Bent Shaft Canoe Paddle ? | SouthernPaddler.com

Bent Shaft Canoe Paddle ?

beekeeper

Well-Known Member
Mar 4, 2009
1,917
59
Why? When paddling does the bottom edge of the blade face the bow or stern? Size? Advantages/disadvantages?

beekeeper
 

tx river rat

Well-Known Member
Feb 23, 2007
3,043
2
Waco Tx
Blade is to the bow, gives you a better entry into the water and a more efficient stroke.
Normally the blades are shorter and wider than a standard paddle.
They are made for a very eficent forward stroke.
Personally I dont like them ,they dont feather as smooth and seem harder to control to me
Ron
 

Kayak Jack

Well-Known Member
Aug 26, 2003
13,976
171
86
Okemos / East Lansing Michigan
Bent shafts fill a need when going forward, pretty much straight. They are more effective there. A cost for that can be clumsy handling when maneuvering. It's a set of trade offs.

I prefer a straight paddle, and always use a straight, kayak paddle, even in a canoe. Other paddlers have other preferences.
 

beekeeper

Well-Known Member
Mar 4, 2009
1,917
59
Guessing the shorter and wider blade could, possably, maybe, might,etc contribute to the clumsy feel and manuverablity. If so, why not a spoon, or beaver tail shaped blade with the bent shaft? Would a short wide blade on a straight shaft be hard to manuver? Could different shape blades benefit from a bent shafts?

beekeeper
 

tx river rat

Well-Known Member
Feb 23, 2007
3,043
2
Waco Tx
Bee
I dont think it would help in fact I think it would hurt. Look up factory bent shaft paddles and most are made that way basically these are racing paddles , they are made to grab a lot of water and extend the stroke and stay as shallow as they can.
Ron
 

oldsparkey

Well-Known Member
Aug 25, 2003
10,479
123
Central , Florida
www.southernpaddler.com
I use a bent shaft at times and found it offers a lot more thrust for forward movement with less effort then a standard paddle. As far as maneuvering with it , it took a little practice but works OK for me.
I prefer the J Stroke and it is not difficult to do , just takes a little more thought till you get the hang of it. As far as the side strokes it is about the same as a straight shaft , especially if you invert the angle of the blade from the forward use.
 

rpecot

Well-Known Member
Nov 10, 2006
406
0
Katy, TX
oldsparkey said:
I use a bent shaft at times and found it offers a lot more thrust for forward movement with less effort then a standard paddle. As far as maneuvering with it , it took a little practice but works OK for me.
Amen to this. My first time using my bent shaft paddle, I thought I was doing something wrong because paddling seemed so much easier, almost effortless. A bent shaft paddle is WAY more efficient than a straight shaft. The face of the paddle stays nearly perpendicular to the water through the most powerful part of your paddle stroke. I love my Bending Branches paddle. http://www.bendingbranches.com/