Advice- best paddle for distance kayaking

Thanks for the explanation. What I was (am?) thinking of was an Aleutian. My current kayak is 23.5 inches wide, however, I may be replacing it with another day tourer that’s about an inch wider.

The looms on my two 84" Greenland paddles are 18" and 20", though since both are ushouldered, the loom is not as critical as it would be on a shouldered model. My narrowest kayak is 20" but others with which I use the GP’s are 21.5", 23" and 26".

The Aleutian… try to do a side by side trial of the Aleutian paddle and the Greenland paddle. I did and came away shaking my head. The only thing I could come up with is that the Aleutian is designed so that it doubles as a club to stun or kill prey. Just one man’s opinion.

I am a canoeist, but germane to this discussion, I do a great deal of very long trips, 200 to 1200 miles, one, two, three months at a time. The best paddle for long distance for me, will be light, flexible, with as smooth an entry and exit from the water as possible. All three features need to be addressed. Light, I am going to pick up and slip into the water a paddle between a half million and 2 million times. Those are true numbers, yours will be similar, how many times do you want to pick up an extra ounce? Flexible, a too stiff paddle makes wonderful swirlies on the water, but what I want is a paddle that stays where I put it. Flexibility tends to leave the paddle where planted and increases the total time of the stroke. My favourite bends on every stroke and the stroke finishes a half second after I do, it becomes a free, zero pressure J-stroke. Smooth entry, if the entry edge of the paddle, splashes each and every time I slip it in, a tiny ‘bloop’ and an equally tiny ejected droplet of water, it will drive you nuts ! Remember, a million strokes. The best paddle is the one your hands like.

Interestingly carbon is often too thick, stiff, though for the much longer shaft in white water it may be the best solution. (Air strokes are dangerous, a canoe must always be in stroke and brace in white water, always.) Summer of 2016 I used a total of 5 paddles, normally 3 or 4 in the boat. My favourite, was a very flexible, recurve at max about like an English longbow, 7 or 8 degrees?, wood, inexpensive, Bending Branches Arrow. The long carbon paddle was a Werner 170cm, but the carbon shaft snapped and was not terribly flexible. Well, yes, it was flexible, I could hear the scritches in the stick (fibers failing) leading up to its demise in Cataract Canyon. The absolute bullet proof paddle was the BB Expedition paddle, stiff, and a tiny ‘bloop’ on every insertion. Looks as good as the day I got it, bullet proof.

Oh, by the way, someone mentioned 40 mile days, Yes, I have done back to back 40 mile days, but A. you can do the math, you will need 12 liters of liquid and 10,000 calories, and you will want to go back and do it all again because you did not have time to look at anything, or take even a single picture. That begs the question, why? 12 to 20 miles per day, with every , say, 5th day off. Smell the roses. That IS why you are there. If your planned route and time, lots of looking, side hikes, photos, quiet and enjoyed sunrise or sunset, and you get to the last couple of days and go, “Oh s**t I’ve still got 60 miles to meet the truck !”, You did it perfectly.

Sailor, are you related to Verlen Kruger.

Maybe a flexible paddle shaft works well on a canoe, but you sure don’t want a bendy shaft if you’re doing serious paddling in a sea kayak. There will be times when you will want to take a huge pull on the water and flex just doesn’t get it. All of that and a paddle that bends, feels like it might break any time. But there’s always those who prefer the flex.

I’ll add my 2 cents here. Ive been paddling sea kayaks for about 40 years. I’ve transition through paddles as well as kayaks over the years. Paddles are a very personal thing so even with all this advice just try different tools until one resonates with your style. I have been using an epic mid-wing for long distance touring. I think with the proper stroke they are about 5%faster than a standard euro spoon blade. I have just recently switched to a carbon Greenland paddle and have been amazed? I hate to admit it but I am now a GP believer. I now own 2 GP and that is all I tour with. We do big mile trips along the west side of Vancouver Island or up the BC coast every summer. The crew I paddle with like to power-out the miles so I am used to 30nm days. The Greenland Paddle seems to be as fast as most euro blade paddles and not as fatiguing. The wing might be faster but as I get worn out at the end of the day, my wing stroke gets unreliable and the paddle is less efficient. With the GP i feel I can maintain long hours and not get too sloppy in my stroke. I tour with a Derek Hutchinson Andromeda which is 20" wide so shorter paddle lengths are best.

Before trying to determine whether wing, gp, or euro is better for distance, one should first determine what dimensions of one’s current paddle are best for distance.
For a GP, for example, overall length, blade width, and especially loom length can make a huge difference in long distance efficiency. Only trial and error can determine this.