Thanks so much for your reply about the scarph joint. My experience w/ lots of glue-up and scarphing is as an amature wooden boat builder, mostly. I live in Alaska w/ family in Oregon who are now surfing w/ SUP gear. I have a lot of Sitka Spruce in my area and wanted to build them SUP paddles for gifts. I also have W. Red Cedar and AK Yellow Cedar at the ready.
My question: Is there a difference in the shaft/blade angle for paddles that are used for flat-water use and for surf/wave riding? It seems that most of the advertised (mostly synthetic) paddles I’ve looked at on the web are set at 10 degrees, but I see you’ve set some as steep as 14 degree. Can you please compare a few pluses and minuses of the blade angle depending on use. All my family riders are under 6’ tall. What is better for casual flat-water sup’er, and what is better for a serious, elder Oregon wave rider (age 60)??
While you’re at it, UncleD, can you help me to understand the paddle length question. My bro who is the 60 year old Oregon wave rider is 5’10" and using a paddle between 6’11 and 7’0. Does that seem longe to you?
Nothing to this. I use 14 degrees because my favorite paddles were set at 14 degrees. For flat water, you have time to set the blade but wave riding it's a quicker stroke. Perhaps less angle for wave riding might be best. My paddles range from 8 to 14 degrees. I use 8"-8.5" wide blades for waves and up to 10" for flat water. I think width is a more important factor.
Paddle length: shorter for waves, a few inches longer for flat water. My paddles range 8-10" taller than I am. That is just a guide and not a fix rule. The trick is to find the correct length to fit your paddling style. (Too long and it will injure your shoulders, to short and you have to bend over and strain your back.)
Remember, I am not a paddle expert. I SUP to cross train and do it only a few times a month. I am a longboarder first. I can only offer hints that worked for me. I am open to new ideas and believe that there is other ways that work for different people.
Howzit Uncle D! Haven’t been on Sways for a while. Just thought I’d check to see if there was anything new in SUP paddle design ideas. I’ve been using 10 degrees max in my paddles. I’m also going narrower on the blade widths and even no bend at all. With a narrower blade I can get quicker reps (when trying to catch a wave) without having too much “pull” or left/right nose movement. I’ve compensated for the loss in blade width by increasing the blade width up the shaft. Overall blade width is about 4 inches and the length is about 22 inches. There is no bend. Looks almost like a rowing oar.
If I make the standard shape paddle the blade width is around 8 inches. I’ve also shaped a narrow “otter tail” and an “arrowhead”.
It's been a while. I SUP only a few times a month now and do it for cross training. So I've been out of the paddle design process. I've been into riding / shaping alternative surfboards like the mini-simmons, fat wide quad eggs, etc. I made a few more paddles and I made around 8" wide now. Your concepts sound good. How have you been?
I saw the first picture of Laird Hamilton SUP'n on the internet many years ago and made a paddle that weekend from a carbon windsurf mast top and a fiberglass paddle built up of 1/8" divincell sandwich. I was the first guy to SUP in Huntington Beach on a original one design windsurfer and my "new" paddle. I built four paddles getting progressively trickier until my last one which I made a tool off a quick blade I "borrowed" from a buddy for a day. The 1st paddle from that tool was a carbon/kevlar 2x2 twill the blade that a spring pin release from the shaft. I made a few more but one day broke down and bought a new quick blade paddle that weighs about a pound for my new 9' quad. I have plenty of paddles for friends to use but that quick blade is awesome !
