No. Just observant and pour over details. I also go back over old material to pick up things that I missed. For example, I went back over the Aqua/Werner thread and missed a point that Paddledog52 made about inserting the paddle near a floating object and realizing how the paddle stays relatively stationary as the boat moves forward. We need to be reminded of the simple lessons at times.
There’s more to learn from a device. I intentionally take a wayer break at set intervals, thus a dropped spike. All other drops are when I adjust gear. Where the graph has fewer spikes is where I count cadence and concentrate on torso rotation. You can see several spots where that happens. You can also see energy management. The graph rises as I near the end of the trip, despite the need to fight currents and wind. My goal is .1 to .3 mpg avg improvement per outing.
Compared to the same conditions with a westery wind, you can see how pushing faster from the beginning and hitting higher maximums was exhausting and I was unable to control the boat or maintain speed. I dont think it actually slowed my avg, because I anticipated going .1 to .3 mph faster avg spd. Logs from last year and so far this year bear that out. My goal is to see how i can continue that gain.
Opinion is all we can offer. In fact I discussed the Kalliste with another member, who tried it several days later. He was not impressed by it because it felt like paddling fast and going nowhere. Oddly, we both agreed, except he disliked it and I like it, for the same reason. I respected that, because he confirmed my impression, and I respected his judgement. It didnt matter whether he liked it, just what he thought.
When you’re a respected member of the forum, I would hope that you at least explain why you think a long paddle is a bad choice. Telling a 6’3" person in a 32" boat that its too long is weak. I dont think Im all that smart, but I.bieve I can makeva better case for going longer than shorter. But I agree with you, that doesnt make me right. At least I may have said something so you can point out a way I can go faster.
Long paddle is harder to pull. Take it to an extreme if it was 12’ long you don’t have enough leverage to swing it especially if you have a narrow hand placement.
Longer paddle will torque your boat side to side more also so less of a straight line and slower.
Inflatable will really pivot I would guess but I have never been in one. I can see my 18’10" Current Designs Extreme pivot more if I take my adjustable paddle lengthen it and go low angle. I watch the now twitch side to side a bit.
.
Don’t look at random internet charts. Look at what the manufacturer of the paddle you are interested in says. There also is low and high angle that is personal (and in between). Also account for how high you sit above the water. Like sit-in vs. SOT. You also can ask the paddle manufacturer if you fall in between or at the edge of their sizes.
I’m 5’11"and started with a 36"IK and the 250cm works fine (and was in the chart of that particular paddle. it also works for my 34" iSUP. But I bet, a 240 cm also would work and if you swapped them out over night, I would not notice a difference.
Also think about if you plan to upgrade your boat soon to something narrower, then go to shorter. Especially if you go crazy with a $500 paddle. Maybe start with a $150 paddle and then you see how it works. Especially if you haven’t figured out things already.
Proper paddle length is when, with a properly executed forward stroke, the entire blade, no more and no less, is entirely in the water for the majority of the stroke without hitting the side of the boat. This will, for most people, be the most efficient paddle length.
This will depend on the dimensions of the boat, the paddler, and the paddling style. Take your existing paddle and using a forward stroke see where the waterline ends up. If it is above or below the junction of the blade and shaft, double this distance and add or subtract it from your present paddle as necessary. A bit of further adjustment may be necessary if the blade lengths vary between the old and new paddle.
You can use the distance from the center of the old paddle to the waterline as well if you can get this dimension for the paddle you are interested in either in a store or from the manufacturer.
If you paddle high angle, you will usually use a shorter paddle than if you paddle low angle. If you switch up there are three options. Get a length midway between the two, get a length adjustable paddle that covers the range between the two, or have two paddles.
Y’know, I’ve seen all kinds of recommendations on paddle length, how to choose the best length. I’ve often steered newbies to various online fitting guides, etc.
The chart that Jolly posted brought me up short though. The difference between the 200 cm shortest paddle and the longest 250 cm paddle is only 2 inches. That’s only about one inch per side! It makes me wonder if it really matters that much after all. I’d wager that most people’s paddle stroke varies as much as or more than that measly one inch. I’m thinking that maybe the difference is more subjective than objective.
