Folks been SUPing canoes for centuries. But long wooden paddles and raft guide paddles are heavy.
So I was thinking I might take advantage of the SUP thing a buy a nice light paddle to SUP my canoe.
So far all of the SUP paddles I've seen have the blade at an angle to the shaft. On a canoe paddle I'd call that a bent shaft paddle but I see SUP bent shafts are something else entirely.
So, can anybody point me to a nice light well made SUP paddle with the blade parallel with and centered on the shaft? A nice straight blade with no curve or dihedral would be even better.
Just 'cause I'm curious, is there a sound reason for the angled blade? Or is it just a relic left over from the outrigger paddles?
Paddles
The angled blade gives you more reach. Reach is essential for speed and to keep the board planning. SUP style bent shafts do two things - protect one’s wrists from tendinitis, and provide even more reach for a longer stroke.
Per your other question, Surftech had at one point a entry level fiberglass paddle no angle, Surftech.com You might also check Werner’s new Fiji rec paddle. http://www.wernerpaddles.com/paddles/stand_up/recreational/fiji/
Blade offset angle
Good question as to why SUP paddle blades are canted, usually between 5 and 10 degrees. I don’t think I’ve ever heard a satisfying explanation. Maybe it is for the same reason as for outrigger paddles, but I don’t know that explanation either. If anyone would have the scoop, it would be Quickblade Paddles run by Jim Terrell, who was an Olympic canoeist.
http://quickbladepaddles.com/
ZRE
– Last Updated: Mar-23-12 7:12 AM EST –
I've done a good bit of SUP paddle research. ZRE has one of the best SUP paddles out there, extremely light and strong... and they do have shaft angle options including STRAIGHT shaft! Here is the link: http://www.zre.com/catalog/powersurgestanduppaddlecarbonfibersuppaddle-p-142.html?osCsid=ad556ea78dcd029b6c1a0ee57fee9468
Hope that helps.
Roddy
http://www.standandpaddle.com
bent shaft paddle rationale
This is in response to the paddler who is looking for a straight shaft SUP paddle to paddle his canoe while standing up.
First, excellent idea and before I head into bent shaft rationale you should pick yourself up a good pole as well. Anyone who likes to stand up and paddle a canoe will love poling. It’s an ancient skill and is especially great on rivers including the best way to paddle up streams and rivers with heavier current.
The bent shaft was pioneered by flat water canoe racers which eventually included outriggers. They found that the sweet spot of a good stroke bio-mechanically, that is for the sitting human body in a canoe, is actually just aft of your hip. The trouble with a straight shaft blade is that at that point in a typical stroke the paddle has already passed its most efficient point (where the blade is perfectly vertical in the water.) So right when you really can capitalize on efficiency and power the straight shaft blades are already starting to lift water instead of pulling it efficiently back, or more accurately, propelling the canoe efficiently forward. So the “flaties” took a look at that point and said, “What if the paddle were vertical at that point?” And vua la! the bent shaft paddle was born. You give up just a little efficiency in the catch part of the stroke (when the blade first enters the water) but you get the pay off later when it is passing your body. Then when you throw some good paddling technique at it with torso rotation and smooth recovery, you would be smokin’ down the fluvial trail. The same is pretty much true in the stand up position but I wouldn’t go more than the 7 degrees. You give up a lot when it comes to bracing with a more dramatic bend and you loose quite a bit of the underwater artistry of a straight shaft from my perspective. If you decide to stay with a straight shaft just know that all the good stuff with a straight shaft and blade is in the early part of the stroke. By the time you get back to your body it makes more sense to go for another stroke rather than pull back through the full range. Lean forward for that catch too and you will be loving it. Good luck. Grant Herman
oh, Tommy poles
and has way more than 1 of those, to be sure.
Quite a few of us here in the Northeast do. The paddle is something I may get interested in as well, seeing as how my knees are kind of tired of all that kneeling. We often use our poles as paddles; surprisingly effective. Having the likes as Harry Rock, Fred Klingener, and the late, great Ed Hayden as locals has helped the poling community greatly.
Aquabound
They’ve got a straight SUP paddle as well.
http://aquabound.com/canoe-paddles/odyssey7-sup