Example of the low stern decks rstevens15 is talking about: me in my 18’ skin on frame replica of a Greenland seal hunting kayak. I was a little heavier back when this was taken, but still about 20 pounds under the weight of the guy for whom the boat was custom built so this is purely the design of the boat. I’ve paddled this kayak a lot, but almost never without a good fitting spray deck – that’s because I use a Greenland paddle, which ships a lot of water onto my lap. Never had water wash into the cockpit with or without the skirt.
Recently I found a reason for not having so many paddles, or maybe the best reason for getting just a limited number of Werners. And why they should all be different colors… I was trying to get all organized to go for a paddle at a place that I really had some reservations about, because of parking and launch site issues. But everyone else had decided it was where they wanted to go. Anyway when I was grabbing a paddle to throw in the back seat of my truck, I wasn’t very careful. All I knew was that for the boat I was taking, I usually use a yellow paddle. I had forgotten that I had several yellow paddles and they are not all Werners. When we finally did get to the launch area and I got the boat into the water I made one more trip back to the truck to fetch my paddle. I made it all the way back to the water and then discovered that I had half a Werner and half of something else—but at least it was yellow. I didn’t go paddling.
I tell myself that I should be better organized. That’s probably not going to happen, but I do make a point of looking beyond just the color.
Werner has done two things which worked well. One was making extremely light paddles, though they are not alone. My spare is an Epic paddle that was all the rage as one of the earlier very light paddles.
The other thing they did was get a lot of their paddles into the hands of coaches, at least in the area of sea kayaking. They earned that - Werner came out with a lot of excellent blade designs. But it didn’t hurt that coaches were showing up with them. At some point they also partnered with highly rated paddlers.
It is not a total takeover. Epic is still a major force in wing paddles and racing. Aquabond does a fantastic job in the entry level market. I have gotten Aquabond paddles for relatives who use rec boats to replace the godawful things that came with the boat. And the lighter ones are good enough paddles to be kept as a spare even when someone moves to a foam core paddle.
Lerner should be mention, tough paddles. Not sure what happened there, they seem to have fallen away in the US.
Foam core really is the thing, to get to a lighter weight, and after a while of paddling you will find that you want this feature. Werner does it IMO best for the average touring or recreational paddler, in terms of having a variety of blade shapes.
No, one is not necessarily better than the other, it comes does to great marketing probably, just see Celia’s post. Also, lots of people think that paying more means its better, which is not necessarily true.
Its truly down to personal preferences, and personal references, kind of like Ford or GM.
When I was doing a little guiding the shop wanted you to use the products that they sold. I did most of my shopping there so my boats and gear matched up pretty well.
Werner did take very good care of the staff if and when we had that rare problem. (I did something really stupid with an “out of warrantee” carbon paddle and Werner took care of it}.
Rstevens15, very good advice, but I feel embarrassed that I didn’t point out more clearly that the event happened over 15 years ago in my first jkayak, a nine foot rec boat.
I figured out exactly what happened. To begin with, I weighed around 255 lbs in a boat rated 300 lb max capacity. When I got the kayak, I figured paddling harder would make it goes faster, but I was exceeding the hull speed of the nine foot boat. As it tried to climb over the bow wave, it slid back into the trough, burying the stern. A 1/4 inch drain in the stern allowed water to enter the boat while the stern was submerged. Skirts don’t exist for the boat and wouldn’t have helped. The solution was a bigger boat.
The solution was a bigger boat. I bought a skirt, but haven’t use it and don’t feel one is needed for the conditions I go out in. My primary threat is dehydration. The hatch compartments reach temps of at least 110° in the summer. I usually carry two, 2-liter bottles of water. If conditions ate favorable, I cross the Chesapeake Bay. By mid trip, the water is the temperature of tepid dog milk. I can’t imagine sitting inside a sauna, then drinking water that’s incubating under the skirt.
I plan carefully, always wear a life vest, and carry a VHF radio to get weather updates. It’s also handy to monitor closure of the waterways around Aberdeen during artillery testing, and hear USCG hazard to navigation or safety reports/alerts.
Happened to me when I grabbed same brand, but different length, so I bought a pack of electrical tape in white, orange, blue, red and yellow. Years later, they’re still unaffected by the sun and water.
Rathbone, I just opened the link to Making a GP with Hand Tools. Within the first minute I needed a cup of coffee before I started. I was like a fish on a hook. I notice other topics. Looks like I might need popcorn as well. When he pulled out this club, I said, WHAAT?, then he said, I made this one rom a 2x4. Because you’re first one may not work out, practice on a less expensive wood. I laughed because I made short canoe paddles for my granddaughters. Since they won’t need them after they grow into full size gear, I made them from the closest grain clear pine I could find, then book matched the pieces between alternate scraps of Sapele. I paid more for the spar varnish than the wood, but they work beautifully. Many comments I’ve read talk about laminated paddles. Our shop has lots of off fall scaps of wood over 10 ft long. We also have a thickness sander that can dimension to .001 increments. We just finished a big Sapele project. I see a winter project. Whatever I make just has to last through a testing phase, before the pattern is used for an actual permanent paddle. Coffee is done.
Werner makes great high quality paddles, hard to go wrong with one. Aquabound tends to make less expensive paddles that are perfect for beginner paddlers. Now for the part you don’t want to hear. If you are snapping paddles at the ferrule doing a paddle float rescue you probably want to consider a soild one piece, llower priced lightweight fiberglass paddle like some of the Aquabond models. Learn how to launch and land in surf and breaking waves, paddle through rocks etc, do mermaid launches etc. Once you have the basic skills down without breaking a paddle use your Werner or Epic or Custom Made paddle. A lot of us use paddles made by small companies that make very light and strong paddles. You are not at that level yet. Gear doesn’t make the paddler, so don’t worry about what everyone else is using. Also the advice about using super long paddles is very bad beginner nonsense.
I’ve used both, and the only advantage I found with the Werner is some of their models (maybe Ikelos) have a smoother back face, which makes low braces a little smoother. Overall, though, I think Aquabound offers good value for most paddlers. Their plastic blades are unbelievably tough, and their carbon/glass blades are tough enough for hard use while still being very light and stiff. Currently I own an older Lendal, a Werner, several Aquabounds, and a couple greenland sticks. I also like Nimbus paddles, which I found to be similar to Aquabounds best offerings.
My first paddle was an Aquabound Stingray carbon, 230cm. It is a sturdy paddle, at a decent price, but I did find that the shaft chaffed my hands a little and I usually wore paddling gloves with it. My wife also has a Stingray and wore gloves too.
Fairly soon I realized that I prefer a high angle stroke and after a discussion with a coach I bought a bent-shaft Werner Cyprus, 210cm. I’m just on 6’ and it fits me perfectly. I haven’t used the Aquabound since although I keep it as loaner/spare. We then ordered a Cyprus in 200cm from the factory for my wife.
My Cyprus is lighter and easier to use than the Stingray and I haven’t worn gloves since I bought it.
I have to say that we’re both using GPs more and more these days but if I could only have one paddle it would be the Cyprus.
Pbenter mentioned something of interesting. My 145 Tsunsmi has a lot of room behind the seat. I also have issues bending my legs to get in, but moreso in bending them after sitting a long time. Moving the seat one hole, about two inches would help tremendously. How do you feel moving the two inches aft influences tracking and weather cocking.
It would increase weather cocking to some degree. Whether you would find it to be significant only doing so will tell.
Paddling into the wind in a canoe you can move weight forward to reduce weather cocking while going up wind. Going down wind the boat handles better with weight in the back. These weight changes will change the Center of Resistance.
This also applies to a kayak, but weight can’t be easily shifted on the water in a kayak. Therefore a rudder or skeg can be used to change the Center of Resistance in relation to the Center of Effort depending on where the wind is in relation to the the heading.
In fact, moving the seat aft will reduce weathercocking. If it’s possible to move the seat too far back, the kayak would leecock - to be avoided! Loading gear in a kayak to make it more stern heavy will also reduce weathercocking. The Mariners (Broze Brothers) had sliding seats which could be moved while underway, to adjust trim on the fly.
I would try moving the seat and see if you really notice it. Theoretically it should matter but I moved the seat in my Tempest back to gain enough space to get in and out and it didn’t make any difference that I could determine.
I think I confused weathercocking just now. I was thinking when the bow was pushed off wind it was weathercocking as in the weather made it turn off course.
My understanding is a heavy bow should hold to weather, while a light bow is blown to lee. So weather cocking is the wind causing the bow to turn toward it not away. My mistake. That’s what I was trying to say, but confused the terms.
I don’t really think a 2" adjustment would show much difference either, but only doing it will really tell.
Don’t forget Adventure Technology paddles. I’ve had several over the years and they’ve performed well (still have a carbon bent shaft that’s too long but it’s a good paddle). My wife uses a Quest bent shaft, and I find it to have a very nice blade design. My go-to paddles are both Lendal Cadence. I recently picked up a Werner Ikelos with a kayak purchase, and the jury is still out on whether I’ll keep it. Exceptionally well made and lightweight but the blade is maybe a bit too large. I need to use it more before I decide.
