Hi! I have only been kayaking for a few months and really enjoy it! My husband wants to start going with me, but he had a terrible shoulder dislocation about a year and a half ago that resulted in severe tearing of the muscles and ligaments and broken bones in the joint. He had surgery and a lot of therapy, but has limited use of the shoulder and cannot raise his arm completely. He will be using a 12 foot Pelican Strike sit on top that we have added stabilizers to and a seat like you see on the fishing kayaks. The seat sits a little higher than on a fishing kayak, he wants to sit higher so it is easier for him to get in and out. He also has knee problems. What will be the best kind of paddle for him to use so as not to put a lot of stress on the shoulder? Would a curved shaft be better for him than a straight shaft? How about legnth? He is 5’5".
Hobbies or the Ocean Kayak peddle boats.
A Swift Wind paddle or Greenland style.
He needs to get local help for paddle length.
I am a 2x surgical w/ 1.5 years of PT shoulder patient. That’s the left shoulder. The right shoulder has it’s issues too, a direct result of making up the slack for the surgical shoulder. My right hip has had surgery 2x. As they say, “I’ve got issues.” It doesn’t stop me though. 
You might want to re-think that wide boat. The boat you’re thinking of will be heavy (55 pounds is HEAVY). It’ll also be slow. If he falls behind he may try to paddle faster, lose form and wind up hurting. Not a shoulder friendly situation.
I had a 28" wide.12.6’ boat (a Hurricane Santee). While it is a sit inside, it’s so open that it’s nearly a sit on top. Thing was? It was really difficult to get in/out of. I got in by facing backward and rolling in. Getting out was difficult, sometimes required my husband to help me out of the boat. It was not an ideal situation.
At one point last year I had found that I’d outgrown my Santee. I was looking at boats. NEVER in my wildest imagination did I think that a thinner boat would be easier to get in and out of. But it was. The boats I needed to do what I wanted to do were lots thinner, 22.5 to 23.5". I was able to get in and out of a 22.5" wide boat significantly, and I mean SIGNIFICANTLY, easier than the fat boat with a giant cockpit. It was a shock to me, my hubby and the guy who sold me my original kayak. Step over distance is less. I can easily straddle the boat cowboy style and drop in.
The paddle? I have a carbon fiber AquaBound. I’m not sure about the shaft shape and if it’ll help him out. The two best things you can do for him are get him properly fitted for a paddle. Get him lessons so he can paddle correctly. If I lose form my shoulders hurt. When I keep form? I’m fine.
A Greenland paddle could also be an answer if he opts for a narrow and light boat. That also carries the same two recommendations: proper size and lessons.
We will just be paddling together on calm water, so he will not have to worry about trying to keep up. If necessary I can push him off from the shore after he gets in. He likes the wider kayak for the stability. I was just wondering if a curved shaft would help him keep his arms lower, especially with the seat that he will be using.
Also wanted to add that I will be the one that handles the kayak on land. I sometimes use it, so I am already used to it.
@Lori B said:
We will just be paddling together on calm water, so he will not have to worry about trying to keep up. If necessary I can push him off from the shore after he gets in. He likes the wider kayak for the stability. I was just wondering if a curved shaft would help him keep his arms lower, especially with the seat that he will be using.
Bent shafts are more for wrists than shoulders. The paddle that is easiest on the shoulders and works well with a low angle stroke is a Greenland.
As @Rookie says, the purpose of a bent shaft is to present a more natural angle to your wrists and thereby reduce stress. They are recommended for carpal tunnel syndrome sufferers.
I’d also recommend a Greenland paddle. Normally, for a 5’5” person you’d want a fairly short one, but sitting higher in a kayak will require extra length, maybe as long as 90” but you’d want to get it fitted properly.
A Greenland paddle would be safest for him – the narrow blades avoid putting stress on the shoulders and are just as efficient in moving the kayak as a spoon-bladed conventional paddle. And they are usually relatively light, being made of wood. They also don’t catch wind like conventional paddles so there is less chance of his shoulder being wrenched by a gust. There are various makers who sell on Ebay and Etsy. With the low angle of paddling form he will need due to his mobility, a longer paddle would be in order, possibly 90" to 95" (230 cm or 240 cm).
@Lori B said:
I was just wondering if a curved shaft would help him keep his arms lower, especially with the seat that he will be using.
I hope the boat works for you, and for him. I found that a wide boat didn’t work so well with bad shoulders. A light carbon fiber with a narrow blade European (“normal”) or a Greenland paddle will preserve his shoulder best. My husband is making me a Greenland over the winter to preserve my shoulders. I’m also looking to get a full carbon fiber paddle with a narrow “spoon” style.
One thing I should mention that nobody has yet (and I only briefly mentioned it): Kayaking isn’t about just using arms and shoulders to propel you forward. It’s about using your core to go forward. He shouldn’t look like he’s peddling a bicycle with his arms because they will get tired and sore. When I started I kept a very protective posture. I looked more like a T-Rex “bicycling” than a human w/a kayak paddle! It was exhausting and that improper technique left me in pain. The movement should come from your torso. But no matter what, get him fitted properly for either style paddle. And just as important, perhaps more so because of his shoulder, get him some lessons so that he’s got proper form and doesn’t damage himself further. I’m serious.
There are other YouTube videos you can watch to get an idea of what I’m talking about. But this guy is a good place to start.
https://youtu.be/F2fGKNFEURw
Lori- this company, ANGLE OAR, can supply a variety of devices that may be very helpful to your husband:
https://www.angleoar.com/products?utm_campaign=4168f2b2-b2ef-4114-90e6-9c30a097972a&utm_source=so
I have no involvement with the company.
Also, the American Canoe Association (ACA), certifies instructors as ADAPTIVE PADDLING INSTRUCTORS. Although few and far between, check the ACA website- there may be one in your area.
I wish you all the best-