Accent Carbon Canoe Paddle

Anyone tried one of these?



http://store.springcreek.com/Accent-Carbon-Canoe-Paddle-p1716.html



It appears to resemble a spoon blade straight shaft more than a bent shaft.



I’m curious as to whether most paddlers would use this style of paddle kneeling or sitting.

Claw

– Last Updated: Dec-23-12 9:18 AM EST –

J Winters referred to that shape as a "claw" paddle. Similar shapes are used in slalom racing by kneeling paddlers.

One benefit of the shape is that the claw forces an aggressive catch. The "cupped powerface keeps load on the blade a little longer than a straight blade, but the claw creates upward force sooner in the stroke, so pushes the paddler towards short, forward isolated, forward strokes. This is also a good thing.

Another benefit is trailed, the curved blade enhances otherwise weak J strokes, making this a fine entry paddle for solo canoeists.

If the blade is injection molded, the swing weight will be too high to please, but, again, seems a nice entry paddle for solo canoe paddlers.

I’d Turn It Around
And use the opposite face as the power face for a smoother and more effective stroke.

More effective for what?

Can’t use such a short paddle for
kneeling.



But two of the 61.5" paddles I use most work the way CE Wilson describes. My Mitchell curved blade slalom paddle has a tiny bit of blade offset toward the non-power face, and my flats cruising paddle is a home built 5 degree bent shaft. I think 5 degrees is the probable optimum for bent shaft or the equivalent.



The paddle shown in the link would not work as a slalom paddle. It wouldn’t behave properly on compound strokes. Generally, the curved blades used by slalom paddlers are not truly spooned, but are almost flat across the face, with a tiny bit of dihedral.

Injection molded plastic blade
According to Pat Onno.



http://www.paddling.net/message/showThread.html?fid=advice&tid=1537351



I would use it kneeling. Of course, I use everything kneeling. But I think it’s more of a kneeling paddle than a sitting paddle.

Paddling of Course!

cupped power face paddles
I have not seen or used the Accent paddle.



Cupped or curved power faces are becoming pretty common on recreational whitewater canoe paddles. Some examples are the Aqua Bound Edge and the Werner Bandit, and at the higher end the ZRE Power Curve and the Mitchell Premier (although the premier can also be ordered with a flat blade). I own and have used a Bandit, AQ Edge, and a ZRE Power Curve and have borrowed a Mitchell Premier curved blade briefly.



Werner actually refers the the Bandit as a “spoon blade” paddle, but it would seem that a spoon blade would have concavity of the power face along both the longitudial and transverse axis. The Bandit and Power Curve have at least a little offset to the blade and perhaps minimal dihedral. None of them have what I would consider to be a spooned blade though.



Asymmetry is not a handicap since palm rolls are not (typically) done in whitewater. I do feel that the curved blade does allow a little cleaner entry at the plant and a subtly more solid catch than a straight blade does. I tend to notice the difference more on off side strokes. Other than the plant and catch I have not appreciated any other difference between these paddles and a flat blade.