How to correctly use an asymmetrical and "curved" with a point on it paddle

I took my new to me Cobra Tandem out in the harbor with my son. We had too much fun. I got a Werner Skagit FG paddle and this is my first time with a nice paddle. How is this supposed to be used? It’s asymmetrical and also “curved” with a point on it. I can’t tell which is up and down and how it should be rotated. Thanks!

Werner Skagit FG 2-Piece Paddle

The cupping should be aimed backward. Think of when you swim - you cup your hands and pull on it. Same as with the paddle.

When you hold the paddle with cupping backward, you want the top of the blade to be the longest part of the paddle. the Werner logo should be upright (but I don;t recall if it is on the front or back when you hold it correctly). The second picture of the REI link you included shows the paddle with the long part on top.

As above. The rationale behind a kayak paddle with asymmetrical blades is so that the submerged area of the paddle power face above the axis of the paddle shaft is the same as the submerged area below the shaft axis. That makes it less likely for the shaft to want to twist in your hands during the power stroke.

If you were inserting the paddle into the water with the shaft perfectly vertical, symmetrical blades would be optimal. But since the paddle blade is going into the water at some angle, even with a high angle stroke, with a symmetrical face less of it would be submerged above the shaft than below. Making the blade “point longer” above the shaft balances out the submerged area.

Although the concept makes sense, I have old kayak paddles with symmetrical blades and have never really noticed any significant tendency for the shafts to want to twist in my grip.

Thanks for the advice. Sorry researching further my paddle is “dihedral” Curved isn’t the correct terminology. Looking at

By my understanding I should have the pointed side of the dihedral back.

Inside of any curve towards you.
Longest edge up.

But easiest to just read it. You should be able to read something upright, logo or Werner, on each blade as you paddle.

The director of this commercial should have asked this question.

Yeah, a little too obvious that they couldn’t be bothered to check that. Bugs me every time I make a mistake and am sitting still when it comes on.

I am amazed that he’s wearing a PFD in the commercial. Poor dog does not have one though.