Paddle feathering

[Dr. Steve Yaney]

Had discussion with Ozark Tom and he suggested 30 degree over 45. Now I've been reading arguments for zero degree that are exactly what Tom was saying was beneficial so it seems like zero is the way to go, plus all I've ever paddled is at zero degrees. Should be more natural for me, easier on the body, easier to roll.......any thoughts??????

[okieboater]

I think it is a personal decision.

If it feels right to you, go for it.

I happen to like the 40 degree feather, over anything between 0 and 90.

Edit added later after thinking about your question:

I got to thinking about how I ended up at 40 degrees. and it came from the paddle guru.

Like most long time kayakers, I started out with 90 went to 70, 60, 0 - did not feel right at 0 at all, finally 45 until more or less standard then for me was and Is 45 until I called Jim Snyder of JimStyk fame and had him build me a paddle (I asked for the one designed like he uses and got a "cruising" model via UPS some months later. I had seen this same paddle down in Mexico on a waterfall running trip as two of the others on the trip had been river guides with Jim and let me test out their JimiStyk paddles one day. To this day, that is the easiest blade to paddle I have. The smaller blade is really nice and works most of the time just fine. I found tho that when I got the Burn, I needed a larger blade to get the boat to respond the way I thought it should. So in the Burn I use my hand lay up Sidewinder slalom blade made before they were purchased by the big boys and now may not be made anymore. If I buy a glass paddle I go for 45 still. On glass I like the Werner DD thick blades.

Go to

http://www.jimisnyder.com/html/the_feather_rap.html

and read Jim's thoughts on paddles.

I consider Jim's work to be the best I have found anywhere. A close second in quality plus design and less bucks to buy, is Mike out of Salida CO and Cricket Paddle Co. Both guys hand make to order. Mike told me his goal as a paddle maker was to be as good as Jim. Well, he is gettin real close.

Anyway, you can read this post and the URL and hopefully that will help explain paddle feathering..

If you just play boat, 0 feather is prolly just fine, if you do a lot of river running especially out west with afternoon wind and big holes to blast thu - the feathered blades might help.

Like I said, if it feels right to you, then it probably is.

[Cowper]

I want the feather that requires the least wrist rotation.

Zero degrees, you might be thinking...

Not so, at least not for me. Everyone knows that with a 70 to 90 degree offset, you must cock your wrist "backwards" to take a stroke on the offside. But I find that If I get less than 30 degree offset, I find that to take a stroke on the offside, I actually have to cock my wrist "forwards". So I'm still rotating the wrist with a zero degree offset paddle, just rotating it in the other direction.

For me, somewhere between 30 and 40 degrees offset, my right wrist can stay almost "locked" in line with my forearm, with almost no rotation required for forward power strokes on either side. So 30 degrees is about "neutral" for me.

To find out what is "neutral" for you (it varies according to your stroke style), borrow a break down paddle that can be rotated to different positions and experiment.

[epatt250]

I agree Cowper. 0 degree feels horrible to me. 30 or 45 feels fine.

0 degree would be great if we sat down far enough in our boats so the water was about shoulder level to us.

When we paddle both hands dont stay level with each other. One goes down near the water and the other is up around our ear. So the power hand is level and the off hand fist is pointing up. With 0 offset if you dont loosen your hand and let the paddle twist you end up with your off hand fist point forward.. and your wrist making a 90 degree turn down... ouch. The exception would be if we throw our off hand elbows up above our heads when paddling. Being a noob maybe this is just proper buttboating paddling form and I dont know it.. but having my elbows out that far and above my head 2000 times per trip just screams rotator cuff and shoulder joint pain.