Is a 230mm Aqua-Bound Carbon StingRay Paddle too much paddle for a begginer kayaker who is using a 10ft long 29.5" wide kayak? We are aiming for calm lakes and rivers.
Thanks
http://www.ems.com/product/index.jsp?productId=3668826
How could it be “too much” paddle?
What are you asking here? It's a paddle and it will propel the boat, provided the paddler does his/her bit. For boats that wide, you'll need that length, and perhaps then some.
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What I am asking is if the paddle is too much paddle? Am I over spending on something that exceeds my needs?
Not sure how else I could ask this question.
I understood your question.
I say go for it.
It sure looks like a nice paddle.
I would only hesitate on the length.
If you think you will be moving up to a longer and narrower kayak in the future, you might want to think about a 220 instead of the 230.
Jack L
How much are you spending?
I could not find a price on that paddle online. I use a carlisle day tripper kayak paddle it is my first paddle and I find it to be very nice.
Good choice
It is a decent paddle, with a relatively low weight for an affordable price. With the Nylon/Fiberglass blades you won’t have to worry about bouncing them off rocks etc, they will hold up. As paddles go this is a fairly cheap investment. But it is IMHO ideal for the type of boat you have and for your purposes. It certainly will make paddling much more enjoyable then a heavy aluminum shaft monster.
I too thought you were asking about size
I think it will be a fine paddle for what you are doing but I’d get the 220 instead.
I’m Wit Ya
I didn’t get “too fancy & expensive” out of that either.
WernerPaddles.com
has a paddle fit program in the upper right of home page. It takes you through a series of questions about paddling style and then recommends right size and style for you. It’s interactive so you can change answers to get custom recommendations, then take the info and get proper paddle for you.
No Such Thing
Boats jump in $500 or $1000 increments. It's pretty easy to get "Too Much" of the wrong boat, except finances often intrude.
Paddles, on the other hand, seem to ascend in $50 to $100 jumps, but there is no such thing as too much paddle. Better paddles are lighter, which reduces strain, and generally have better fared-in blades, so they splash less, loft less water over your head and give the paddler better feedback - increasing paddle sensitivity.
An extra $100 in a boat gets you very little. The same increment in a paddle gets you lots of improvement.
Spend all you can on your paddle; $200 is a realistic MINIMUM for a synthetic double blade. You'll learn faster and have more fun.
Of note, the cast blade paddles with a carbon shaft make no sense at all. You'll be way better of with a FG shaft and laminated blades. The worst possible place to put weight, in this case die cast plastic, is at the ends of the stick, where shaft length increases force load.
I would suggest you look at Werner, AT, Swift, Barton and Onno. Like my Grandpa Charlie said, "Always get the very best, it'll piss you off less than anything else."
Too much paddle
I don’t know what the op means by that. But contrary to other posts it is not a meaningless concept. A paddle that is too long and/or has too large a blade face for the strength of the paddler is “too much paddle.” My wife could never use my touring paddle. She would end up sore and maybe injured. I have no problem.
Not too much. Maybe too long.
Aquabound makes good paddles at good prices.
230 cm is pretty long. It seems that the general trend is toward shorter paddles.
that’s what I thought too
but the OP is wondering basically if this is too nice a paddle. I use the single blade equivalent (AB Edge carbon/glass and glass) paddles and have 6 of them I share with Aaron, due to price being reasonable, carrying a back-up and using different lengths in different boats. I know WW yakkers spending I believe up to around $400 for a paddle, so the $140 is pretty reasonable for what should be a decent paddle.
I have the 120cm Sting Ray
It’s a very good paddle for recreational and light touring use. You can also use it in easy whitewater a litte bit. My kayak is 14.5 long and 28 wide and even for it, the 230cm feels a little long. Stepping down to the 220cm is probably a good idea.
I have an ONNO and the Aquabound and I have to say that even though the ONNO is nicer, I never worry about hurting the Aquabound…
jim
Here is my reality.
I have paddles in all the price increments. The cheapo aluminum ones never go anywhere anymore. At least not in my hands. The AB paddles are really nice and a great deal compared to the same quality paddle from most other makers. Go ahead, spoil yourself, you will never regret it.
Sting Ray
This paddle is the level I would recommend for anyone just getting into the sport. Any cheaper and you get such bad performance it might turn you off paddling. You can go a long way with this paddle.
I bet you will prefer a 220 to a 230. Lots of people sell off their too-long paddles, no one ever moves to a longer paddle.
blade looks fine, I agree with 220
Don’t go buying a stable of paddles until you try the first one.
To echo the rest,
I used that paddle in that length on a sot kayak, and had a great time with it. Great entry level paddle!
The sot seat is probably a little higher than a regular kayak, so, unless you are very tall or your kayak seat is somewhat high, a 220 may be better suited. The 220 will not be “too much”.
Good luck!
paddle sizing
How tall are you? The higher your shoulders are from the seat, the shorter the paddle can be, but it forces a higher angle stroke. I had my wife take a kayak class and the money was well spent.The instructor supplied kayak, paddle and 4 hours af supervised practice/instruction. Also had extra time for the only person who came with their own Sit on Top. I have used a fiberglass shaft aquabound for 3 years while paddling a 14 foot WS tarpon with no trouble. When I got a thinner kayak the paddle was too long, so I bought a fancy carbon fiber aqua bound that adjust in length and feathers both ways. My wife uses it when we paddle together cause she is left handed and I can’t feather the first aquabound for a left hand paddler. I use it as a back up when I paddle alone or with the local kayak group. Go with the most comfortable paddle, just remember if you decide you don’t really like paddling you are never going to sell it for what you paid for it. Good Luck, John
I had one for a long time.A very good
beginner paddle.
My first was an aluminum shaft,flat bladed monstrosity that could double as a shovel or an axe. I traded it on the Aquabound.
Check Campmor's prices.Some of the best around.
http://www.campmor.com/outdoor/gear/Product___21018
My bro has one of these.A very good paddle.