Kayak Paddle

[Dirtyeggroll]

Anything special to consider when choosing a kayak paddle?

 

Seems like there are lots of options.

 

I’ve been looking at Bass Pro / Cabela’s because I have a lot of money in gift cards to use.

 

Do people tend to get a hand paddle and the longer paddle?

 

My kayak is a pedal drive.

[flyfisher]

not having owned a pedal drive kayak, I wouldn't spend a ton of money on a paddle as it will probably be used in emergencies or for minor positioning.  I do know quite a few guys with pedal kayaks who have a small hand paddle like you mentioned. 

I motorized my kayak last spring and still can't break the habit of having a paddle across my lap and using it to move me around a spot while fishing.  

 

[matbellon3]

I would recommend getting a some what decent full size(230-260cm height & kayak width dependent) paddle. I can recommend the Carilisle Magic Plus Angler. They come in at about $120 and have decent blades and a fiber glass shaft. The only downside is they not the lightest paddle but that may not matter as it is not your primary propulsion method. 

[guidoStow]

My new kayak is motorized as well but I keep a paddle clipped in a holder in reserve. Plus it has a ruler marked on the shaft so I can measure fish on it, so I don't need a bump board. One less thing to bring...

[OldManLure]

37 minutes ago, Dirtyeggroll said:

Anything special to consider when choosing a kayak paddle?

 

Seems like there are lots of options.

 

I’ve been looking at Bass Pro / Cabela’s because I have a lot of money in gift cards to use.

 

Do people tend to get a hand paddle and the longer paddle?

 

My kayak is a peddle drive.

I would suggest a properly sized 2-piece.  Since you will probably be using it primarily as a back-up to your pedal drive, I don’t think you need to spend a lot on it.  The Ascend Trek or Ascend Tournament would be good choices.  You can use one of the pieces as a sculling or hand-held paddle to correct your float or adjust your position when fishing.  Again, the most important thing is properly sized.  The wrong length paddle can wear you out.  There are a number of sites on-line that provide sizing guidelines.

[Darth-Baiter]

I also have a pedal drive.  But I paddle quite often.  I stand up and paddle around scanning for cover.  I use the factory Hobie paddle. It’s fine and propels me great. 
 

‘’I want one with a lure retriever hook.  Makes total sense for the snagged lures that are, “juuust right there”

 

 

[schplurg]

I have a "Bending Branches" paddle but I bought it when I was in a "paddle only" kayak. I keep that in my pedal drive yak now, along with a tiny one-handed paddle I made.

 

I've only used the big paddle to get through thick vegetation, and a few times while standing. I go entire days without touching it.

[Dirtyeggroll]

Its probably a big waste of money but I am going to get this YakGear Backwater Assassin Carbon Fiber Paddle.

 

I'll do a review. I will agree its hot penny to drop for a kayak paddle, but since I've got to use the points, why not?

 

https://www.basspro.com/shop/en/yakgear-backwater-assassin-carbon-fiber-hybrid-kayak-paddles

 

[J Francho]

I bought this paddle years ago, before getting a pedal drive Hobie Compass.  Many retailers peddle them. ?

 

https://www.atpaddles.com/us/paddles/oracle-carbon

[gunsinger]

Just now, J Francho said:

I bought this paddle years ago, before getting a pedal drive Hobie Compass.  Many retailers peddle them. ?

 

https://www.atpaddles.com/us/paddles/oracle-carbon

I see what you did there ?

[Dirtyeggroll]

11 minutes ago, J Francho said:

I bought this paddle years ago, before getting a pedal drive Hobie Compass.  Many retailers peddle them. ?

 

https://www.atpaddles.com/us/paddles/oracle-carbon

I am going to blame dictation for my original error. However, in reality it was just a hurriedly-typed post. Good catch.

 

I am limiting my purchase to bass pro. 
 

specific paddle recommendations, im not really looking for unless they are offered at Bass Pro. More looking for concepts/principles to keep in mind when looking.

 

Alerting me to the importance of sizing so far has been helpful. 

[CountryboyinDC]

I think that most people would be better off with a paddle with the normal shaft than hand paddles.  I'm making the assumption that you're speaking of the paddles that have relatively normally shaped blades with short handles attached to each blade (whitewater paddlers use pieces of kayak hull with handhold made out of tubular webbing). 

 

If you're using your paddle on a pedal drive, most likely you're 1) in water too shallow for your pedal drive to work 2) needing to maneuver in a way the pedal drive/rudder can't, or 3) are paddling back because your pedal drive failed.  None of these warrants a great deal of consideration or really expensive paddle, IMHO.  I would say a aluminum- shafted, molded plastic-bladed paddle should do the job.  It will be heavier than the more expensive paddles, but it will last forever, and considering the use is the appropriate implement.  You probably don't need to sweat sizing too much, just go to one of the paddle manufactures' sites on sizing and get the size that fits within their parameters.  

[J Francho]

I don't see anything at BPS that I'd want to use.  Full carbon fiber is the way to go.  I'm not sure about those hook things.  I can't say I've ever wanted something like that.  I will say once I went with a bent shaft paddle, I have a very hard time using anything else.  Bonus: it doesn't roll when you lay it across your lap.

 

Skulling paddles seem like a good idea in theory, but I carried one in my boat for a full season, and never once used it.

[CountryboyinDC]

4 minutes ago, J Francho said:

I will say once I went with a bent shaft paddle, I have a very hard time using anything else.  Bonus: it doesn't roll when you lay it across your lap.

I don't have one for fishing, but I have a bent shaft Werner Powerhouse that I got last year.  I was hoping it would help with the wrist pain (one of the geezer things that's cropped up recently).  I like many things about it, but it does force you to hold your hands a certain place on the paddle shaft, which is not exactly where I'd have made it.  It's a little heavier, although the paddle woukd be considered pretty heavy by touring/fishing standards anyway.  None of the cool (read sub-30 y/o) kids use one.  Probably not a big deal in most cases, but I don't think they break down, do they (almost no whitewater paddle does, unless it's going to be carried as a spare)?

 

Definitely don't think he needs a full on CF paddle for what he's likely to use it for.  If you're going a long ways under paddle power, sure.

[Dirtyeggroll]

15 minutes ago, J Francho said:

I don't see anything at BPS that I'd want to use.  Full carbon fiber is the way to go.  I'm not sure about those hook things.  I can't say I've ever wanted something like that.  I will say once I went with a bent shaft paddle, I have a very hard time using anything else.  Bonus: it doesn't roll when you lay it across your lap.

 

Skulling paddles seem like a good idea in theory, but I carried one in my boat for a full season, and never once used it.

The skulling ? paddle has fallen out of favor since collecting the scalps of your foes is no longer acceptable. (Couldn’t help myself).

 

I don’t know much about sculling, do you mean a hand-type paddle? Or the form of the blade in your reference.

[J Francho]

1 minute ago, Dirtyeggroll said:

I don’t know much about sculling, do you mean a hand-type paddle? Or the form of the blade in your reference.

This is a sculling paddle.  I actually fished a wooden prototype sent by the maker that sold the design to this company:

 

https://www.basspro.com/shop/en/backwater-assault-hand-paddle

[Jmilburn76]

IMHO regardless of what brand of paddle you get I would make sure you get the correct length depending on your height as well as your kayaks width. In a worst case scenario that your pedal drive breaks and you are a good way out and need to paddle back you want the correct size.   https://kayakaddicts.com/kayak-paddle-length/

[J Francho]

That's a well written article, with fairly accurate sizing charts.  One thing that has to be considered is seat height along with the torso height of the paddler.  I typically run my adjustable paddle at 230 cm, but in my Commander 140 in the captain's perch, I go to 240 cm.

[bulldog1935]

No question a cost-effective back-up paddle is what you want. 

Note that wood, glass or carbon shaft flexes less than aluminum, so more of your energy goes into moving the boat. 

 

If paddling distance is your goal, paddle = Werner. 

No paddle blades enter and leave the water more efficiently. 

Werner's glass blade paddles are the best buy out there. 

Bent shaft is nice because it indexes your hand position for maximum efficiency - but it adds weight. 

I have one of these in touring blade shape (Camano), and used that position to index grips on my straight-carbon-shaft high-power Werner Coryveckan. 

Note that full-carbon bent shaft and straight shaft + glass-blade Werner weigh exactly the same. 

 

 

[Bankc]

1 hour ago, Jmilburn76 said:

IMHO regardless of what brand of paddle you get I would make sure you get the correct length depending on your height as well as your kayaks width. In a worst case scenario that your pedal drive breaks and you are a good way out and need to paddle back you want the correct size.   https://kayakaddicts.com/kayak-paddle-length/

I actually prefer a bit longer paddle for fishing kayaks than what's typically recommended.  The reason being, I use mine while standing, for pushing off things, unsnagging lures, and moving branches around me quite often.  Since my kayak is motorized, I don't use it as a traditional paddle as often as I use it for other things.  That's just personal preference though.  

 

One thing I would recommend, is get one with a fiberglass, wood, or carbon fiber handle.  On hot sunny days, the last thing you want is to grab a metal pole that's been baking in the sun.  And on cold winter days, the last thing you want is a cold metal pole that sucks all of the heat out of your hands.  And you probably don't need the world's most expensive paddle if you're not going to be using it as your primary source of power.  But don't go too cheap either.  If you discover you need your paddle, and your paddle breaks, you're in trouble.  

[Choporoz]

I also pedal.

I can count on one hand the number of times I paddled these last three years.  So I swapped my decent paddle with a 'less decent' paddle we had around simply because it has fluorescent green blades; that was more important to me than any other aspect of the paddles.  I always carry a hand paddle, as well...and that does get a bit more use.

[OldManLure]

39 minutes ago, Choporoz said:

I also pedal.

I can count on one hand the number of times I paddled these last three years.  So I swapped my decent paddle with a 'less decent' paddle we had around simply because it has fluorescent green blades; that was more important to me than any other aspect of the paddles.  I always carry a hand paddle, as well...and that does get a bit more use.

Experience is a wonderful teacher.

[fishwizzard]

I also have a peddle yak and keep both a full paddle and a hand paddle on the boat with me. 

 

The full paddle I use for launching/landing and when moving through thick sav that will jam my prop.  It's also good as a push-pole when I forget to watch the tides and get stuck shallow.  I have a cheaper Al one for this reason.  

 

The hand paddle I don't use very much anymore, I did use it for launch/landing but it's a lot more annoying then just dealing with the full sized one strapped to the hull the entire trip.  I don't even think I could move the yak effectively with just it so I might ditch it this season and see if I miss it.  

[Koz]

I have a pedal kayak as well and I did purchase a cheap $75 paddle as well. The only time I really use it is when launching or coming in to dock as I don't drop the pedal drive until I'm in deeper water. Other than that, it stays strapped to the side of my kayak.

 

I may regret that if I ever have a breakdown, but I also carry a steel cable and a padlock just in case I break down and have to tie the kayak up somewhere and hoof it back to my launch point.

[bulldog1935]

My boat-rich buddy also has Hobies, but his kayaks go back to Aquaterra Kahuna. 

We fish many places too skinny for pedal drives. 

After one such trip, using the Hobie back-up paddle that comes with the boat, he instead began taking his nice wood paddle for back-up, and for all its paddling qualities. 

Don't confuse a good wood paddle with a cheap one- they are extremely light. 

He has two that he bought on close-out.