 to a 50 and feel I'm missing some leverage(I'm 5'9"), so I'm going back up.

I do like the 50 inch in downwind conditions as you said, for quick cadence when needed, it really is i think about finding what you are comfortable with that doesn't give bio-mechanical problems.

At a Coaching clinic on the weekend while analyzing paddlers technique, some paddlers look like they are using a short paddle and others like they have a paddle too long for them, yet when you ask them the paddle size they mostly all had 51's. So technique/style (they are different things) i think has a lot to do with it.

Eckhart, Hawaiian Senior paddlers did not always promote short skinny paddles, it wasn't until the Tahitians and Mid-West USA Marathon paddlers came to do the Molokai Hoe that they started to look at smaller paddles and in fact paddles with a "T" top, so different was the Hawaiian Style of Paddling back then. The first Australians to paddle Molokai also had a big influence on the evolution of the modern paddle stroke.

What I'm saying i guess, is that we all can learn something from each other no matter what part of the world we live in.

I respect and admire the elder Hawaiians very much as i do the Tahitians, heck i just got Nappy to sign my race shirt at Hammo this year cos i forgot at Molokai - Maui last year,(love the man)and pumped Walter Guild and Todd Bradley for info big time in 1995 when they paddled in my crew at Hammo. (1st Masters /4th overall)

Enough bragging hahaa .. Love discussing these things with you Eckhart, please comment some more when a topic interest you.

Cheers Rambo

Comment by Rambo on July 24, 2007

Oh and one more thing Eckhart, Lance Armstrong had an incredible high V02 Max, so efficient in fact he did not need drugs to gain an advantage like a lot of the others did. Read all his books .. inspirational athlete.

Cheers Rambo

Anonymous on July 25, 2007

Rambo,

that's reason enough to brag, don't be shy :).

I agree with the way you argue. I was surprised by the recommendation myself.
However, I tried their advice and found it to be true.
I actually was doing flat water workouts with a couple on friends, they on an OC 2.
I was never able to outpaddle them with the larger blades, well with the shorter and smaller ones.

For paddlers in their 50ies, the smaller/shorter version may be better for the shoulder strain ?

As I try to avoid using my top hand, I do not have too much shoulder pains; I also try to keep both hands in front of my shoulder plane at all times.

I am using stiff shaft carbon - blackbard; and keep my bottom hand half open, that is, not as a tight fist; also trying to start my stroke with the foot. - most of my technique comes from kayak literature actually. No problems so far.
How convinced are you about flex shaft ?

Eckhart

Anonymous on July 25, 2007

Add on:

next we need to discuss blade size and shape; in your referenced article the author says take the smallest blade that you can get away with.

In our club many people use the Lanikai long distance paddle from Kialoa in OC1 and OC6 all year round; and they are fast.
By mere physical principle the largest blade is the most effective.

What's the correct answer ?

Eckhart

Anonymous on August 04, 2007

What size (Blade width and Shaft length) were you going to use on the 404 km Murray Marathon Rambo. I would be interested to know as I will be sitting behind you! Can borrow one off Bondy or lend you one of mine if you need it.

Post a Comment