You know Altmagic…
you are starting to depress me. You are 50 right? so am I and I am not old! And neither are you!
As a matter of fact from what I am seeing, we both are right in the middle of the road tending towards the younger side of the paddlers here on Pnet.
(but I agree about the lightweight stuff. I have an Aquabound seaclude and seaquel) (both aluminum shafts) and while perfectly adequate, I am looking for a lightweight greenland paddle or a fiberglass/carbon something…don’t know what exactly except that I know I could go longer without the arms getting tired if I do. If all I was going to do was go around my lake a few times then the paddles I have would be just fine. but the lake is 1 mile long and 1 mile and a half wide in some areas and I am trying to do a circuit every day that is just a bit farther than last time and I can certainly tell that a lighter paddle would give me more distance.
Paul
Brazilbrasil
Hmmm…me? Depressing?? Perhaps you’re right. Actually, I FEEL about 35. At least that’s what my Dr tells me. I guess I’m actually happy to be 50. It took a lot to get this far and I have no thoughts of turning back now.
harmony and e-bay
look like they have some good paddles on e-bay. anybody know anything about the tortuga?
anyway…check it out seem cheap enough. Just be careful as some of the one piece paddles have pretty exorbitant shipping charges.
Everything I have heard is that these are good paddles and while maybe not top of the line, as greyhawk once said, depending on the performance characteristics of your boat, it may be a moot point getting a top of the line paddle as you wouldn’t notice the difference anyway. that comment from him made a lot of sense to me.
Paul
cost of paddle
I use a Werner Ikelos paddling and spend much time on the water. I can honestly say it is the best paddle that I have ever used and I am a better padler as a result. I wish it cost $40 bucks so i could say I use a cheap paddle.
falcon
76 inches
The Superior carbon paddles have a blade that is 32 1/2 inches long with another 3/4 of an inch transition in the shoulder so a 76 inch storm has a loom that is about 9 1/2 inches long. you eather probably had a one fisted loom on the one you used, or else the blades were shorter. (fist is usually about 4 to 4 1/2 inches) The bite that the superior carbon is known for is a product of the length and the width of the blade, change eather and you change the bite, unless you chang them both (surface area). Depends on what you are after in a paddle. Some people feel that the superior has too much bite, I like them, but don’t have one yet.
I really liked my cheap Mohawk paddle
It is inexpensive practically indestructable and works fine. It is still the type of paddle I want to use for surfing near rocks or paddling in places where the paddle will hit a lot of rocks. It’s a fine whitewater paddle too.
I really really like my Werner paddle better, it feels better and I can paddle farther and a tiny bit faster with the Werner. So get a Mohawk (not a Carlise)and then keep shopping. in the future you’ll still use the mohawk as a spare paddle and as the primary paddle for rock bashing trips.
Ditto
I also use the Werner Ikelos as my primary paddle with a superior carbon gp storm as my backup. And while many would consider this a waste of money, both paddles work perfectly and just have that perfect feel. I have no regrets at all about spending my hard earned money on gear this good.
Dan
Hey, thanks…
I live in an amazing place for wildlife. My New Years resolution this year will be to organize my website. :^)
yes, one fisted loom
My loom was (is?) 5.5" so I think my blades are about the same length as the Superior Kayaks Carbon GP. I’ve grown to really like both a short storm paddle and the sliding GP stroke. It’s a great way to fend off boredom on long paddles or slow-speed tours. And I can’t describe how secure I feel having a fully cabable paddle on my foredeck at all times. When another paddler breaks or looses a paddle I can just toss them my primary and quickly draw the storm paddle.
For a while I carried an Aluet (?) style single blade instead of the storm paddle but it’s too limited in entertaining conditions. Someday I’ll own a Superior Carbon GP but it may take a bit of budget trickery to get it past the wife.
Cheers,
Jed
storm
I was trying to get Mark Rogers to contact Lendal and see if he could make a Storm with the paddlok system so that you could just add a loom of any length (with the paddlok sys) so that you could have eather a storm or regular paddle of any length by just changing the easiest part to change. Kind uv a best of all worlds and a good traveling (in car or plane) paddle. Last time I heard from him (actually Celest) he was very busy and wasn’t sure about a time. Not sure at this time if Lendal will deal out their system. Might just have to make something along the same lines so that the button doesn’t get in the way and we lose all the wobble inheirand in the standard ferrel system. might just have to start a carbon project for myself, just to have an easy carry paddle for my use.
A Mohawk beaver tail paddle can be
made by using any type of saw, and cutting a beaver tail pattern out of the typical square mohawk blade. It really works, although it will not have the flex of a fine cherry wood shaft paddle. The beaver tail control factors in paddling will be there, and it is still a virtually indestructable paddle. MickJetBlue
'Carbonits’
Do not, repeat, DO NOT ever use a carbon paddle unless you have any intention to buy one. It will be VERY hard to use anything else after that. I regret the day I tried a Nice Zavarel (sp?) paddle. Carbonitis has taken hold of me! By the way… it IS a sweet, sweet paddle.
Flatwater = not loafing
If YOU loaf on flatwater, that’s your decision, and go ahead and use an unpared twig for your paddle if you feel like it.
For many so-called flatwater paddlers, there is no loafing. Without a current, you have to actually paddle AND steer. And I hate to think what would happen if a paddle broke in the middle of a huge “flatwater” lake, miles from shore with 35 mph winds blowing. On a WW river, you are always very close to land, though you won’t necessarily be able to get out easily.
But if you only loaf on flatwater, then there’s no point trying to explain the benefits of a lighter, better-built paddle.
Breaking a paddle while paddling
would make an interesting post. I would like to know how someone might have broken a paddle, and what kind it was. I once had a wooden Sawyer shaft break on me when I tried to stop quickly to avoid being rammed by some kids in an aluminum canoe playing games. You can post the question, if you want.
Swampstomper come on over
You don’t live too far from the Neuse river so come on over and try out my paddles while the river is running really slow and flat. I think you’ll find that the Mohawk paddle is a million times better than a carlise paddle and can;t be beat for $30 or $40. There is a big difference in the inexpensive paddles.
You can also try my better paddles but you may not think the difference is worth 5 times the price of a Mohawk.
Use bicycle handlebar tape around
the shaft of the Mohawk paddle after cutting off the plastic. Wrap it tight, and it will make the plastic/aluminum beaver tail paddle aforementioned a superb backup paddle. It is also an excellent “only” paddle, as it will not break with normal or slightly strained usage. Good luck, MickJetBlue