Should it be identical to OC-1 paddle, shorter longer ?
Submitted by paddle_easy on Sun, 05/10/2009 - 8:38am
Should it be identical to OC-1 paddle, shorter longer ?
Submitted by paddle_easy on Sun, 05/10/2009 - 8:38am
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Usually a lot shorter is what I've heard. A friend of mine used a 51 in the OC1 but like a 48 or something in his V1.
Hiro would probably know better to confirm this though.
#1 Sun, 05/10/2009 - 4:38pm
Shorter and double bend for v1
#2 Sun, 05/10/2009 - 4:54pm
My friend from Tahiti was just up here watching us race and was commenting on how short everyone's paddles were...
I use the same on my V1 as on an OC1...
But I know I wouldn't use longer... Possibly 1/2 inch to an inch shorter.
#3 Sun, 05/10/2009 - 5:52pm
When you paddle, the lenght of the shaft should be so that the T-top is level with your eyes or your forehead, not higher.
#4 Mon, 05/11/2009 - 9:01am
much mahalo for the input.
#5 Mon, 05/11/2009 - 2:30pm
I don't know about v-1, but when paddling oc-1 rudderless, I prefer a much longer paddle. To each his or her own. If you check out the Olympic C-1 paddlers, their shafts extend over their heads and are straight. Unbelivable with all the outrigger paddlers there are, the last Hawaii paddler to excel in C-1 was Wyatt. Perhaps we better start encouraging our na opio to paddle without rudder and to shed the ama too in order to produce more Olympians?
#6 Tue, 05/12/2009 - 9:48am
Sprint canoe paddles are longer because the paddler is higher above the water and they are sprinting. I'd hate to use one of those paddles for a couple of hours, my shoulders hate me for even thinking about it. Apparently you can use a bent shaft paddle, but from what I've seen most paddlers don't or have really minor bends.
I thought the idea was to get outrigger into the Olympics?
#7 Tue, 05/12/2009 - 10:31am
You're right anowara, shoulders are the main concern.
#8 Tue, 05/12/2009 - 12:49pm
So Hiro C. for a 6'3 guy who paddles a 53 in oc6 and currently a 51 in oc1 you may say go down to a 50 or 49? I know there are some other variables but slightly shorter is more common?
#9 Tue, 05/19/2009 - 12:34pm
I think some of the French Olympic C1 team showed up at the Tahiti world sprints. They used their C1 paddles but did not do to well. They were not fast out of the blocks.
In NZ we paddle with the same length paddle with or without rudder. There are those that prefer a wider blade and less of a degree but I have never seen anyone go shorter or longer when changing from rudder to rudderless.
#10 Tue, 05/19/2009 - 12:59pm
oc: Where they kneeling or sitting? If they could kneel, even on one or two knees, I'm quite sure they would have done better? I've tried using a 68 inch length SUP paddle on my oc-1, and let me tell you, it is a work out.
#11 Tue, 05/19/2009 - 2:36pm
I'm afraid we don't measure paddles the same way...
Mine is 23/48/81 i.e. width of blade=23cm (9") ; length of blade=48cm (18"7/8) ; length of shaft (without blade)=81cm (31"7/8)...
Length of shaft is what matters : When blade fully in the water, T-top shouldn't be higher than forehead. So optimal length depends on how high you are seating (height of seat above water), it also depends on paddler morphology (long or short trunk).
Some people here have different paddles for their V1 seat are lower than V6 seats.
I always use the same paddle and if I find the shaft is too long I just add some microcell foam to sit higher and that's ok.
#12 Tue, 05/19/2009 - 9:06pm
Measuring the just the shaft is definitely the more accurate way to measure. And there is a trend in having different size blades for different tasks (sprinting, distance, training, V1, V6 etc...).
Thanks for bringing that up Hiro.
#13 Tue, 05/19/2009 - 10:13pm
Do you have the blade perpendicular to the water surface when measuring, the shaft perpendicular to the water surface? What do you do for a double bend paddle. Maybe a couple pictures would help on this? Thanks Hiro!
#14 Wed, 05/20/2009 - 5:12am
We don't measure anything in the water, we paddle.
Lenght of shaft is written on the paddle, so if you find that it's too long, i.e. T-top over head high, you just order a shorter.
Usualy we just go and talk with the paddle maker, bringing a paddle we like or one we dislike and talk with him...
#15 Wed, 05/20/2009 - 3:52pm