Great info, thanks for sharing!

Thats probably the greatest tip I've heard so far.

Awesome! You'll have to circle back. Be sure to read through the comments here, too -- there's some great advice there. Enjoy that new paddle!

Elmer, thanks for sharing your experience. Keep smoking those time trials! 'Loving that you're paddling at age 75 -- we hope to be doing the same!

Glad it was helpful, Richard. We found that, too -- lots of single blade experience can make the wing paddle, er, spoon paddle, difficult at first. Once the feel/technique clicks, it's a magical thing. :) Thanks for your comment -- that V9 is a fun boat!

The bow wake tip is a great one -- we've found that to be very helpful. The Meek paddles look very interesting. Maybe we can find some in the U.S. to try out here. Thanks for sharing your experience!

Great advice, Michael!

Do you mean turbulence?

Now we’re getting into a complex subject! Bubbles (cavitation) are evidence of turbulence. In the case of water propulsion, which is a non-compressible fluid, bubbles are also usually evidence of low propulsive efficiency. In swimming, athletes attempt to minimize the bubbles in their stroke and kick in order to go faster. Very good swimmers typically move very quietly through the water and I assume a paddler should, too. Finding a paddle stroke that is quieter and produces the fewest bubbles will be evidence (all variables being held constant) of efficiency. But it might be more complicated. True cavitation usually comes from extreme (propeller-type) speed, way faster than a paddler could produce and fully underwater. So the “cavitation” might be the same source as we find in swimmers, which is that bubbles are produced BY the entry, pulling air down with the paddle due, for example, to not fully burying the paddle in the water before moving rearward. Also very inefficient. The focus should be on a clean entry and efficient hydrodynamic pull (such as described here, involving efficient lift) and clean exit. For all of them, even small angle changes can make a big difference, as can different paddle accelerations. But you’re looking (in general) for quiet, low-bubble, low-splash paddling and that takes both a lot of time (reps) and experimentation. I’m going on watching highly competitive paddlers who demonstrate this sort of efficiency. One suggestion might be to work on stroke technique at first slowly and repetitively before you work on turnover. In short, michaelaldeny524 above is saying the same thing, so I hope I didn’t diverge too much from what he said! 😅 I would modify his last statement, perhaps, “fewer bubbles, less sound, less splash, more efficient.”

We're stoked for you on that V7! You're going to love it. Thanks for your kind comment -- we're looking forward to hearing from you as you enjoy your surfski journey. We're still constantly learning, and it's fun to share with other paddlers like yourself.

A wireless mic is a great idea, Steven...but every time we talk about buying one, we convert "mic dollars" to "paddle gear dollars", and paddle gear dollars always win... :)

Thanks, Greg. Thanks for sharing your paddle preferences -- it always good to hear what others are doing!

That's a great cue -- thanks for sharing it with us!

I do this too! Great tip, thanks for the comment.

Thanks, Eliezer! That is a great surfski --- glad you're getting back into it again. Thanks for your kind comment!

That is a great cue! Thanks for sharing that.

Cool analogy

Matt, it was great to meet you, too! Congratulations on taking on that challenging race course! I think experimenting with different approaches is key to learning what works best for each of us. We're all completely unique, and need to find the approach that works best for each of us. 'Looking forward to hearing more about what works for you, and to seeing you at future events! Check out events like tomorrow's Bear Town Paddle Battles in New Bern tomorrow - it's a great way to meet other NC surfski paddlers, and it's a great event. I'm going to miss it this year, but maybe we'll see you there next year.

@@rodclayton I'll have to put Bear Town Paddle Battles on my calendar for next year. It would probably be more suited to the kind of training I do in lakes around Raleigh than Carolina Cup. The Graveyard course was the first time I've been out on the open ocean!

Let us know if that works, David, or if you hit upon another variation of that cue that helps you out. 'Looking forward to hearing how it goes!

Heeeeyyyyy @chenkarp, good to hear from you, as always! Rod is a little more suited to the power paddling and preferred the slow strong approach from the start, but has migrated toward easier and faster. Maybe it's because we almost always are paddling choppy waters, or maybe it's because he's getting old...erm, mature. 'Love the way you phrased the advantage of the winged blade paddle -- that makes a lot of sense!

Keith, that makes sense, that you would adjust the paddle for the different craft. That is definitely something for us to keep in mind. Thanks for sharing your experience with us -- love it!

Great tip, John. We've actually used that, especially on longer paddles. Thanks for bringing that up. We haven't tried the Stellar paddles -- glad to hear it's working well for you!

@@ThePaddleChannel the Stellar paddle is not very forgiving. Paddling my v10 G3 for the first time with that paddle was a big mistake. I was used to the Epic which has a much firmer catch. The Stellar is more finesse but I feel its a more powerful paddle. If you get a chance check it out.

It does...and thanks! Maybe one day we'll upgrade the sound gear...but probably we would just buy paddling gear instead... :)

Thanks for sharing, David. It sounds like you have a lot of experience, so it's good to hear what you've found.

Sounds like that dealer is a good resource. Do you find the full carbon to be significantly stiffer than the club carbon?

@@ThePaddleChannel i do find it stiffer, i feel and have proven through my average paddle , speed and distances that its getting more power through the stroke. Maybe im getting fitter !! haha

@@troyandrew74 that's always the goal, isn't it? :) Great feedback, thanks for sharing.

'Hate we won't see you, Jody. Barry is racing this weekend...Rod's cartoon thumb is going to prevent him from going. 'Hope to see you soon!

Understand Jody! See you soon.

Lol, you should be able to learn a lot about what NOT to do, as we have pretty much shared the whole journey. We're still learning, and still loving it!

Oh boy. Some of our early videos are a little hard to watch but hopefully it encourages others who are new to the sport like us. Surfski is such a great community.

It's great you have access to good lessons/coaching and are taking the time experiment with your technique. We're convinced learning surfski is a lifelong endeavor -- so glad to hear you're enjoying your journey. Thanks for sharing!

Thanks for sharing!

William, I don't think I had been paddling at 60 long enough to really develop serious muscle memory, but even so, I just decreased incrementally by 10-15 degrees until I felt comfortable...then rinse (sometimes literally, when I missed a brace) and repeat until I got back to 0. It was easier than I thought it would be, but I had nowhere near the muscle memory you will have with 10 years of experience at that feather. Let us know how your transition goes, if you decide to go with it!

Thanks, Simon. We don't have access to a V9 currently. Rod paddled one on flatwater for bit and really liked it. Stability is right where the numbers put it (between a V8 and a V10 Sport), and it felt very nimble and maneuverable. But we haven't spent enough time in one to do a proper review. Maybe one day!

We both use the Epic club carbon paddle -- on purpose, because it is a little softer. We used to change paddle length based on conditions, but pretty much keep the length the same now all the time...but we're hitting choppy and/or ocean waters as often as possible, so maybe that's why we don't play with changing lengths any more. Thanks for sharing!

The Epic link is helpful, but basing your paddle length setting on height is really just general ballparking. Torso/leg ratio varies widely across individuals as well as arm lengths and shoulder widths. The Epic paddle length suggestion apparently was close for these guys, but I guarantee you that will not always be so for all individuals.

Very true, Paul -- the Paddle Wizard can be a good starting point, but everybody will need to experiment to find their own details. It's just a good place to start.

We've played with this a lot, and for the 1/3 method comes pretty close to 90 degrees...not exactly, but pretty close. Our thoughts are that every paddler is unique, with different points of muscle attachment, injuries, flexibility, etc, so each paddler should adjust to what works best for them, after trying each method. We recommend using the 1/3 method and seeing how that feels (but that is a bit dependent on having a "correct" paddle length), then trying the 90 degree method, and adjusting a centimeter or two to what works best for you. We like to revisit that spacing a couple of times a year to see if anything has changed, as our technique and style mature. 'Hope that helps!

@@ThePaddleChannel Thanks paddle Chanel. This has prompted a much needed review of my paddle setup. The difference between 1/3 and 90’ is 100mm each side. 90’ method only leaves 50mm of shaft left showing. But I hear you, and I need to experiment . Standing in front of the mirror,air paddling, 1/3 feels better more dynamic like a dancer and compact but I noticed when I was at 90’ paddle seem to exit the water quicker, and not lazily drag behind me. But it’s, A bit more mechanical. Anyway food for thought. thanks, I will play round more

Rod, you did a great job with this video.

Michael, it's interesting to hear your experience...thanks for sharing. We're pretty pleased with the Epic small wing, but that's just what we know and are accustomed to...and oddly, we prefer the oval shaft over a round shaft (again, it's what we know and are accustomed to). That is something for paddlers to keep in mind as we take on new equipment. Thanks again for your perspective!

On adjustable paddles, you can rotate the shaft so your paddle faces are not parallel to each other. So, with a 45 degree feather, if one paddle face is parallel with the ground, for example, the other paddle face would be rotated 45 degrees. At 90 degrees, one paddle face would be parallel to the ground, while the other would be rotated at 90 degrees, and would be facing straight away from you (or toward you, depending -- but either way, it would be perpendicular to the ground) At a zero degree feather, both paddle faces would be facing the ground, parallel to each other and the ground. Hope that makes sense -- it's kinda hard to explain. surfski.info/latest-news/story/1647/to-feather-or-not-to-feather.html has a nice picture of a paddle at 90 degree feather. It might be helpful to see that.

Here's a link to a timely article about feather -- Epic released it just recently: www.epickayaks.com/post/choosing-the-right-paddle-angle-for-surfski-paddlers-the-shift-to-a-lower-feather

@@ThePaddleChannel thanks very much it helps me

Different teaching cues resonate with different individuals, so a variety of explanations can be beneficial to a variety of paddlers. Most paddlers have been conditioned all their lives to "paddle with a pull" -- place the blade and pull. We've found that simply telling a developing paddler to "let the paddle go where it wants" still results in a pull, and their habit overcomes the natural path of the wing paddle. The first step is to let go of the pull concept and realize the wing wants to travel outward, toward that leading edge. The second step is to realize the surfski stroke is a push, not a pull. And yep, after that, the wing will find its own efficient path. No doubt your succinct explanation will connect with some paddlers and cause that light bulb moment -- thanks for sharing.

We like it... :) Though there are a lot of paddles out there who are feathering their wing paddle. We spend a lot time discussing why, whether that is mainly because of it's the way they were taught originally and have gotten used to it, or if it truly is beneficial. Or if it's not a one-size-fits-all situation. Thanks for your comment!

I agree. My theory is that all the legendary paddlers learned from a coach that used a paddle that was feathered to 45 or 60 degrees and therefore this has been passed down from generation to generation. Perhaps there is no wrong answer as long as you are paddling!

Absolute nonsense.

@@paddlingfool64 So how did you go about finding your feathering angle?

Great point about feeling the lift. We've found the same, for us, in high winds and zero feather. Thanks for sharing your experience!