i just use the paddle that came with my kayak says sea sence on it or something.i alos have a walmart paddle that was only 20 bucks but rated well. would a better paddle make me faster?
ps
i keep both blades at same angle i see other folks they have em at different angles
Lessons would
as would a lighter better designed paddle.
It amazes me that people spend a fortune on a boat and leave no room for a decent paddle and instruction.
I would look up AT paddles and Lendal and Werner and read up.
faster than a speeding …
A lot depends on the style of the paddle and your use of it. My guess is that a quality/more expensive/lighter/advanced fiberglass/carbon fiber paddle with a blade and length suited to your size/strength, would be easier to paddle and therefore help you be faster and more comfortable. Some paddlers like to “feather” their paddle blades so that the wind/air is cut through during the paddle stroke and the mass of the air-born blade is not catching any air. Because of “muscle memory”, it is not advisable to switch back and forth from feathered to non-feathered. I would suggest you consider a paddling class inasmuch as there is a lot to be learned in a very fun atmosphere and you’ll probably get to try out different paddles and boats. Learn techniques correctly from the get-go. I also enjoy paddling a Greenland style wood paddle…
i doubt any one could teach me
im slow to learn plus i get nerves around people i dont know i try to watch youtube vids on technique but it does no good for me
Just remember if you take a lesson
– Last Updated: Jun-14-11 12:09 AM EST –
its all about you..Who cares what others think? (kinda like buying a car for eye candy for other drivers you don't even know)
A private lesson might be for you. Just remember, instructors have seen it all. A pro will not ridicule you.
Its all well to watch You Tube videos..but those videos give you no feedback on what YOU are actually doing.
We all have different learning styles and some folks cannot learn from simply watching. They need personal instruction tailored to their learning style.
Invest in instruction. Five years from now you will probably think it was the best hundred dollars you spent.
Save two hundred for the paddle.
OK what is left for the boat? It matters the least. You will be able to paddle anything well.
A better paddle , a better kayak and
more paddling will make you faster.
Each one contributes to the equation
jack L
No
Not so much.
It’s about the engine.
Good technique and strength makes you go faster.
What kayak?
– Last Updated: Jun-14-11 7:26 AM EST –
Is it a recreational boat called a "kayak" or a kayak - like 14'-16' or more? A nicer paddle with the right length will make your paddling much more enjoyable and translate into a more effortless and efficient stroke. A good stroke takes a while to develop but if you could, see if you could try some nicer paddles from other paddlers for a few minutes, I think that will answer your inquiry. You don't have to go to the top with a $600 dollar one but using one of those crummy bottom shelf Walmart deals is like driving a car with a flat tire.
Sure!
A better paddle will improve paddle sensitivity, the feel of the water that transmits to your hands. There are also finite improvements in the batter blade’s ability to hold water on the powerface longer, cleaner recovery, etc, etc.
ty everyone
for the advice right now the fastest i ever been in my kayak was 4.9 miles per hour no mater what i couldt go 5 miles per hour. a course maybe my gps was wrong.now i average like 3 miles per hour or a tad less
Why faster?
Seriously. Many new paddlers want to go faster - it’s usual - but if you aren’t racing and are getting a decent workout why does it matter that you get past a comfortable cruising speed for you and your boat? There are lots of things available to do in a kayak that aren’t about going faster. And for fitness, a regular pace over a reasonable distance will build a good base.
A goal of speed without good form is a dandy way to hurt yourself in the shoulder, wrists etc and limit your ability to paddle. This is especially likely if you haven’t had anyone look at your form, you are paddling a rec boat (which likely plows water before you see 4 mph) and are using a heavy paddle with poor balance. If I remember right you hit on all three.
Videos don’t give feedback, and tell you when to stop and change something you are doing. Only a person can do that. Uncomfortable or not, if you care about speed you are best off hooking up with some in-person advice.
faster at what?
Lots of things might make you faster:
a new boat
a new paddle
paddling downwind
a sail rig
moving water
In the end improving your technique will probably give you the most bang for the buck.
After that, each boat has it’s limits, some of which might be reached before the benefits of a more efficient paddle kick in.
no… Losing 20lbs would…
Come on people! Is the world really this dumb anymore???
These are questions you can answer on your own… Without the help of the web & its gaggle of “experts”.
Paddle easy,
Coffee
couldn’t hurt
A better paddle can be a revelation. I was paddling a small local lake a couple years ago and ran across an athletic looking young couple who had rented yaks from the concession there, typical clunky little bathtub rec boats with truly awful 6’ aluminum/plastic paddles. She was bitchin’ him out about how much she hated the outing and wanted to go back to the car and he was trying to convince her that it was fun. The guy spotted me and struck up a conversation (maybe to escape the browbeating) and I ended up loaning them my paddle and spare (a 230 cm Werner Camano and an older 230 cm Voyageur paddle similar to a Werner Athena) and giving them some quick tips on technique. He was obviously pleased with the longer, lighter paddle (I could see why – he handed me his and the darned thing felt like a set of barbells) and glided ahead about 100’ and then back to me, raving about how much easier it was. Meanwhile, the woman, after testing out my instruction in a slow circle around us, turned and lit out across the lake at an impressive clip – I didn’t think it was possible to propel a rec boat that fast. He took off after her and I had to sit and wait for 20 minutes until they came back (I tried to use their rental paddles and decided after a couple of strokes I’d rather not.) Her attitude towards kayaking had done a 180, in fact she looked almost crazed, raving to him about how much fun it was now. She asked to borrow my 15’ touring boat for a spin too (another 20 minute wait in the shallows for me) and by the time she got back from that I could tell she was hooked, telling him “we HAVE to get kayaks!”
I think there is a great deal of truth in the saying “better to paddle a lousy boat with a great paddle than a great boat with a lousy paddle.” After all, the paddle is the tool that transfers your effort to the water you are trying to move through.
may not be as smart as u
but im polite and hard working and treat everyone with respect.
i always want faster
i build computers and i will treak em all the time to get every bit of power from em i like fast i guess lol but i do see ya point on kayaking faster
would be awefull if the paddle broke
i sure hope they are built strong enough not to break
good deed
Great story what an at of kindness. Not too many people I know would have shown that much patience and grace toward perfect strangers. Kudos.
I will say this
Although I’d suggest focusing on technique will get you feeling faster, a good, light paddle helps give you that feedback that helps you improve on technique.