You see this cat Shaft is a bad mother-
(Shut your mouth)
But I’m talkin’ about Shaft
(Then we can dig it)
He’s a complicated man
but no one understands him but his woman
- isaac hayes

You know, I can still remember when short shafts was a “British thing”. . .

Ok now, be good!  There are all sorts of places these days on the web were you can learn all you ever wanted to know about paddle materials, shapes, etc.,  However one of the most fuzzy facts in choosing a paddle is what length is right for you.  I’m certainly no expert, but let me share a few thoughts on the concept.

What stared me off thinking about paddles again was a little conversation on one of our local message groups about paddles.  Silbs pointed out a nice little calculator on the Epic Kayaks website here.   When I went though and entered all my information it did do a fairly good job at giving me a correct paddle size.  Epic being known for their racing wings should know a bit about efficiency.   I’m just under 5’8” and result for me was a 214cm Length.  I use a 210cm. 

You see, it was not long ago when it seemed all you could find in a paddle shop were 230cm & 220cm paddles.  For most of us these lengths are closer to jousting poles than paddles.   To be fair these longer paddles are (hopefully)  intended for wider recreational type kayaks.   When most of us try to use one of these longer paddles with our thinner sea kayaks we find our arms going way up in the air, our boats swerving, and the paddle coming out of the water with a big splash.  If our paddle is too long, we tend to end up fighting the water more than sliding through it.  Shorter is almost always better.

Imagine yourself sitting in you kayak holding your paddle.  Reach forward and plant your paddle in the water.  (remember “stab” don’t “slap”) Sink your paddle in the water, don’t just use the tip! Take an imaginary stroke, remembering to keep the paddle in nearer the hull. (we don’t want to turn) Think about the process for  a moment.  What factors will help you determine the length of your paddle? 

Well one thing that should jump to mind is how high you sit in the water.  I don’t want to confuse this with your physical height which can be a bit misleading once you sit down.  How high you sit in the water is going to be determined by a few things.  The length of your torso, the height of the seat from the hull and of course the volume of the kayak itself. (If the boat is sunk to the combing you are much nearer the water and the shaft could be shorter, on the other hand as they say in JAWS, you’re gonna need a bigger boat! . .). 

Another factor is of course the design of your kayak.  Generally the wider the boat, the longer the paddle shaft.  Wider kayaks not only tend to flatten out the angle of your stroke, but just by virtue of their width will require more length to reach the water.

That leads me right into how you paddle.  Are you a high angle person?  You know the look; Your paddle shaft is mostly vertical through your stroke, you sit up straight, plant that paddle, twist your torso and bring the paddle back straight along the side of your boat.  Or, are you more the low angle relaxed person?  Keeping your paddle low or more horizontal will mean of course that it has to be longer to reach the water.  Just something else to keep in mind.

Another more subtle factor in how you paddle has to do with how you maneuver.  I never noticed this until I started working on more advanced moves.  In fact that’s what caused me to switch from a 215cm paddle to a 210.  I found I was having a hard time nailing hanging draws and making quick little draws on the move.  Shortening the shaft a bit more made it easier to get the paddle in the water cleanly and at the correct angles for these moves. How much difference did 5cm make?  Well,  I went from a shaky hanging draw to an instant fix simply by shortening the shaft. 

Ok, so now I’ve gone and muddled you up eh?  Yeah, there are lots of things that go into choosing the right paddle length.  Like most things in kayaking there are no quick or blanket answers.  Some things you’ll really never get a handle on until you’ve become more familiar with your boat and more assured in your techniques.  But generally keep in mind that shorter is better.  Talk to other paddlers, try out those little calculators and all the rest.  But the most important thing you can do to find the right paddle for you is to get on the water in YOUR boat and try them.  IF you don’t have a shop around, borrow paddles from friends.  Paddle with groups and clubs and swap paddles during group sessions. Pay attention to the lengths and types of paddles you are trying.  Oh, and don’t overlook trying traditional paddles as well.  See what works for you.  Once you think you have it figured out, don’t feel like you have to spend $400 on your first paddle. Keep in mind that with more time and experience you may want something else.

Length is just one factor in choosing a paddle of course.  In addition, you’ll want to look at weight, paddle shape, materials and a bunch other little fiddly bits. But we can chat about that on another day.