I just love the grab, our races are always sprints in dugouts and we are going to the California sprints. Off the line boom your up and going.
I heard people say its like a poll volter you place the end and pull your self over top. so you only need a 8.5 blade and I tried a small blade and found myself looking for water to grab , I guess you can make it work with the right technique eventually
as they say, whatever floats your boat
Toatlly agree w/ eckhart. Longer races=smaller blades. I think in the full-on crazy marathon races like Rambo just did they go real small. rbsurf, you’re right, of course, but 9.25 isn’t exactly small- I remember Panamuna a long time ago winning it w/ some pretty small blades, like 8.25 or so, looked like. It’s interesting to see it evolve, I wonder what the realistic limits are. One time Bobby Puakea made my friend a huge blade for flat water time trial and he totally killed everyone w/ it, but the guy was a beast!
9.5 ” works very well for me up to 50 min. After that I start feeling the blade size.
It is then difficult to get the stroke rate up for a sprint at the finish or to respond to paddlers that try to pass.
Overall 9.25” does ok.
What do you think about races longer than 1 hour and blade size ? Smaller even better ?
I am sure Mulus has a good grab with 9.75”. For how long ?
500 meters ,but sometimes less than that. our longer sprints are 45 min . after 30 min its not me working the paddle its the paddle working me. I usually don’t pull the big one out till June till then I use the 9 1/4.
I was reading Oscar Chalupsky on training in the surfski.info and he said (Always 10 to 15 minutes of warm up, concentration on style before you start your session.) which I think if your brining two paddles out anyway use the little guy for warm up and technique then pull out the bigger one to work out with.
Does the paddle size need to go up in relation to the paddler? It would seem that a 160lb paddler and a 260lb paddler might need a different paddle surface area since you have more boat and weight to pull up so to speak. As I am in the latter category I was thinking of trying a Kialoa Lanikai and see if that is any faster than the Axil for me or if it seems to work better.
I was also thinking of getting a second paddle to duct tape to the boat as a backup…I (as a novice) have the one concern about dropping my paddle and having it blow away. I always go out (not that far) by myself. I was wanting a suggestion for the taped to the boat paddle…do people generally have a backup that is a little smaller than normal if it is designated as a backup only and not having to be ideal but just to get “home”? I guess that the lightest carbon would be ideal if $$ were not a consideration…am I on the right track? Thanks
The Levas paddles from Michel Levasseur in Quebec are pretty nice too . They are very light at around 7.5 to 8 ounces. The blade , like many performance paddles , is slightly cupped or , “spoon” shaped. It`s subtle but during the catch phase of the stroke these paddles give good traction on the water.
Here`s Michels # 819-533-5108
He can custom build paddles just exactly how you like them .
Rather than purchasing an OC paddle specifically for backup, suggest spending your money on a quality paddle (for OC6 perhaps) and use that. No need to worry about size/shape of paddle for backup use only. As long as you have something with a blade it will get you home in a pinch. Also, cut up (lengthwise) some old (or new, they be cheap) tire innertubes for tying paddle to iaku. Best not to use duct-tape on your paddle it will leave residue you’ll have to take off with solvent. Best.
892 Posts
Quickblades, uncle.
Wed, 01/16/2008 - 6:44pm
68 Posts
anybody get makana ali`i paddles?
Wed, 01/16/2008 - 7:30pm
708 Posts
If you want a makana alii in 2010 order it now….
Thu, 01/17/2008 - 9:08am
22 Posts
Kialoa’s are awesome and easy to get!!
www.kialoa.com
Thu, 01/17/2008 - 9:19am
19 Posts
http://kiakahacanoesandpaddles.com/
Thu, 01/17/2008 - 9:21am
426 Posts
We just got our special order from Quickblade/ kanaha they are 9 3/4 inch wide and are great. Nice grab.
dugout,piczo.com
Listen….I can hear the water calling.
Sun, 01/20/2008 - 11:56am
15 Posts
Whats the theory behind the Big Blade? Cause Tahiti uses big blades?
Sun, 01/20/2008 - 2:36pm
426 Posts
I just love the grab, our races are always sprints in dugouts and we are going to the California sprints. Off the line boom your up and going.
I heard people say its like a poll volter you place the end and pull your self over top. so you only need a 8.5 blade and I tried a small blade and found myself looking for water to grab , I guess you can make it work with the right technique eventually
as they say, whatever floats your boat
dugout,piczo.com
Listen….I can hear the water calling.
Sun, 01/20/2008 - 4:22pm
892 Posts
It’s been a while since a crew has won the channel w/ blades smaller than 9.5”. Outrigger ‘99 maybe?
Sun, 01/20/2008 - 4:48pm
15 Posts
Shell Vaa just won 2 years in a row and broke the record with a blade thats 9 1/4 and HEAVY. I got one after the race and measured it…
Not to say it was there big heavy paddles that won the race. Could of been the boat, or the paddle, or maybe the fact that they train really hard.
Sun, 01/20/2008 - 5:02pm
892 Posts
Toatlly agree w/ eckhart. Longer races=smaller blades. I think in the full-on crazy marathon races like Rambo just did they go real small. rbsurf, you’re right, of course, but 9.25 isn’t exactly small- I remember Panamuna a long time ago winning it w/ some pretty small blades, like 8.25 or so, looked like. It’s interesting to see it evolve, I wonder what the realistic limits are. One time Bobby Puakea made my friend a huge blade for flat water time trial and he totally killed everyone w/ it, but the guy was a beast!
Sun, 01/20/2008 - 5:47pm
428 Posts
9.5 ” works very well for me up to 50 min. After that I start feeling the blade size.
It is then difficult to get the stroke rate up for a sprint at the finish or to respond to paddlers that try to pass.
Overall 9.25” does ok.
What do you think about races longer than 1 hour and blade size ? Smaller even better ?
I am sure Mulus has a good grab with 9.75”. For how long ?
OutriggerCanoe Design
http://www.oc1design.blogspot.com
Sun, 01/20/2008 - 9:11pm
426 Posts
500 meters ,but sometimes less than that. our longer sprints are 45 min . after 30 min its not me working the paddle its the paddle working me. I usually don’t pull the big one out till June till then I use the 9 1/4.
I was reading Oscar Chalupsky on training in the surfski.info and he said (Always 10 to 15 minutes of warm up, concentration on style before you start your session.) which I think if your brining two paddles out anyway use the little guy for warm up and technique then pull out the bigger one to work out with.
dugout,piczo.com
Listen….I can hear the water calling.
Sun, 01/20/2008 - 9:36pm
344 Posts
Does the paddle size need to go up in relation to the paddler? It would seem that a 160lb paddler and a 260lb paddler might need a different paddle surface area since you have more boat and weight to pull up so to speak. As I am in the latter category I was thinking of trying a Kialoa Lanikai and see if that is any faster than the Axil for me or if it seems to work better.
I was also thinking of getting a second paddle to duct tape to the boat as a backup…I (as a novice) have the one concern about dropping my paddle and having it blow away. I always go out (not that far) by myself. I was wanting a suggestion for the taped to the boat paddle…do people generally have a backup that is a little smaller than normal if it is designated as a backup only and not having to be ideal but just to get “home”? I guess that the lightest carbon would be ideal if $$ were not a consideration…am I on the right track? Thanks
Shawn Michael
Sun, 01/20/2008 - 11:15pm
642 Posts
The Levas paddles from Michel Levasseur in Quebec are pretty nice too . They are very light at around 7.5 to 8 ounces. The blade , like many performance paddles , is slightly cupped or , “spoon” shaped. It`s subtle but during the catch phase of the stroke these paddles give good traction on the water.
Here`s Michels # 819-533-5108
He can custom build paddles just exactly how you like them .
Mon, 01/21/2008 - 5:01am
111 Posts
Shawn,
Rather than purchasing an OC paddle specifically for backup, suggest spending your money on a quality paddle (for OC6 perhaps) and use that. No need to worry about size/shape of paddle for backup use only. As long as you have something with a blade it will get you home in a pinch. Also, cut up (lengthwise) some old (or new, they be cheap) tire innertubes for tying paddle to iaku. Best not to use duct-tape on your paddle it will leave residue you’ll have to take off with solvent. Best.
Mon, 01/21/2008 - 8:07am
344 Posts
Thanks for the info, apperciated
Shawn Michael
Mon, 01/21/2008 - 11:32am
68 Posts
wait.! what is this a hear about makana ali`i paddles???
Thu, 01/24/2008 - 8:17pm