C-Forum

H2O paddles

http://www.h2opaddles.com/whitewater.php


This isn't a plug or add for them, a friend pointed it out to me and I figured I'd just pass it on.

Looks like Waterstick's design to me... Could that be where the molds went?

Nope, the only connection with Waterstick is that they were both engineered by the same guy, Steve Horvath. The Kayak paddles were designed with input from Billy Harris and Pat Camblin, the C1 paddles, particularly the C1 Team, were designed with input by Vincent Dupont.

The construction is different from Waterstick, the blades are not a glass or carbon reinforced polypro matrix, but injection molded.
Stiffnesswise the blade is in betweenan Acquabound and a Werner, but so far mine has beeen way better wear wise during fall and spring creeking.
The Ci Team ia a great blade for creeking, a bit of flex so it does not break too erasily and really wide at the bottom, so the catch is good even when paddling in shallow water.

martin a.k.a. the great gonzo!

[quote]he only connection with Waterstick is that they were both engineered by the same guy, Steve Horvath[/quote]
thats a pretty big connection.
the only bumber, or i guess qualm i have is the uber funky shape of the C1 team, and that it has a bent shaft that the photo does not show. the other blade looks alright though.
cheers
-isaac

he only connection with Waterstick is that they were both engineered by the same guy, Steve Horvath

thats a pretty big connection.

No it's not as big of a connection as you think, as A) the blade shapes are all quite different from Waterstick and B) the materials are completely different as well. I have had both of them in my hand and believe me, there is virtually no connection.

the only bumber, or i guess qualm i have is the uber funky shape of the C1 team

I first also thought that the shape was a bit out there, but when I talked to Vincent at Moosefest he expleined to me why the shape is the way it is. The width at the bottom is to give you good power in shallow water when you can't enter the full blade in the water. The sidecut is to keep the overall blade surface somewhat down to allow for a high stroke rate. The blade has great power and control, no flutter, ans is awesome for playboating and creeking,. the only drawback it has, compared to some extermely expensive slalom paddles is that there is a bit more resistance when slicing it through the water.
The TEAM paddle is available with a straight as well as a bentshaft, but the bent shaft that is currently available has the bend in the wrong place, i.e. too cl;ose to the blade and is therefore essentially useless. As far as I know it will be replaced by a different bent shaft sometime in the future. The straight shaft is all right though. Pretty much everyone I know who uses an H2O Team C1 paddle got the straight shaft.
I tried one last fall and bought one for my open boat and I liked it so much that I bought another, shorter one for my Finkenmeister C1 to replace my Werner.
The Team is the paddle to have, the blade shape works, at least in my opnion, way better than the regular C1 blade.
The only beef I have with mine so far is that the sticker is shitty, the 2 fell off after a few days, so now I don't have a H2O paddle any more, but, to the amusement of everyone I paddle with, a HO paddle... ...

Martin a.k.a. the great gonzo!

Well, i am somewhat curious since i just broke my second Galasport Magnum in less than a year. Big bummer because i just love that paddle...apparently i am the only person to break the Magnum since they started making them. i might need something even more durable.
Martin, you said injection molded, are these blades plastic, or what?
and what is the weight like?

wha happened? i haven't put any serious damage on mine, granted the bottom wears away a little in shallow paddling, but what happened? shaft or blade broken? do you have the elite magnum, or the regular, i tihnk the regular is stiffer as it has the extra layer of carbon on the outside.
do tell
cheers
-isaac

What about the adjustable joint they talk about.Sure would be nice to have a blade that I can use in all my boats.As well as a breakdown,
Shawn

Larry, yes, the bades are plastic. They feel like they are stiffnesswise about halfway in between an Aquabound and a Werner blade. The carbon shaft that comes standard with the TEAM C1 paddle is very stiff, too stiff for my liking.
Weightwise it feels about the same as my Werner Bandit, at least mine with the glass shaft. The original TEAM C1 with the carbon shaft is somewhat lighter.

thanks martin, i sure wish i could try one.. i like the design theory, but i don't like real stiff shafts...

isaac, i broke the blades of both paddles about 4" from the tip, i guess the tip went between a couple rocks or in a crack, i don't remember the exact moments, so i think they broke a little too easily.. they were the carbon aramid magnum, not the elite.

Larry,the glass shaft is not in their standard program for the TEAM C1 paddle, but if you contact H2O paddles, you may be able to talk them into building one for you with the glass shaft.
Just don't tell them you heard about it from me ...

Squeakyknee, I have not yet seen an H20 paddle with the adjustable joint. I do also have multiple paddles, bepending on the saddle height of my boat...

martin a.k.a. the great gonzo!

larry, so that was right below the reinforcing rib? its a unfortuante circumstance, because i love the catch of mine, and think its a good paddle, but hey, stuff breaks.
hope you have better luck with the next brand you choose.
cheers
-isaac

isaac,
no, actually the rib broke.

well that sucks.