…“explain”…? …I was just poking
a little humor at the fact that one can learn by experimentation, in addition to reading…that’s all.
DaVinci was quite successful in many things he tried, but of those some things/procedures I bet he didn’t “get” from someone touting their ideas as the ultimate in instruction. He got out and tried… As hinted to with much PC by many, too many people try to pick other’s brains where what will do them well is just to put in some time on the water. That’s all I I thought I was saying…
Thanks!
Nothing better than spending quality time in the water -
to bend or not to bend
that is the question.
on the con side, they are more expensive to make and weigh more than equivalent straight shafts…also, sometimes the bends don’t conform well to your particular hand/arm spread. That’s very individual and a good reason to demo a bent shaft, extensively if possible, before purchase.
Some feel they hinder smooth indexing along the shaft, others find the bends a plus in determining location.
on the pro side, if it feels good, do it!
a very honest rep for Werner Paddles once told a group at a paddle selection session that if someone did not need a bent shaft for ergonomic reasons or to mitigate repetion-driven injuries or surgical recovery issues to the wrist or elbow, then there was no real reason, in his opinion, to go w. a bent shaft.
I do not think those who prefer a bent shaft are necessarily using it to compensate for poor technique.
I do think many paddlers are using less than optimal technique and tend to attribute any problems w. pain and/or their boat’s directional control to the paddle.
There is no magic per se in any paddle, they are all tools, and if a tool is used properly it’s likely to yield good results.
Not saying this applies to the OP 
You may just want to try one for variety… of course you could try a Greenland stick, or a Euro low angle paddle, or a wing paddle, for the same reason.
sneaky bent shaft bonus
I’ve got both arthritis and tendinitis and have used the identical model paddle in straight and bent shaft on my sea kayak.
I’ve also tried both straight and bent in my whitewater boat, but not the same model.
I do feel a difference with successive days using the bent shaft paddle just being more comfortable at the conclusion of those days.
Maybe its voodoo, who knows.
But what I do know is with the Shuna and the Sherpa there is a subtle ovalisation of the shaft where hands go that makes it real easy to figure out how the blade is angled when I’m rolling.
I discovered this when Steve Cramer taught me to roll last summer and would do things like have me fall over, toss the paddle in the water, have me recover the paddle and roll up.
If its cheating, I don’t care!
You will either like it or you won’t
I have no regard for the “need” of an ergonomic bent shaft, but I like them. Lendal for sea and AT for whitewater. The AT2 is a work of art, a beatiful and lovely feeling paddle. To me it is all about ergonomics for me, not as an antidote to health issues of the wrists or elbows. The blade size and shape has way more to say about that. Something not mentioned here is the fact that I like the AT’s grip/indexing way better than anybody elses, by far. With the AT, you know where the blade direction goes. There is no kinda sorta feel in a roll, the AT is hand filling and shaped to give you confidence to where the blade is. I have no connections with AT, just a happy consumer with 175 days on his AT, there and abouts. BTW, the BS about “I like to run my hands all up and down the shaft” argument is bogus. There is nothing a about one of these that precludes that.
Dogmaticus
crooked…
Recently a rep was giving me her sales speech regarding the benefits of a crank shaft. The main reason, according to her, is that you can grip the paddle tightly and your wrists/elbows remain in alignment. She then demonstrated that when you grip a straight-shaft tightly that you wrists and elbows splay outwards (due to your knuckles being angled relative to the paddle shaft). The effect is easy to demonstrate, but when I suggested that all of this was easily avoided by simply gripping the paddle with a light, delicate touch, and mainly with your thumb and forefinger, that she just shrugged.
I realize that there is more to a crank shaft than just this factor, but I find it interesting that this is what the paddle manufacturer was disseminating.
Among my peers who teach, the crank shaft is considered either a godsend or a “solution in search of a problem”. Leon Somme swears by his bent shaft. I’m a minimalist and prefer a straight shaft (GP for touring, wing for racing).
Racers were mentioned on this thread. Epic has an interesting discourse on this at http://www.epickayaks.com/news/news/epic–paddles–why-dont-we-offer-a-bent-shaft-option . Here’s an excerpt:
Crank shafts flopped in sprint racing (as well as marathon and open water racing) for the following reasons:
- There is no gain in forward speed using crank shafts. While it may put the wrist in a slightly easier gripping position at the start of the stroke, experienced paddlers can accomplish the same reach with a relaxed grip on a straight shaft. Top racers rarely have wrist problems with straight shafts.
- The shape of a crank shaft makes them inherently weaker. Therefore a heavier shaft is needed to achieve the same strength.
- If you paddle with a feathered paddle (as all top sprint racers do), a crank shaft makes the stroke asymmetrical. While the pushing (top hand) position of the control hand is in a favorable position, the pushing position of the off-control hand must turn in the opposite direction - resulting in a more awkward push on the off control side.
- Crank shafts do not allow the paddler to adjust the spacing between the hands - they must hold the paddle only in one place.
"Crank shafts have continued to remain popular with Whitewater enthusiasts for the following reasons:
- They allow more control over the inclination of the paddle blade - making turning strokes easier.
- They give more indication of the blade orientation - making it easier to position the paddle properly in heavy whitewater, when upside down, etc.".
I find Epics’ remarks about orientation of a crank to be interesting. That’s one of the strengths of a GP that is rarely mentioned. Since you hold the actual roots of the blades in your hands, there’s never any doubt about how the blades are oriented.
Ultimately, you simply use what works best for YOU … GP, wing, spoon, bent, single blade, etc, there are a lot of great options.
Greg Stamer
http://gregstamer.com
Sounds like the difference
some say exists bewteen Unleaded plus and Unleaded super. Eg. Some will say they perform much better on the super over the plus and others say that’s hogwash. I belong to the former group, and I use a bent shaft on flat lake trips without any predisposing injuries.
Perhaps not the best analogy, but…
…I’ll play…
If I were to rate the Euro style paddles in terms of “octane”, I’d go with the following (while acknowledging that not all paddles in each category are created equal; nor are boats, paddlers, and water/wind conditions):
87: bent shaft
89: straight shaft
92: wing
And then, in a class of its own, my personal favorite: GP 
Melissa
I’m a little confused now, between
the arguments about
- a “bent shaft” where the bend is at the blade, and setting the blade angle back somewhat. Typical bent shaft paddle type.
- a “crank” or “ergo” bend where the bend is at the hand hold to ease the angle on the wrist.
I think the original question was about # 1, but we have opinions on # 1 and # 2, and I got lost about which the opinions were about. Guess I’m just confused…
What ???
– Last Updated: Jul-15-10 11:31 AM EST –
Moved for those confused to above.
Paddles…not just shafts or blades.
I admit; my post was a sloppy–and tongue in cheek–continuation of an already bad analogy put forth by “culprit71”. And then, to add your own twist to the confusion, I see that you’ve addressed a question to me, though posted it “in reply” to mickjetblue’s “I’m a little confused…” post.
I hope everyone is sufficiently confused now.
We now return control of your computer monitor to you. Until the next time someone becomes confused.
Melissa
If you already have a good straight
shaft paddle, get a bent for your second.
The bent shaft is great for going fast and far (paddled “sit and switch” style).
When more manuevering or finesse is needed, use the straight shaft.
Are you trying to confuse us even more?
– Last Updated: Jul-15-10 12:57 AM EST –
Now we're discussing half paddles? (you know...those funny single bladed things used by those who paddle half boats--those funny boats with no decks? ;)).
Melissa
oops
Yep, that and OC-1 to me is a totally
different animal having an ama and iako. : )
except the GP
…is probably more analogous to a completely different energy source. Ethanol?
my wife prefers bent
I have straight
in a word
don’t fix it if it’s not broken
I tried bent.I prefer straight.
Moved for those that are confused
Watersprite I’m confused here with the octane. Straight and Bent are shafts. Wing is a blade such as a Nordkapp, Kinetic or Kinetic S (Lendals) that fit on the ends of the shafts.
OR am I reading this wrong ?
http://www.lendal.com/touring/