? for skinny kayak/wing paddlers.

Advice
#1

Just for curiosity, list your boat, paddle length, height & inseam.

#2

Not sure if it qualifies as skinny, but.
150 lbs, QCC-700, 215 paddle length with a 45 degree feather, 5’9",- 30" inseam, over the hill so I have a good excuse for being a lot slower than others.

Took a long time to keep from getting aerobic in a half a mile with the wing , but now can hold all out for about ten miles and won’t go back to a touring paddle unless I am in the shallows.

It will be a year in February since I bought a new Epic active touring paddle, and only used it a couple of times. What a waste of money!

Cheers,

JackL

#3

Dont own but like
a 217 on a futura 2 (21 inches wide I think) I have the torso of someone who is 6’2" but my legs are super stumpy so my inseam is 29 inches.

#4

Why these specs?
Why these specifics? We are sharing so let’s hear what has spawned this curiosity.



Height: 179cm

Inseam: 74cm

Weight: 87kg



Boats:

QCC Q600X (for knocking about and fishing)

Knysna StilettoX Maxi (for rivers with obstacles)

Vajda Supersonic O1L (for deep flatwater)

Stealth MambaII Surfski (for the ocean)



Paddles:

Epic Mid 215cm 70degrees right control

Epic Large adjustable: currently 216cm 75degrees right control



I use the mid with the touring boat, surfski, and for marathons with the Knysna. Use the large for sprinting in the Vajda. I’m still trying to figure out the best length/feather for the large blade and Vajda as that combo is new. I likely need a shorter mid wing for marathon in the Vajda as the large blade has a useful limit at about 10km).



Note the shaft on the 215 mid is much longer than the shaft on the large set at 216. 215 is actually too long for the mid when mated with the sprint boats, especially the new spec slimline, as I end up planting the blade a bit too deep (about an inch each side). 212-213 would be better unless I jack the seat up 1-2" which would render either sprint boat unmanagable in all but the flattest water.

#5

paddle length
I have been bouncing around with my adj. mid wing for about a year. I paddle a Thunderbolt, xr-5 WW & a few other boats. Twenty years ago I used a 218 struer for marathon in a Javelin, then on to 218 wings since the mid 90’s. I’m 5’9", 32 inseam & now using a 216 mid Barton & an Epic mid adj. wing. I’ve tried everything from 214 to 217, with mixed results. Just wondered what others were doing. Thanks.

#6

Paddling Specifics
Paddling a Prijon Eski with a 220 cm Werner Camano. Am 5’9" with a 32" inseam and long reach for height. Onno paddle on the way for the new year. Have fun, paddle well, be safe.

#7

216 cm QuickBlade Proton wing
used with

#8

I know nothing of wing paddles but
would like to try one out…a wing paddle can still perform in a sea kayak, can it not? I assume it is not designed strictly for sea kayaks but you can still use it comfortably?

#9

yes to wing and sea kayak

#10

Yes! of course, but not all wings

– Last Updated: Jan-04-05 1:52 AM EST –

A wing can be used by any sea kayaker in/on a Sea Kayak, but the blade must match the boat.

The Epic Mid is the most popular wings in the U.S. even among Sea Kayak racers; however, (to me) the blades are too big for most sea kayaks (750 cm2). This paddle was developed to perform in marathons k1's and surfskis not sea kayaks.

Epic Large (845 cm2) was developed for sprint boats and paddlers, and right now, Epic is working on a "Junior" wing that can be used in Sea Kayaks.

If you want to try a wing, try a Bracsa VII min (725 cm2), Kid Max (655 cm2), or Junior Max (610 cm2), because if you are not "super" strong the paddle will be too much for you and your boat.

http://www.braca-sport.com/paddles/braca_VII.shtml


Regards,
Iceman

#11

Epic Mid Wing 75º 214-216

– Last Updated: Jan-04-05 7:29 PM EST –

but 214 most of the time.

Boat: Mako Millennium
Height: 5'11"

In the surfski yahoo group, they did a pool about the same specs, and at almost all height of paddlers, the majority of them were using 214/216.

Regards,
Iceman

#12

hello
The kevlar eft is 20 in wide and love the long narrow turbo wing because of no more tendinitis because of a gentle catch when blade is way out away from you. Then because it is long you get wicked leveage when blade is close. Lenght might be 240cm but am not sure. Also paddle t-bolt that has waterline width of 14 in. I am 5ft 8 in and weigh 225# with 29 in inseam. An old bench presser with a 55 in chest that loves to rip holes in water with big wing. Only have one paddle that I use all the time. Have a small wing that friends use. Turbo paddles are super durable and won olympic gold in flatwater racing. Long paddles are better for bracing when there is no water down there because of being perpendicular to big waves.

#13

many sizes
t-bolt, Cd speedster 217.5 full length Ptasiturbo

Cleaver X ,220 russian wing for sprinting or 217.5 patasi trubo for distance.

I am 5’ 11" with 32" inseam all of my seat are raised up 1 1/2 in front and 2 1/2 in back giving me a downward angle gives me more push with my top hand and better rotation

Downriver Essox 212 Zasteras mid wing

#14

Mako, 216 Epic mid, 5’11, inseam
about 32". If I had it to do over, I might go down to a 214, but 216 is fine.

#15

My Two…
QCC700 and Mark 1 surf ski. Use a D.B. carbon mid wing, HPS shaft, currently at 217 cm. at about a 60 degree feather.

http://www.sksa-ltd.com/dam/paddles.htm

At 6’1" 195 lbs. with a 35" reach and 34" inseam. Also have a 220 cm. bent shaft Werner Ikelos which I rarely use (wife has it now) thanks to the wing. For sculling, duffek strokes, etc., the Ikelos does it all, but once you get used to the solid catch of the wing, it’s hard to go back.

#16

Has to match the boat?
Well, a P&H sirius, seventeen feet long twenty point five inches wide…any recommendations for that boat?

#17

Thanks to all paddlers!
Thanks to all “winged” paddlers for the info.

#18

WOW! I spoke with Mark from Epic
before purchasing my carbon midwing paddle to get his opinion regarding length. I am 5’7" tall, weigh 160 lbs and have a 28" inseam. My paddle length is 195 and I use it for both my SRS “Dart” and Current Design “Solstice GTS”.



I am surprised to see the length most people use for their wing paddle. If mine were any longer, it would be entering the water even or ahead of my foot placement.



Jack


#19

Let me under stand this… they
RECOMMENDED a 195 for a touring boat?

#20

I can’t believe they recommended that,
or you misunderstood them.

My wife who is 5’2" uses between a 210 and a 215.

Does it seem right for you?



JackL