UCD Canoe Club
Boats and Gear => Buy and Sell => Topic started by: Karen on October 09, 2008, 14:34:35
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I'm looking to buy a set of paddles. I'm looking to spend not more than 100euros, would anyone have anything?
Or should I just but first hand? ??? ??? ???
Advice also welcome! :)
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I would recommend getting paddles first hand (if you can afford them). I know they are more expensive etc but at least you know their history. A lot of times paddles break it is because of all the abuse they have been through on rivers. Also you have the advantage of customising the shaft lenght and paddle angle to suit yourself. I have the same tempest since Summer 99 and they are still going strong ( I have probally jinxed myself now)
I found that I reduced the tendonitis in my wrist by going to a smaller feather angle of 30 degrees. I also had a preference for only one aggressive grip for my right hand. You also get the option of the best shaft length ( I know somebody will make this sound filthy)
Try a few peoples paddles out and see if there are some your prefer. I have a spare 45 degree pair at home if you want to try them
Joxer
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Hey Karen,
The most important thing about paddles is that there right for you and that you try as many as you can to find the specifications you want. There are plenty on factors that can personalise a paddle to the paddler and fine tuning your paddle specifications can take years to get right. However there a basic ones take you can play around with when buying your first.
The first thing you need to know is wether your a play boater, river runner or you don't know yet!
Blade type:
There are two basic blade shapes. the first blade is designed for instant power from the stroke and for paddle strokes around the bow. this is show in the following image.
(http://www.wernerpaddles.com/images/paddles/whitewater/premium/thumbs/Side_Kick.jpg)
These blades are commonly used in play boating, however river runners tend to like them if there style involves plenty of short snappy strokes.
The second design, show below, is more suited to river running/creeking.
(http://www.wernerpaddles.com/images/paddles/whitewater/premium/thumbs/Powerhouse.jpg)
This design of blade offers more even power from the start of the stroke to when blade is pulled from the water.
Blade design is the most important one to play around with and try other peoples paddles.
Blade Size
Too big a blade will be difficult to pull through the water and may cause muscle injury. Too small a blade will mean too weak a stroke to move your boat to where you want to go.
Baiscally ask your self 'how strong am I?' then choose between small medium or large.
Shaft diameter
People with small hands can get paddle shafts with a small diameter. This allows a fuller grip around the shaft.
Try this out. you don't even need to take the paddles out on the water. just see how various diamters feel in your hand when your in the shop.
Shaft type
Straight shaft or crank. Straight shaft paddles are cheaper. Cranks are more expensive but offer more comfort. people debate if the cost is worth it but i think there great.
This one is really just a cost based choice.
Paddle length
The lenght range on paddles is from 185-205cm, however the typical length is 190-197cm. Short paddles tend to be for playboaters as can be side ways, upside down, spinning etc and paddles can get in the way. Long paddles tend to be for river running/creeking. Longer paddles offer more stability and power.
Smaller/petite should try lower down on the scale, while bigger stronger people should be higher on the scale.
For example, if your small and into playboating try 190cm, if your bigger and into river running try 197cm, or 193/4cm can be middle of the road.
Its important to try this one on the river and remember a couple of cm can make a huge difference.
Feather
This is the angle between the blades. Club blades are always 90deg, however this feather is only useful in very windy conditions. For whitewater paddlers 45deg to 5deg is typical, however up near 45 deg is more popular. 45 deg offers more comfort than a club blade as there is less rotation of your right hand.
5 deg paddles are very specialised and offer no rotation of your right hand . However it is very difficult to paddle with any other angle once your used to this tight angle. To be honest i paddle with zero feather before and its not all its craic'd up to be.
Safety
Not a big consideration of beginners/intermediates however for advanced paddler on grade 5 rivers its is very important to have a strong paddle.
the grade 5 envirnment can be harsh on a paddle and i have seen some horrible grade 5 swims because of broken paddles.
Rough stuff have given themselves a bad name in recent years for reliability of there paddles, however brands like werner and AT are bomb proof.
Overall Cost
expensive blades means that if you lose you paddle its a right kickin the stones.
Second hand blades
I wouldn't recommend second blades for grade 4 rivers as you don't know where they've been.
Also as paddles can be personalised, it may be hard to fined the exact paddle you want.
However, if you find the paddle you want and your happy with the condition go for it.
Hope this helps, theres alot in there and to be honest there's not much out there for 100 yoyo. i recken for 150 you could find what you want and get it brand new.
Tom
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Tom,
Much better explanation than what I had. You moving to dublin yet
John
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Karen,
Claire has paddles she's more then willing to sell cheaply as they haven't been used in about 2 years. They're pretty old but in good knick. They're rough stuff either kinetics or tempests. I have no idea about feather or any of that but they're pretty nice to paddle with. I've been out of the world of second hand gear for a while so if anyone would like to suggest a fair price we'll go with it!
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so basically you're selling off your sisters paddles for whatever price you're offered!??? do you think i could get away with that? caoimhe wouldn't mind right??
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if anyone would like to suggest a fair price we'll go with it!
€20 opening bid - Karen I'll sell you these for €30 ;D
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Deal!!
Thanks for all the info everyone!
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at bit off topic here, but i'm just wondering, does anyone else get blisters from their paddles? everytime i go out i end up with them on the inside of my thumbs and also on the inside of my middle finger. they're very sore and annoying, and i've tried loosening my grip when i paddle but that hasn't seemed to make a difference. are there any tricks out there to prevent getting them? or is it just a case that i don't paddle often enough to get used to the paddles on my hands.
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yeh me and holly used to get em from club blades....
eeewwwww see hollys thumb.... ewww (I love you holly xx :))
(http://file006b.bebo.com/large/2006/03/05/14/4341576a374468503b640137044l.jpg)
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Blisters should ease over time paddling, I never got them but I never got them when I rowed either? My advice is to look at how you grip the paddle, is the shaft to big? Is there any rough spots on it.Are you allowing the right hand to move instead of staying solid, there are a huge number of reasons. Then get yourself a good handcream like that norwegian one for fishermen. Don't burst the blister let them heal on there own that should help toughen them up.
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The story with blisters . . . .
Blisters are cuased by chaffing of the paddle on your hands. if you get blisters on your right, its because your grip is too loose. the reason for this is that there is relative motion between your thumb and the paddle causing the friction rub.
On your left hand a blister is caused by the rotation on the left blade on your hand. You will develop callices on your thumbs over time, but a paddles with grips on the shaft increase the friction on the paddle shaft and doesn't help. Also a large feather on the paddle means more rotation of the shaft through your hand.
So in summary, stronger grip on your right hand, with a smooth surface on the left hand end of the paddle shaft, and low feather on the paddle. This should reduce blisters.
Tom
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blisters is a great song!!!! im not sure that it was played over the weekend :( or was i just too drunk to notice???
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there was definitely blisters on friday i was on table! :)
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huh!!
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Don't worry Towel, while Asho was on the table,you were on Fat Pete...
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yes i definately recall blisters being played on the friday night. thanks for the advice, i will try and take it into account. right now i have four of the buggers from paddling last weekend >:( owie.
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Caz,
I think that if you use handcream on your hands you are more likely to get more blisters cos your skin will be softer and wil prevent, to a certain degree, the formation of calluses.
I find that if you use methylated spirits you can toughen up your skin to prevent getting more blisters, but then your skin will be hard. So just use it on the small areas that you tend to get blisters. These are usually the palmar aspect of the knuckles and the middle aspect of the middle bone in the thumb.
Hope this helps.
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well i don't use any hand creams or anything like that, i apply comfrey ointment to them after paddling where i get blisters though. the problem is i have ultra-sensitive skin and also very small hands, so the paddles are probably bigger than they should be.
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Caz, unfortunately for most people it is just a case of suck it up until your hands develop the necessary calluses. YOur smaller hands probably would allow some extra movement to occur due the shaft being to wide for you. Long term I'd look at trading up to something more comfortable, Werner do offer a small shaft diameter for just this situation. What you could try in the interim is to apply a small amount of board wax to the point you hold your shaft ,might cut down on some of the excess slippin that can occur. Also if I remember correctly you have new type rough stuff blades with a blue shaft, it looks like the finish on some of those was quite rough, this might help smooth out some of the inconsistencies. The best thing of all about it is that if it doesn't work you can just rinse it off with hot water.
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Slightly different from the blisters problem, but what about bruises developing between the two middle fingers on one's left hand? I seem to always get them and it can be quite sore when I forget they're there. Is this also do to incorrect grip or is it just some oddness of my hands?
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i've never seen bruises on fingers from paddles. it might have something to do with the way you are holding yours.
i'd recommend you go for a set of werner players. you can get them for €250 in i-canoe, which isnt too bad. i think they're one of the best paddles you can get, and all the cool kids have them these days ;D
i never have any problem with blisters with my werners, except for the odd small one
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Getting blisters on your hands has been directly linked to excessive application of certain types of jelly. My advice is to calm down on the jelly.
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NEVER!! you can't have ice-cream without jelly - everyone knows that. anyways, if something is giving you blisters i doubt its bein caused by jelly. ::)
seeing as i have some board wax handy at home i'll give that a try, can't do any harm anyway. thanks for the advice.
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what about bruises developing between the two middle fingers on one's left hand?
Do you have a ring on your middle finger that might be causing it?
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No, no rings. Nope, this is just under the fingers, the squishy fleshy bit above the palm, below fingers. Only on my right hand. It's probably just bad grip. I'll play around with it and hopefully it will go away...
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the squishy fleshy bit above the palm,
is that the medical term for it? :D
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Yup, I had to check my anatomy atlas for that one.
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they are called fat pads. not phat pads like no. 8 kingston grove but fat pads.