I am located at the southern tip of Norway, and paddle a Seda Glider off the coast. Basically I use the boat for training, and I put in about 6 hours a week (high intensity) during the season (May - august). When the weather is ok, I use a wing paddle (Lendahl), and when the weather is rough I use a Nimbus wavewalker.
Last season I experienced severe problems with my wrists and used two months to recover. So, I am looking for a bentshaft paddle that treats me nicer. But, because of the speed and precision of the wing paddle, I would like a wing paddle with a bentshaft. I have not been able to find one over here, nobody I have talked to have even seen one (I guess there is a reson for that!). So , does anyone have an experience with bentshaft wing paddles. What kind of objections do you have? Any suggestions to which manufacturer that can help me?
Yours, Terje
never seen one
I use exclusively a wing (for several years) and have research wings pretty extensively. I don’t think there is such a thing as bentshaft wing. My guess is that the proper wing stroke doesn’t lend itself to whatever advantage the bentshaft is supposed to have for your wrists- in other words, you can’t do a proper wing stroke with a bentshaft, so why bother?
My guess is that you are applying power too far back in the stroke. I used to do that, and got horrific tendinitis. When I made a real effort to end my stroke right at the hip, it went away completely. Get your blade far out in front, plant, rotate, let the blade go where it wants to, and get it out quickly.
Hope your wrists heal.
Andrew
can’t comment on your technique
but Lendal sells wing paddles with modified crank shafts.
I like the Lendal Crank
I particularly like the Lendal crank shaft. I use one as it places my hand behind the centerline of the shaft, and makes it easier “for me” to paddle. I just really like the “feel” of it when I paddle.
But I believe I noted in the original post that he used a Lendal Crank, with their Wing Blades.
Is it possible that a “wing” paddle blade is easier on the wrist if used with a crank shaft, where the crank is on the centerline of the shaft, Like Werner’s crankshaft??
Perhaps you should try the Lendal Wing blades, with a straight shaft??
didn’t know about Lendal
But, that’s not really a paddle that serious racers/ wing paddlers use. I’m going to hold to my original thought- that the proper wing stroke doesn’t lend itself to a crankshaft paddle.
af