Proper hand placement on the surfski wing paddle

[@tvepaddler]

Here's another method... Figure out how high you want your top hand when it passes in front of your nose. I want it right in front of my eyes. Higher and my shoulder complains. Lower and I loose power. Figure out where you want your bottom hand at that point. I want it to be just above the water line, i.e., not dunk, but not a lot higher. Where exactly depends also on the paddle shape. You can figure the initial spacing out by just sitting in the boat, but final adjustment happens while paddling. I didn't start with this method... What I started with had my hands too far apart. Initially that put my top hand too high and I hurt my shoulder. When I adjusted that I was dunking my lower hand into the water. I eventually smartened up and realized my hands were too far apart...

[@ThePaddleChannel]

Love it! Thanks for sharing that. We've played with that in the last couple of days, and it seems like a good way to fine tune grip placement. Good stuff!

[@willisplee]

Hi guys, am just starting surfski and was wondering what are your thoughts on club carbon versus a full carbon paddles based on their flex level? Based on your videos, I would get the small mid wing, but having a hard time deciding since I like to go for longer paddles 15km+, but would also like a lighter paddle...

[@ThePaddleChannel]

Hey Willis, Rod here. I've done a couple of paddles with full carbon and really liked the feel, but based on the advice of people who know more than me and my rickety old shoulders, I've opted to stay with slightly more flexible club carbon. Barry chose the same. If we were doing shorter, sprint races, we may lean toward the full carbon, but for longevity, the club carbon is our pick. I think the difference between the full carbon and club carbon is only about 2 oz...

[@willisplee]

@@ThePaddleChannel thanks a lot Rod, I thought that might be the answer. I do hear some friends having both, so I will venture to give it a try anyways. Will likely end up with club carbon since I am concerned with not hurting myself 😅

[@ohblackwater]

I like the idea of using the o-ring. Can you give me some info on the type and size of the o-ring you used? Thanks in advance.

[@ThePaddleChannel]

Hey Guitar George, Rod here. Honestly, I just used what I had laying around the shop. I took a couple of small one-inch o-rings, cut them, slipped them on the shaft, and secured with electrical tape. They don't completely encircle the paddle shaft, but they haven't moved at all in over a year -- I just keep an eye on the tape and rewrap as needed. It doesn't take a very thick O-ring -- the thinner the better, for me. I just wanted a small bit of texture to index my grip -- something larger might create blisters, but I have had no issues at all with these small O-rings. It's this hasn't been helpful, just let me know and I'll try to be more clear.

[@jodyodell6159]

First

[@ThePaddleChannel]

Always winning, Jody! 'Hope to see you soon, friend!