Helloe,
I just bought an Old Vapor 10 and was wondering what lenght paddle I should go with. I’m 6’6" and have went kayaking twice in the past. From what I’ve read I was thinking either a 230 or 240. I’ll probably be mostly on lakes and occasionally on rivers. Any advice would be great. Thanks.
I am your size and use a 230 in
my Tarpon 160 and my Rapidfire canoe. I have 37-38" sleeve length.
Even shorter might suit. I’m about as
tall as you and very tall in the torso, and a 215 is plenty for me. But I have a high angle paddling style aquired from whitewater.
210 to 215 for me
I’m a regular sized 5’10" person with 34 inch sleeves.
I use a higher angle paddling style most of the time.
paddling style
I think for what I’ll be doing I’d be a low angle. I’m still learning all the lingo, but for lakes and slow water cruising that seems like what I would be doing. Maybe I’m wrong on this so what would you guys suggest for paddling style and paddle length? If I was low angle I’d go 230 or 240 and high angle probably 220. the boat itself is 28.5" wide too.
If you were next door, I’d try to sell
you my 240 cm Camano, slightly used. Wasn’t long enough for canoeing.
Re paddling style
It’s a function of your paddling technique, not where you paddle (unless you race, where a high angle style is the only way to go).
That said, I’d hazard a guess that most people who start out paddling without hooking up with someone like Ben Lawry or a lot of the bigger name coaches will tend to paddle low angle.
Take a look on the web at some of the info on high angle stroke, see how it compares to what you are doing.
don’t go too long
When i got my first kayak is was a big 28" wide tandem, so being a taller guy at 6’2" and paddling a big wide boat, all the paddle length fit lists say i need a 240cm paddle. I don’t think anyone, unless on a sot or something extra wide needs a 240cm paddle. I was working my ass off trying to pull this stupid long thing through the water. If you can i’d start with 230cm and see how that works, or try and find something that adjusts from 220-240 or something like that. I find now i paddle with either 215 or 220 and can’t imagine how i did it with that long of a paddle.
On a side note, how did those over this high and this wide of a boat you need X long paddle tables come to be anyways? i don’t know anyone who wants a 240cm paddle once they try the alternative(except of course for the SOT’s where you’re farther away from the water)