Stress Relieving Paddle Design

Black_Fly said:

You’re right about the mechanics of the Ottertail, but they’re are exclusively lake paddles, right? I need something for shallow streams and currents also. Currently using a BB Explorer, which is 23 oz, 118 sq in blade.

Click to expand...

Not to answer for ScottS, but I think you are right about otter tails being more lake paddles. However I also saw you were thinking about a beaver tail. While a beaver tail does carry more width lower in the blade which does help in shallower water, it is still not really ideal for shallow currents, at least in my experience. I have a badger paddles badgertail (their beaver tail design) and I also pretty much exclusively paddle rocky streams with alternating shallow (sometimes super shallow) and deep areas. I love the paddle but I only really use it in the deep/slower pools for two reasons. One, it doesn’t get enough bite in the shallows. Two, because it doesn’t get as much bite, I naturally tend to start digging deeper and invariably hit bottom with it. This is unacceptable because it’s just too pretty to beat up like that (not sure if all their paddles are like that but mine at least is a VERY nice piece of cherry -it’s a work of art and a joy to use). They’re also usually longer than a design like your explorer, so in shallow water you have to lift them pretty high, which gets awkward and robs your leverage - possibly not great for the shoulder issue. I guess what I’m saying is while a beaver tail is better in shallower water, don’t expect it to be worlds better than an otter tail as neither are really geared toward shallow rocky streams.

Rather than damage my paddle with what invariably devolves into awkward seated poling, I usually switch off to a tougher, shorter paddle when I get close to the end of the deep pools now. I personally don’t mind switching off because it lets me use more of my paddles more frequently, and for what they’re good at. Adopting a similar practice might at least save your shoulder in the deeper stretches where you could use a beaver or otter tail, and then still give you the familiarity and benefits of your explorer in the shallow stuff. You gotta carry more paddles, but half the fun of paddling is using different, nice paddles for what they excel at (at least for me).

Black_Fly said:

I need something for shallow streams and currents also. Currently using a BB Explorer, which is 23 oz, 118 sq in blade.

Click to expand...

Does your ZRE hurt your shoulder? If not I'd recommend using it for moving water as well. I've put many hundreds of miles on my ZRE paddles in shallow rivers. This includes paddling all out during training sessions and aggressively scraping the blade over shallow gravel beds when paddling upstream. I've used them as push poles plenty of times when the canoe gets hung up in the shallows and have pushed off many rocks.

They're a lot tougher than you'd think.

Alan

What if you took in what everybody is saying, but incorporated a smaller faced blade? I know that the larger blade can grab too much water causing strain in the shoulders.


Technically, yes, it’s a bent shaft and it’s not a wooden shaft but it’s a 7” wide blade at ~1lb


Heavier at ~26oz but it’s an 8”w blade and a wood shaft, which could flex some. I’ve never used a Werner canoe paddle but I have for paddleboarding and another water activity. I’ve found downsizing my blades surface area, it helped reduce my shoulder pain. Just a though

I think in the OP post, you were complaining that the paddle pulled too hard, which really means you need to look at the area of the paddle. If I remember a typical OtterTail/Beavertail has about 105 - 120 square inches. so if your current paddle is pulling too hard, then that is likely the first thing to look for, less area.

Maybe try trimming one of the ones you have, you can keep the same basic shape as you are used to, just lose some of that pulling power. If you lose the area, good chance you can also thin it some and reduce the weight significantly.

...and which shoulder? Connected to which element of the stroke, upper or lower hand?
Less surface area and investigating shaft length would seem to be a good first move.

I would think an ottertail or modified ottertail would be the natural choice.

Click to expand...

That was always my go to when my bicep tendonitis flared up. It's simple really...take a skinny paddle for most of your paddling, take a smaller carbon fibre for shallow water/rivers, and don't overthink it. Used to be a time when canoeing didn't involve much thinking at all, now it seems like everyone has to have a PHD in hydrology before a paddle can even touch their hands.

when I originally dislocated my shoulder and tore a bunch of tendons years ago, I switched to an ottertail for deepwater and a cut down sugar island for the bony stuff- I cut 1/2" off each shoulder and 1' off the bottom, and thinned it down some with a belt sander to fix the new profile, and ended up with a paddle that could hit a faster cadence with less strain and surprisingly didn't noticeably affect the power available. If it hadn't grown legs at a put in, I'd post some pics, but basically I made it junior sized...

Well, I’m looking for an ottertail. Should help me recover without setbacks on lakes. Got a couple river paddles in mind for river tripping where rock gardens and swifts occur.

Stupid shoulder makes pulling on the left hurt. Suffered a setback recently shoveling snow. Don’t think I’d be able to paddle right now if I had to. Gonna spare no effort to stay in the game, though.

Thanks.

Option 1: Small 2hp Honda or 2.5hp Yamaha outboard on a side mount.
Option 2: Big Leather BarcaLounger and a little silver bell.

Lots of paddlers seem to experience shoulder issues. I had issues before my accident. I’m betting there’s a correlation. Spoke with a guy at Rutabaga Paddlesports who had surgery and paddled Wabakimi last year with an Ottertail. Nice discussion. He recommended I check out the Badger Sliver at Canoecopia. Great staff at Rutabaga. Experienced and empathetic.

Badger Sliver

I know many of you don’t want to hear it; But, my double is a lot more comfortable and i go faster, easier than a single. Of course im not doing any pirouette’s to waltz music!

Black_Fly said:

Lots of paddlers seem to experience shoulder issues.

Click to expand...

My shoulder issues (which are generally minor) are actually totally unrelated to paddling and usually are improved when I paddle. I try to go easy for the first day or two and then not much of an issue after that.

A couple of years ago I started doing some free weight exercises during the off season, this made a huge difference even though it's just 10 minutes about 5 days per week.

there is a MANTRA: paddle smart, not hard

that - in combination with a smaller paddle blade should considerably reduce the pain in the shoulder,
and changing the rhythm can also make paddling much easier.

A paddle stroke that's too long with power being applied after the paddle is past the hip could exacerbate the problem as well.

Many paddlers develop single side skills and only paddle on one side of the boat. If it's your left shoulder that hurts when pulling you could try turning into a strictly right sided paddler.

Alan

I have torn all hell out of my body over the past few decades - broken shoulder, neuropathy, arthritis, carpal tunnel, you name it. The big things that helped me overcome that while canoeing were learning to kneel more or less the whole time, which put my torso into the stroke and reduced shoulder stress, shortening my paddles, and switching to ottertails. (I make my own, so I just carve off scrapes and divots and re-poly when they happen.) I bring a Bending Branches Java for high-output / wind but generally just indian-stroke an ottertail in varying cadence.

You can do a lot for your body by stretching or doing yoga a few times a week, readjusting posture, and generally getting back in touch with it. Not as quick as a new paddle purchase, to be sure, but worth the investment.