OK, now I need to buy a paddle to go with the new surf boat (Cobra Wave Witch). I test paddled it with a 197 Werner Player, which felt good, but the shop only has a 194 in stock. The 194 also felt OK sitting in a boat on the floor of the shop, but I haven’t tried it on the water. Now I have to decide whether to go for the 194 or wait for a 197. I’m 5’11" with a relatively long torso and stubby legs. Any thoughts?
Go Short!
There are folks your size using paddles in the 160-170 cm range these days. Seems a little extreme to me but they seem to like it. The idea is really quick cadence to pick up the wave and then to have the paddle out of the way, or better control in tight places, like right against a steep wave face. Granted these folks may be surfing slightly narrower SINKs.
I switch on and off between 180 and 185 cm myself. I think I like the 180 cm better in the surf and the 185 for ww. As a comparison, I use 205 for touring.
Someone on P-Net sent me instructions for making a wooden paddle. I may to try make a 170 cm to test in the surf.
sing
Thanks
I love it when good advice points toward instant gratification!
Agree With Sing
Go short. How short? That might take some trail and error.
Currently seeing most guys going
UNDER 185. Same reasons as Sing mentioned… also think about 45 or less for feather angle too. This is for surf use.
Go with the 194
On your WaveWitch you don’t want to go a whole lot shorter getting started although some people like really short surf paddles. If you want something really nice get your self an Onno paddle made. I really like mine.
I’m hoping to catch up with
Pat next summer when I’m in San Diego for a convention, but having gotten a little impulsive about buying the boat, I’d like to get out in it this weekend!
I Agree…
194 is a good place to start and work from there if you have too.
Besides, any paddle will make do if you got to get on the water. 
sing
Sea Dart, Naked Pics For You…
– Last Updated: Dec-02-04 8:16 PM EST –
http://www.strazkayaks.com/IMAGES/Jenness_Progress.html
My surfing partner is almost done with this baby. :)
sing
It looks good!
But maybe too sturdy? Does not look fragile enough :>.
How much does the shell weigh? I wish I was talented enough to try making my own boat .
Thanks for the plug Seadart…
DLonborg… understood … would still be more than happy to impusively bring it over there too… Mid 40’s even at the beach at night now.
Pretty Light…
– Last Updated: Dec-03-04 11:22 AM EST –
I was afraid to sit in it. Thought I might crack it! There's a bit of flex but so does my carbon Venom. The flex will minimize once the stern and bow pillars go in. I think it'll probably weigh out at around 25 lbs once outfitted.
It's 7'4" and 26 inches wide. (Corrected: 7'8"x24.5" according to the builder. :) ) Deeper, wider and more volume than my Boogie. So it should take a medium to large paddler well. Slight concave hull up front and double concave just behind the seat. Should be faster in hull design than the Boogie tri plane. But it should still be a bit more forgiving than the Mega boats because the rounded rails all the way around as as opposed to (Mega) sharp.
If I were in this boat, I would really want a jacked up seat to get more leverage over the wider beam for more dramatic turning. Seat belt added for sure. :)
sing
MId 40’s!
– Last Updated: Dec-03-04 4:49 AM EST –
Cold for you SoCal types but still good for us NE folks. :)
Val, guess there'll be a big bonfire at Jalama this weekend! Man, that is going to be fun.
sing
Yep, ask Seadart… news said 35
at another beach earlier this week… pretty rare and its only December… How to dress when the water is almost 30 degrees warmer than the air?
Imagine the bonfire at S.C. using all that wood ?
sub question to this question
is what feather are folks using on these surf paddles? What offset? What is most typical?
Being That Most WW Paddles
generally 45 degree or less. Two of my ww paddles are 30 degrees and the paddle from ONNO was special ordered at 15 degree. The 15 degree makes it really easy to backdeck roll either side, a good roll if you get flipped and want to come right back up still on the wave and riding. Other than that I don’t really care what the angle as long as it is from 45 degree down. I don’t have a short 60 degree paddle but I think my mechanics are slower when trying to sprint with that. Maybe I must not used to trying go fast with that.
sing
see I think, for
a play. surf paddle I would want a 15 degree paddle too.
Feather
My Onno paddle has 0 degrees.
I have a Mike Johnson that has small angle feather between 15 and 30 I think.
Lots of folks I know use 0 in surf, it works for me, might make some kind of rolls harder.
Yup Forecast is for 32
at Jalama tonight, there was ice in the grocery store parking lot this morning. I’m headed out after I take care of some stuff at work.
Sniffle, Sniffle…
I would love to be at Jalama, even with the “cold weather…” You ever get that sense of “being left out” of a good party… 
I been checking flights and info for Santa Cruz. I am about 90% sure I’ll be there. I’ve been trying to surf every wave/swell that come my way. I probably should jump into a white water boat again for the surf just get used to chines instead of rails. I am looking forward to Intermediate K1.
sing