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Hobie Adventure.......looks Good.


Yakity - Yak - u.k.

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BRILLIANT

I think I am right in saying that you have a Prowler 15 - is that right?

 

How tall are you? 5' 9"? (Pretty average/medium for a man nowadays)

 

Beam of P15 is 28.5" - that puts it in the 27" - 32" beam bracket on their chart.

 

According to them you should be using a 2.5m paddle - sorry Bill you will have to go and buy a longer one. But your elbow is going to get very sore.

 

That size chart is about 30 years out of date - quite like some of our "BEST" touring sea kayak designs - Nigel Dennis penned his in 1992. The P&Hs are of similar vintage. Sorry, but boat design has come on in leaps and bounds in the intervening 15 years, and paddle design and technique too. In those days wing paddles were only just in their infancy. Now the informed tourers use them and they are no longer the preserve of the sprint racers. They don't give you the same bracing effect in the surf, but on a long distance paddle the extra eficiency adds up to quite a saving - especially if you are paddling a fully laden kayak for a 10 day trip self contained.

American sales sies are aimed at Joe Average and the the mean in the market (as in average mean, not penny pinching - but it probably adds up to the same thing!)so they go for the middle ground. We are trying to inform and get people moving a bit better than the safe average and get them to think along more modern lines. Hence the conflict - but if you believe what you have read you had better cut your very short 233 a bit longer (by another 17cms according to them).

Simon Everett

Staffordshire.

Fishing kayaks:

White& Orange Dorado

Olive Scupper Pro

Yellow Prowler Elite

 

Touring kayaks

Red White Skua

White & Orange Duo

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For what its worth my paddle is a 216 (Edit: umm or was it a 220! I will have to measure it) anyway it was recommended by Simon at Bournemouth Canoes. It seems to suit my needs and I think the more vertical paddle stroke helps out when putting in power against currents and oncoming wind - I feel like I'm digging right in.

Edited by SpeciMan
Kaskazi Dorado - Yellow

Location: East Dorset
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Hi Simon.

 

Personal choice is cool, regarding length, but there are limits to that rule when it comes down to efficientcy.

Have a look at the chart, look at your hieght, the kayak width, recommended length of paddle.

Going by this you are way under par, and thinking of going smaller ?

This may suit your style, but try a longer paddle for the hell of it.

 

For the novice paddlers, it will pay them to get measured properly, and not use our personal choices as a guide to thier requirements.

 

 

The paddle length I have chosen suits my style and Kayak very nicely, and does not cause any discomfort to my joints.

 

Ohh and I dont have to be like Arnie with big shoulders to swing it ;):D

 

As for the Porgies.......you can lift em yourself. :D

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Thanks guys, looks like im gonna be off to the paddle shop this weekend. Im 5ft 11 and been swinging a 270cm paddle with a 90 degree feather for years. Ignorance was bliss.

Dan

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Ive found that a good grip is also essential ! I have never really given my paddle a lot of thought up until now although i have always been impressed with its mud flinging ability during a number of hard won mud fights.The 90 degree feather is a definite advantage in this situation.

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