Curved blade versus flat blade

[Lennart]

The high kneelers are experiemening a lot the last years in the area of bladeshapes.
One of them:
http://www.lettmann.de/catalog/product_ ... cts_id/673" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

There is no best paddle at the moment. I see flats, curved, wings , ect.

I paddle a curved blade on whitewater. that is because It is my first and it was cheap. If it breaks I need to think about a new one. Getting the right lenght and feel is I think more important then if the paddle is curved or not.

have fun paddling

[the great gonzo]

I have gone (almost) full circle when it comes to paddles. My first sticks were, after quickly ditching the Carlisle style aluminum and plastic ones, Grey Owl Hammerhead and C1 paddles with flat blades. I then went through Werner Bandit, Aquabound Edge, Echo Creek Stick and H2O team paddles. In Costa Rica I used an Esquif (made by Ophion, I believe) a fair bit. They are all curved paddles.
But by far my favorite is the JimiStik. I got two of them, one a 54" light layup for squirt and play and then a 58 with a guide stick layup for creeking. These sticks go, to a large extent, against conventional wisdom in paddle building. the blade is flat, not curved, with a symmetrical dihedral on both faces. The blade is rather small and the entire bottom is one big curve, not straight as with most others. While there is a slight loss in power, I never found it to be a concern, I barely notice it when switching backfrom a larger bladed curved paddle. what I do notice however, particularly with the light 54, is the blisteringly fast stroke rate it allows me. I also like the 'soft' catch of the rounded bottom, no 'slamming of joints and muscles here. . The best feature is the the smoothness of the blade, no other paddle I ever tried has anywhere near the smoothness when slicing it through the water for underwater recovery or for control strokes. It is also absolutely free of any lutter and wobble.
While I admit that for applications like racing a curved or spooned shape is best to get the last little bit of power out of a blade, for someone like me who spends almost every day on the water, having a smooth paddle is way more important.

TGG!

[Paddle Power]

http://cboats.net/images/paddles/jimistick2.jpg" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[arhdc]

This thread has been going for I while but I might as well add my take on this also.

I have not been through as many paddles as many but I find that I consistently prefer curved blades to straight ones. As many have noted curved blade paddles just seem to flow better in the water for me. A true paddle work of art like a RiverStix paddle may very well flow even better but I have yet to get one of those.

The roll/low brace question is an interesting one for me. I actually think there may be advantages rolling and bracing with a curved blade as the curve makes the blade more perpendicular to the surface of the water. This is more true with open boats than C1's because the seating position is generally higher and you can't move your hands as low.

[boatbuster]

I actually think there may be advantages rolling and bracing with a curved blade as the curve makes the blade more perpendicular to the surface of the water. This is more true with open boats than C1's because the seating position is generally higher and you can't move your hands as low.

The whole question is one of personal preference as I said early in this thread, however from my experience rolling open boats with a flat vs. curved blade, this is not the case. The flat blade makes rolling much easier. I also believe its symmetry makes it preferable for all strokes except the forward stroke. Once again, all personal preference, but there is no way rolling an open boat is easier with a curved blade, unless you flip the paddle.

[Walsh]

I have gone full circle on blade design. A year ago, my favorite blade of all time was the Galasport 3m, followed by Viking, and then the Mitchell curved Premier. All three are nearly identical at the catch, but the Galasport's back face behaved better during more complex strokes and in-water recoveries. Today I am really digging Jim Snyder's philosophy - there is a huge difference between a 5-minute slalom race and boating all day.

In any event, blade shape ought to have minimal impact on rolling, except for the feedback you get when you are in the process of setting up. The only real difference I can feel between paddles, when rolling, is their length - and even that is minimal. If you are relying on a really aggressive blade catch to roll, I think it's safe to say you are too dependent on your paddle, and your roll won't work relieably in turbulent water.

[TheKrikkitWars]

You're UK based right? If you're paddling in N. Wales give me a bell... I can definately let you try some paddles and am always keen to paddle with another canoeist, I've got a Full-Carbon DD Turbine, Wooden Mitchell premier and could probably borrow one of the top of the line Robson quantum's too with some notice.

Those are some of the better Curved blade paddles on the market... Though none are very common in the UK unfortunately.

[phreon]

Forgive me if this is an ignorant question. Assuming equal shaft flex, length, etc., how could a curved blade paddle be easier on the joints unless it has a softer catch or otherwise more slip in the water than an equivalent flat blade?

[kaz]

Phreon, that's a very good question.
I think it the paddle shaft material that make people think it's easier on their joints.

[ezwater]

Phreon, my old Mitchell has a curved blade that is rather flexible, and softens the impact of the catch. The carbon shaft is also a bit flexy, but I think it contributes less to softening catch impact than does the blade. The blade is glass faced rather than carbon.

[phreon]

Hmm... That's something to ponder. My main whitewater paddles are a 58" Grey Owl Hammerhead and 56" Aquabound Edge carbon. Nothing particularly special but extreme opposites. I've been asked if the Hammerhead is a rafting paddle.

I have a hard time liking the Edge because it feels like it just mushes through the water compared to the Hammerhead, which is a club with a rock hard catch and surprisingly little shaft flex for a a wood paddle. It wears me out because I'm using it to paddle like hades.

If I could find a tough flat blade paddle (suck-boater bashing it into things) with some flex but less than the Edge and easier than the Hammerhead on catch while still feeling planted and reasonably light, I'd jump on it.

Doug

[whistlepig]

I replaced my Mitchell (carbon shaft and flat straght blade) with a Mitchell curved Premier (wood shaft and wood blade). I really like the paddle but frequently I feel and hear a high frequency flutter or rip under water when transitioning quickly from my offside back to onside. Has anyone else noticed this?

[Kelly-Rand]

I feel and hear a high frequency flutter or rip under water when transitioning quickly from my offside back to onside. Has anyone else noticed this?

Yes, when new this is common, but it went away and I have not experienced it in recent memory. My Mitchell is 13 years old, so maybe like a plaster trowel it has worn to fit my style. I have re-finished it every other year since I got it in 2003.

Time to wear it in.