Paddle length study

[Atucky]

I'd like to conduct a little poll-study here to see the correlation between paddle length and canoer height/inseam. I think it's also important to include boat information here. I know saddle height could be a factor, but I think those 4 factors are enough. So, I'll start:

Paddle length/boat- 58" spanish fly, ultra clean, cascade


Canoer height- 5' 10"

Canoer inseam- 30"

I'm thinking about possibly getting a shorter paddle for my C1's, just curious as to what other people use. I know it mainly boils down to canoer preferance.

On a side note. Notice my use of the term "Canoer". I've decided to use this across the board in my vocabulary when refering to paddlers. This is in direct retaliation of the kayakers I know always calling paddlers kayakers. For some reason, that drives me nuts.

AdamT

[TomAnon]

Interresting thread, I'll play!

Boats: Atom, Loco (5.75" pedestal), + a few more C1's
Paddle Length: 57.25"

OC1 Mohawk (old) Challenger
Paddle length: 60"

Canoer height: 5'11"
Inseam: 30"

[the great gonzo]

Here are my paddle lengths:

Acrobat, Sith Pagan, Wheelboy (saddle height between 4 and 5.5"):
54 " paddle

Finkenmeister, Noah Amerika C2 (saddle ~7.5"): 56"

Prelude (saddle~8.5 to 9"): 58"

Heigtht: 6'1"

Inseam: 36"

martin a.k.a. the great gonzo!

[bearboater]

loco, zealot saddles 5": 60.5 inches.
finkenmeister saddle 6.5": 58 inches
fluid flirt saddle 6": 55.5 inches

height: 6'2"
inseam: 34"
arm length 36"
I think we should also add arm length, because it is such an integral part of this choice for most paddlers. like for me, I have a relatively small inseam, and a tall torso. ectomorph i believe is the term.
prost
-isaac

[Craig Smerda]

Always used a 57"...but was having shoulder and rib issues in the C1... fine in the OC's. Bailey (Clinch River) just called me the other day and should have my 54"-er done in a few weeks to C1 with... looking forward to that. It'll be interesting to see what difference 3" makes in the boat.

[noobopenboater]

ahh, nice thread. Im a noob so this helps me see what others my size use, im still trying to figure out what works for me.

Impulse 12'8", 9" pedestal, 58" padle
outrage 12' , 6.5 -7(cant stand the pain with this one but its a borrowed boat) same paddle

canoer 72"
inseam 34"

[Paddle Power]

CBoats: Esquif Vertige, Mohawk Viper, Wavesport EZ (C1)

Paddle: (aquabound edges) C1 56", OC 57 3/4" & 58"
Paddle: (maxwell, ergo shaft) OC 56"

Canoeist Ht 5' 10", inseam 33"

FYI
ca·noe·ist n
somebody who canoes, especially as a hobby or a sport

Encarta® World English Dictionary © 1999 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved. Developed for Microsoft by Bloomsbury Publishing Plc.

[yarnellboat]

I'm about 5'10" with a 30" inseam too.

OC my paddles are about 57 and 58". For C1, I've gone shorter, to about 54-55".

PY.

[jnorto01]

Great thread!

I'm 5'11'', inseam 32, average arm lenght I guess.

I am currently using a Galasport 3M at 60.5 for my Zoom and my Shaman, both with 8'' saddles. Had been using a 61 Sawyer Stingray (great shape, bad quality) and a 60 Werner Bandit.

The Werner Bandit has worn away to about 58.5 and I am using that with my C-boats. Wavesport X, Cruise Control (glass low volume cut) and a Concept Rage slalom boat all with 6'' saddles.

I'm probably gonna get a 54-56" paddle for the X and the Cruise Control.

[kneeler]

Boats: Small playboats
Saddle: ~ 6.5"
Height: 6'1"
Inseam: 32"
Paddle: 58"

[sdbrassfield]

Boats: Dagger - Quake (8'10"), Ovation (11'), Prophet (11'10"), and Impulse (12'8")

Saddle Heights: 7.5" to 8.5"

Height:6'1", Inseam:34", Girth:Unspecified

Paddles: 54.5", 56" and 57" (ZRE, Mitchell, Werner)

Use the shorter sticks w/ the Quake and Ovation and progress up from there as the boats get bigger...

[driftwood]

I have not paddled that long so you guys info is probably more interesting to me than mine is to you, but here it is anyway

I am 5' 10'' with a 30 inch inseam

Paddles are 56'' werner and a 56.5'' wood stick I made

I paddle an esquif detonator and a drakkar Wheelboy both have the stock saddle in.

The wheelboy is new and I am just getting used to it. I also have two new ash paddle blanks, any suggestions on how long my new paddles should be in order to best fit my new C1 play boat/

wood

[Bob P]

Boats: Slalom C1, Hornet, Reaktor, Spark

Saddle: 5.5"-6.5"

Height: 5'7"

Inseam: 28"

Paddle: 56.5"

[cheajack]

Ht: 5'8"
Inseam: 33"
Sleeve: 33"
Saddle Ht: 7 1/4" all boats
Boats: WS Z, Dagger GT 8.1 = Mitchell 56.5"
Ocoee, Caption = Mitchell 58"
I'm choked up pretty good in the open boats, may need to go to a longer stick

[squeakyknee]

Boats: Zephyr, wheelboy, H3,

6'2",

inseam 33"

Saddles: 7", 8", 6.5"

Paddle length: 57" Mitchell, 58" Aquabound, 56" Viking
usually use the 57" for everything