Paddle length/size is such a personal preference but I’m curious what other sea/touring kayakers prefer for their various needs, and how that matches to their height/body type/boat width. I’m an average-height male (5’11") in a 22" beam kayak. I’ve been using…
-205cm Werner Shuna for pretty much everything; high-angle is my default
-220cm Werner Camano for low-angle, but it doesn’t feel right. Can’t tell if it’s too long or if I just don’t love low-angle paddling.
Curious where other kayakers fall on the spectrum, including you Greenland paddlers.
6’ tall, boats are usually 24-25", but sometimes 22"
My personal paddles are 205cm Shuna and Corryvrecken - both straight shaft. At places I guide for, I often use a 220 or 230 Camano or unknown length (probably 230) Skagit.
My girlfriend is 5’1"and her boat is 22" wide. Her preferred paddle is straight shaft 200cm Shuna.
I am 5’-9" and paddle a 21" wide, 18 foot long kayak.
I use a 213cm wing paddle when I am racing and a 213cm euro when touring.
I always paddle high angle except if I am doing a sweep or brace
With that said, today was canoe race training with a ZRE 52" bent shaft ultralight
6’5". I usually use a 200 cm carbon Aquabond Shred ww paddle for my P & H Hammer (thanks Peter-CA for the tip). For my regular sea kayaks I use a 210 cm Werner Shuna. I can go up to a 220 cm paddle depending. 230 cm now feels so long that I feel like I’m tripping over it.
6’/185 lbs Depends on which boat I’m using. I use wing paddles exclusively, have 3 and each one is a different length. Shortest one is used for the surf ski, use the same one for the 18’ kayak and use another for my CLC 17’ (which I don’t paddle much anymore) I use the longest for my Sawyer Summersong. Each paddle is 2 piece with 10 cm adjustment. 210 cm, 215, and a 220 with larger blades.
I am 5’10" tall and paddle boats in the 21" - 23" range.
205cm Ikelos bent shaft is the norm.
210cm Cypress bent shaft is my normal deck paddle. I switch to the Cypress when I am on a trip and doing miles or when I am in pain and need to relieve some load. I am probably going to replace it with a 205cm Cypress bent shaft.
Greenland user here. Great for rolling and sculling. I carry two; one longer for calm or downwind and one shorter for upwind. The loom is about 19 inches on both of my favorite paddles. (Lumpy)
5’7”, boats are 20 & 21 inches. GP’s are all 218 (Traditional arm span + a cubit length), and also have a 210 Lightning euro, and a 220 Bending Branches euro. GP’s are the primary paddles.
5’5", kayaks are 19.5" & 21.25", 84" GP, have several 220 cm euros (prefer the older single piece Lightning). Would like to get a high angle 205 cm but not in my budget yet
5’ 5" here and kayaks 20" to 23" beam (all low profile Greenland style boats). Mostly use a 213 cm (84") laminated cedar shoulderless GP with 19’ loom. Have similar model carbon Gearlab Akiak 220 cm. Occasionally use a vintage fiberglass Euro 225 cm, Voyageur brand with very slender tapered blades.
6’. Kayak widths 21-22". I use a 210 cm Ikelos and a 215 cm Shuna, both bent shaft. Both are slightly too long for me. I once borrowed a 205 cm Ikelos (switching directly from my own 210 cm Ikelos), and it felt perfect.
I have now started paddling with a GP of 224 cm. 57 cm loom. The length feels ok, but I haven’t tried other lengths of GP. I have tried another GP with the same length, but a longer loom length, and that certainly didn’t feel right.
I have 4 GP’s, all around 88 inches in length, and all with 23.5 inch looms. (I did not enjoy GP’s till I switched from 20 inch looms to 23 or 24 inch looms. Makes a tremendous improvement.)
Two 220 bent shaft low angle paddles, Werner Kalliste and AT Xception Tour.
One Onno wing, 208 to 218 cm, but I always set it to 208 for high angle wing stroke. But nowadays I much prefer low angle, and much prefer GP.