C-Forum

Quick question I've started to ponder, what is a good paddle length for a C1? I am 6'3" and my C1 is a Dagger Centrifuge with about a 5-5.5" saddle, what is a proper paddle length?

pdown2 wrote:Quick question I've started to ponder, what is a good paddle length for a C1? I am 6'3" and my C1 is a Dagger Centrifuge with about a 5-5.5" saddle, what is a proper paddle length?

59-7/8th's of on inch... but I'm totally guessing.

beg, borrow or steal a coupla' sticks and figger it owt.

gud luck

Craig's guess is a good start. Lugbill and Hearn sat lower, were shorter, but used roughly 59" paddles.

I am very tall in the torso and use a similar pedestal height to yours, and I use a 61.5" paddle.

depends more on torso and arm length, than length of inseam or overall height

I remember reading somewhere (maybe on here) that Robin Bell, who is 6'3''or4'' uses a 59.something. It really is true that what length you use depends on your torso height.

Wow, I'm glad I asked. I was going to look at a shorter stick. Learn something new every day.

I have a long torso also. 5-10. I paddle with a 6 and 7 inch saddle, and I really like a 56 inch paddle.

good luck

meant to post this link:

http://cboats.net/cforum/viewtopic.php? ... highlight=

I am 6'3" as well. I use a 58" paddle in an OC1 but only a 56" or 54" paddle in a C1. Maybe short sticking is the way to go...

Your paddle needs to be long enough to get the blade entirely in the water on an offside draw. Which may feel about an inch or two longer than you need for everything else. I started with a 56, move to a 58, and now want to go to 60. The more i try to use what i hope is good technique, the more i think a longer paddle is better. I feel like the shorter paddle discourages keeping the t-grip hand high and fixed for leverage and encourages less efficient paddling.

It was easier to get comfortable crossing over with the shorter paddle, though.

nah, short paddles are the way to go!
really though.. don't sweat it. whatever feels good to you is the correct length. the only people that freak out about it are the slalom ninnies .
start with a 58 and try other paddles whenever you can. a good paddle isn't going to last too long anyways.
i started medium, then thought i liked em longer, then shorter, now i'm back to medium. whatever.

Larry, 61.5 is short, for me!

so with the recent changes in boat design, and the overall evolution to how we are doing gates, shorter paddles are more and more frequent. you can't name one person on the national team from CAN or USA who hasn't shortened their saddle and/or paddle in the last 6 months. the longest paddle on the team os 58 and tad is 6'2". then again, the tallest saddle is 3"... People are using their top arm a whole lot differently, and so the shorter paddle allows a different form of drive from the pull. Pretty cool. My sticks before my surgery were all 59.5", and when I get back in the boat here in 19 days, I'll be rocking a 58.5".
food for thought.
Skaal
-isaac

What surgery?

January 22nd I had a bankhart slap (sp, I don't have my file.) on my shoulder so the front and back of my labrum (aka joint packet) was arthroscopically fully shredded, and then sewn back together with little metal rings... So i have been out of the boat for a little while.. But the three month mark is just around the corner. It's conveniently the week before Senior Trials. So if by some random act of god, Team Trials was moved to the Feeder, I may stand a chance, but as it is, I'll be down. But on flat water. I am super excited to get back on the water and I have a new boat to do it in!
Skaal
-isaac