paddle math, turning apples into oranges

[ohioboater]

Take two paddles of the same overall length. One has a 21" blade, the other a 19" blade. Do they feel the same in the water, height wise, or will the one with the shorter blade feel like it's actually 2" longer?

Real world example:

56" Werner Rec has 21.4" blade, 34.6" shaft
56" Bandit has 19.3" blade, 36.7" shaft
57" Mohawk has 20" blade and 37" shaft

I own the Rec and Mohawk, and the Mohawk feels much taller than the 1" overall length difference would indicate. So, am I right that a 56" Bandit would feel similar to a 58" Werner Rec, in terms of where the T Grip ends up in relation to the shoulder?

I do realize that different blade sizes will have different catch/feel in the water. I'm just trying to figure out the ergonomics/length without having access to a bunch of paddles to compare in person.

[John Coraor]

Assuming that you grip the shaft at the same distance above the blade, shaft length will be a better guide in selecting the proper paddle than overall length when switching among models/manufacturers with different blade lengths. However, with a uniform shaft length, changes in blade length CAN have an impact on cross strokes and, to a lesser extent, on the recovery since those are the two times that the entire paddle length comes into play. This is more of a potential issue if you are switching to a longer blade than the other way around. In your case, I would say go for the same shaft length as what you currently find comfortable.