A while back I got this paddle when I bought a used kayak. It seems to be one-piece with a permanent feather. Did paddles used to come pre-perma-feathered, or is there some trick I can’t figure out? Also there’s a weird oval bulge in the shaft on one end, extending from about one inch from the right blade until about the place you’d hold it. Any idea what that thing is? I can’t use it, it’s too long in addition to the feather, so I intend to sell it if there’s any market for it, but I wanted to understand these mysteries, cuz, curious. Thanks!
Both the bulge and the permanent feather is very common.
The bulge is there so you can feel the correct rotation of the shaft in the hand. It is only in one end, because the rotation of a feathered paddle is supposed to be controlled with the same hand all the time.
Thank you! Do you suppose anyone still uses such a paddle?
Before Lendal came out with the Padloc system. All Lendal paddles came as either a one piece or a two piece with a spring button. They were ordered as either right hand control or left hand control. The oval on the one side is for shaft orientation and is only on the side the paddle was ordered for. The right hand control is most common, so the oval would be held in the right had side and that hand didn’t rotate on the shaft. The round shaft rotated in the left hand instead. The right / left control is no longer taught. The oval is created by a piece of plastic that is held in place with glue and then a shrink tube is placed over it and heated in order to shrink the wrap and keep the orientation always the same for paddling and for rolling. You will know if this is a right hand control or a left hand control paddle , by holding it with the oval first with one hand and then the other. The blades will be in proper paddling position when held with the proper control hand. {so you actually know what it is you have}
Thanks. Very interesting how things change. Yes, it’s right-handed. When I bought the boat the seller was super-enthusiastic about that paddle, and kept saying how fantastic it was.
I have an older Lendal like that, and use it fairly often. Mine is a carbon permanent 60 degree right hand control crank shaft. It is a powerful and tough paddle that I paid $100 for used. You could drill another hole for the button if you like zero degree feather.
There is no button I can see. Also it’s too long for me. I will sell it if I can. But thanks for the suggestion