Picking A Paddle

Again this is aimed at recreational kayakers.  That's the majority of kayakers out there.  So let's get going and get you a paddle.  There are two types of paddles that as a recreational paddler your going to be looking for.  A paddle with a rectangular, shaped flat blade and an oval, scooped blade.  Regardless of which of those you choose your going to size them the same way. 

There are two things to keep in mind when sizing a paddle.  The size of the paddler and the width of thier kayak.  Recreational paddles come in three basic sizes.  210cm or small, 220cm or medium, 230cm or large.  Start by standing the paddle on end and reach up with one hand.  The paddle should be as long or two to three inches longer than your arm.  Now think about the width of the kayak you've purchased.  If you own a wide boat you may want to opt for a medium or large length paddle, instead of a small shorter paddle.  A longer paddle will keep you from banging into the side of the boat.

Now decide on the type of blade that you want on your paddle.  A rectangular, flat blade will allow you to use almost any stroke you can think of and they tend to be cheaper.  The down side is that they usually only come in aluminum and are therefore heavier as well as usaully being one piece and harder to store and carry.  An oval, scooped blade gives you more push.  Some hints for oval paddles.  They have a point the point goes on the top part of the paddle.  They are more ergonomically designed and therefore require less effort for more forward motion.  They come in one and two piece models and also come in aluminum, fiberglass and carbon fiber.   There design is such however that they won't work for all types of paddling and you won't be able to do some of the more advanced paddle moves.  If you, like most recreational paddlers, don't want to do any advanced kayaking, then this won't matter for you.

Jon