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The Ever Asked Question of Blade Sizes

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Created by DavidJohn > 9 months ago, 3 Mar 2014
DavidJohn
VIC, 17408 posts
3 Mar 2014 10:29PM
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The full article here.. quickbladepaddles.com/blog/?p=498

Choose a bigger blade size for:
- sprints
- paddling unlimited boards
- you are very strong for your weight
- you paddle better at a slower cadence

Choose a smaller blade if you are:
- doing really long races
- paddle stock boards (these are shorter and slower)
- you are not strong for your weight
- are able to paddle at a faster cadence

HumanCartoon
VIC, 2098 posts
3 Mar 2014 10:53PM
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DavidJohn said..

The full article here.. quickbladepaddles.com/blog/?p=498

Choose a bigger blade size for:
- sprints
- paddling unlimited boards
- you are very strong for your weight
- you paddle better at a slower cadence

Choose a smaller blade if you are:
- doing really long races
- paddle stock boards (these are shorter and slower)
- you are not strong for your weight
- are able to paddle at a faster cadence



Ah...so that's what I was doing wrong yesterday*...little blade + unlimited board


(*of course, lack of fitness, no endurance and an absence of water-sense had nothing to do with it)

Bolero
NSW, 57 posts
3 Mar 2014 10:57PM
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I dont know,what's that saying ''up the creek without a paddle''

Downwinder
QLD, 1992 posts
4 Mar 2014 8:04AM
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DavidJohn said..
Choose a bigger blade size for:
- sprints
- paddling unlimited boards
- you are very strong for your weight
- you paddle better at a slower cadence


I love my 120 sq. in. The Big Mama Elite QuickBlade I love how it just pulls the water, I've had it 5 years old already.
I do one stroke to everyone's two strokes and never feel fatigued
and if I do train (I'm not fanatical about training on the SUP?) I always seem to do PB's with this blade.
I Downwind for fun when the surfs no good.

I emailed Jim Terrell and asked. Do you make or can you make the Slim Jim in a 120 sq. in.
But have had no reply

Zeusman
QLD, 1363 posts
4 Mar 2014 7:59PM
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Interesting thread.

I can remember not too long ago a similar thread were blade size & shaft stiffness were discussed in regards to surf Sup versus 14', shoulder injuries, cadence etc...

At that time it seemed general consensus was a longer/stiffer shaft with a largeish blade for ocean racing & a head high or shorter shaft with more flex and a smaller blade for surfing.

Going by Jim Terrell's article that view has changed somewhat.

On that note I have been thinking about chopping my Slim Jim down to about eye level to use on my 9'0 Starby pro to get more power & propulsion out of each stroke. Have been using a Knaha 90 at my exact height.

laceys lane
QLD, 19803 posts
4 Mar 2014 8:00PM
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Downwinder said..

DavidJohn said..
Choose a bigger blade size for:
- sprints
- paddling unlimited boards
- you are very strong for your weight
- you paddle better at a slower cadence


I love my 120 sq. in. The Big Mama Elite QuickBlade I love how it just pulls the water, I've had it 5 years old already.
I do one stroke to everyone's two strokes and never feel fatigued
and if I do train (I'm not fanatical about training on the SUP?) I always seem to do PB's with this blade.
I Downwind for fun when the surfs no good.

I emailed Jim Terrell and asked. Do you make or can you make the Slim Jim in a 120 sq. in.
But have had no reply



hi phil, dk's qb v drive is a strong paddle , but travis's qb trifecta is a brute. a very strong paddle. could be worth a try out.

the v drive promo vid has dave saying he's moved on from the 120 and gone smaller


myself, have the fanatic 7.25 inch innegra/carbon. i've never paddled better than now and i believe this paddle has something to do with it.

long and slow or short and fast- love this paddle.

ps yes im taking about paddling

Downwinder
QLD, 1992 posts
4 Mar 2014 8:28PM
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laceys lane said..


Downwinder said..


DavidJohn said..
Choose a bigger blade size for:
- sprints
- paddling unlimited boards
- you are very strong for your weight
- you paddle better at a slower cadence



I love my 120 sq. in. The Big Mama Elite QuickBlade I love how it just pulls the water, I've had it 5 years old already.
I do one stroke to everyone's two strokes and never feel fatigued
and if I do train (I'm not fanatical about training on the SUP?) I always seem to do PB's with this blade.
I Downwind for fun when the surfs no good.

I emailed Jim Terrell and asked. Do you make or can you make the Slim Jim in a 120 sq. in.
But have had no reply




hi phil, dk's qb v drive is a strong paddle , but travis's qb trifecta is a brute. a very strong paddle. could be worth a try out.

the v drive promo vid has dave saying he's moved on from the 120 and gone smaller


G'day lacey you're looking well I drove past you this arvo and you was walking very briskly. Yes DK is a weapon I'll ask Dave when I see him on Maui in July if I can have a go of his v drive paddle. But I really like the look of the Slim Jim I'd love to get one made in the 120 sq. in. rang, I'm not into paddling at a high cadence like 90% of paddlers with a smaller blade, I'd rather just do the big stroke and pull water as I don't get fatigued as much.
With the 120 sq. in. Big Mama I can get my planing speed in the flat (canal) between 10-12km/h for up to 10ks and I'm not fit like most of these SUP paddlers, thats why I like the big blade. I Downwind for fun.

laceys lane
QLD, 19803 posts
4 Mar 2014 8:38PM
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Downwinder said..

laceys lane said..


Downwinder said..


DavidJohn said..
Choose a bigger blade size for:
- sprints
- paddling unlimited boards
- you are very strong for your weight
- you paddle better at a slower cadence



I love my 120 sq. in. The Big Mama Elite QuickBlade I love how it just pulls the water, I've had it 5 years old already.
I do one stroke to everyone's two strokes and never feel fatigued
and if I do train (I'm not fanatical about training on the SUP?) I always seem to do PB's with this blade.
I Downwind for fun when the surfs no good.

I emailed Jim Terrell and asked. Do you make or can you make the Slim Jim in a 120 sq. in.
But have had no reply




hi phil, dk's qb v drive is a strong paddle , but travis's qb trifecta is a brute. a very strong paddle. could be worth a try out.

the v drive promo vid has dave saying he's moved on from the 120 and gone smaller


G'day lacey you're looking well I drove past you this arvo and you was walking very briskly. Yes DK is a weapon I'll ask Dave when I see him on Maui in July if I can have a go of his v drive paddle. But I really like the look of the Slim Jim I'd love to get one made in the 120 sq. in. rang, I'm not into paddling at a high cadence like 90% of paddlers with a smaller blade, I'd rather just do the big stroke and pull water as I don't get fatigued as much.
With the 120 sq. in. Big Mama I can get my planing speed in the flat (canal) between 10-12km/h for up to 10ks and I'm not fit like most of these SUP paddlers, thats why I like the big blade. I Downwind for fun.



yeah, did a lot of walking first 4 to 5 weeks for rehab. i was by running weeks 5/6.


i been impressed with the walking so i decided to keep walking along with my running because it gets you really strong in the lower abs and butt- more than running does. running's more for cardio.

i think walking also keeps you 'balanced'

boardbumps
NSW, 698 posts
4 Mar 2014 11:19PM
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I mostly surf so I like a small blade with a stiff shaft for quick response.
I have been using a 75sq in surf blade for over three years, actually its the same paddle I made back then.

The reasoning for using a small blade in the surf is mainly so that the blade has less influence on your surfing style.
Its also easier to swap from side to side when your really hunting that wave.

I like a length of 120mm over my height. This gives me a more upright stance and is a hell of a lot easier on my lower back. It also gives me a longer reach onto the wave face and improves my balance.

Another little secret that I use is to have some volume in my surf blade, a thicker floatier blade that does not disappear into the water as quickly as thin race blades. The extra volume helps with stability in bumpy conditions. My current fave surf SUP is 8'2 x 800 wide and 115 litres with a pintail, remember I weigh 95kg, a bit heavier really still have some xmas pudding to loose.

Because I build my own paddles I can try out a lot of different stuff, have a look at things that are just not available on production paddles.

This is another little secret I have been using for years. I place the maximum flex at the bottom of the shaft and keep a stiff mid to upper section. This flex pattern gives you more power all the time. Its like when you grip the shaft below the handle and place your bottom hand lower than normal, you do this to increase your paddles power.

I also use a modified oval shape on my paddles, the oval shape is actually triangular with the wide section under your fingers and the narrower section sitting in the thumb joint. Think about this shape, a nice broadish flat under your fingers soo easy on you hand.

So there is really heaps of areas to look into with paddle design.

Finally, I use a small blade in the surf, because when you ask yourself "How do you catch a wave?"
The answer is always the same "You have to be in the right position to catch a wave".
If your not in the right position to catch a wave then it doesn't matter how big your blade is you won't catch that wave.

boardbumps
NSW, 698 posts
5 Mar 2014 12:28AM
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That 10 to 12 kph on flatwater Phil is that on your 18? very quick, hull speed for an 18 is 10.5kph so thats fanging along.

Downwinder
QLD, 1992 posts
5 Mar 2014 5:17AM
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boardbumps said..

That 10 to 12 kph on flatwater Phil is that on your 18? very quick, hull speed for an 18 is 10.5kph so thats fanging along.




Yes boardbuumps I only paddle unlimited boards the f18 is a fast board (Built For Speed)
I use the GARMIN 310XT after 10ks I'm done though.
I'd like to see a weapon on this board he'd smash'em I've seen Scot Trudon a legend on Maui paddle the f18 he was fast.

surfershaneA
863 posts
5 Mar 2014 6:39AM
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Yes,.I surf and cannot understand why so many people are going to tiny blades. I just bought the Ke Nalu Maliko, which most people steer away from, but feel I could have gone the even bigger Molokai.

Regardless, when I look at the above article the reasons are clear. It probably also helps I did a bit of powerlifting and Olympic weightlifting in my younger days followed up by a lot of gym attendance. No steroid or pretty boy stuff; just pure anaerobic core strength training.

Scotty Mac
SA, 2048 posts
5 Mar 2014 1:39PM
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Howdy Downwinder,
You should try smaller blades as they are better for reducing fatigue and better for accelerating onto a run. They feel a bit wierd at first but definelty less fatigue IMO.

AndyR
QLD, 1344 posts
5 Mar 2014 1:18PM
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Scottymac
On an unlimited board??? I think a big blade would be the go??

teatrea
QLD, 4177 posts
5 Mar 2014 1:39PM
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Something I have learnt with this caper is blade size board selection , shaft length are all individual. I think you need to find what feels comfortable for you by trying heaps of different options. No one knows the quirks in your body like you

husq2100
QLD, 2031 posts
5 Mar 2014 1:42PM
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teatrea said..

Something I have learnt with this caper is blade size board selection , shaft length are all individual. I think you need to find what feels comfortable for you by trying heaps of different options. No one knows the quirks in your body like you


I agree teatrea, theres just something not right about the feel of someone elses shaft when paddling

teatrea
QLD, 4177 posts
5 Mar 2014 4:57PM
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husq2100 said..

teatrea said..

Something I have learnt with this caper is blade size board selection , shaft length are all individual. I think you need to find what feels comfortable for you by trying heaps of different options. No one knows the quirks in your body like you


I agree teatrea, theres just something not right about the feel of someone elses shaft when paddling


Happy to say , ive never played with any one elses shaft beforeAgree just wouldn't feel right

Scotty Mac
SA, 2048 posts
6 Mar 2014 12:23AM
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Unlimited board, 14 foot race board whatever. Have a look at the fast guys now like B Obrien, jacko, jake Sam Parker etc. they are all using small blades now.

boardbumps
NSW, 698 posts
6 Mar 2014 8:06AM
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Scotty what is a small blade . Thats just a general definition. A small blade to downwinder could be 110 sq in.
My preference is for 75sq in for my surf blade and 90 sq in for my race blade. You need to get some power into your stroke for racing.

So what area are the top Aussies using, apart from small blades.

AndyR
QLD, 1344 posts
6 Mar 2014 7:40AM
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All those guys race in 12"6 boards and maybe a couple races a year on 14's .small blades for sure.

On 17 18ft boards over any distance I would bet they would be picking a bigger blade size
That's what I think anyways

Scotty Mac
SA, 2048 posts
6 Mar 2014 1:28PM
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Not everyone is on the same size obviously but doubt many of them are using 110!

WINDSURFnSNOW
NSW, 1612 posts
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6 Mar 2014 7:43PM
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Don't really paddle a 12'6" ever, mainly ride the 14' ace, 14' sprint or the sic bullet 17' and use the same small blades on all of them. Bullet paddle is a little taller at 6" above my head with the paddle on the dug outs about 4" over head high.
Starboard enduro 475/77square inch was all I used for the last few years and I love it. This year swapping between fanatic 7.25", starby enduro again and the medium high aspect starboard paddle at about 78 square inches. Gone back to the enduro this week as it just feels sweet.
Tried most bigger blades for racing and downwind and just find I can maintain speed easier on the flat and accelerate a lot easier in bumps with the small blades.
Not the only guy doing this as I took a leaf out of Dave Kissane's book by going this way. If you don't know Dave, he came third in the Maui to Molokai last year finishing ahead of Livio Menelau. Best downwind paddler I know particularly given how little time he puts in.
The word from Dave is small blades and short shafts are very commen amongst the top ski paddlers for the same reason so they can accelerate on to runs. Much like in a car you take off in a lower gear.
If anyone in Sydney is keen to try something different to what they are using in paddles just let me know as I have a heap on demo.
V keen to try the new small higher aspect Ke Nalu also Dean. Should be a sweetheart.
I do love bigger blades in the surf though particularly as the boards get setting the mid 8's or less.
As usual demo, demo, demo'
Sam.

Deano72
NSW, 540 posts
6 Mar 2014 7:52PM
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WINDSURFnSNOW said...

V keen to try the new small higher aspect Ke Nalu also Dean. Should be a sweetheart.


It is
First lot walked out the door ridiculously fast. Will have more of them soon....and some other funky new stuff

Caymansup
5 posts
18 Mar 2014 11:05AM
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Anyone paddled the relatively young Bending Branches Balance or Amp? Carbon shaft with wooden grip and blade. I'm shopping around for a new paddle now and really am fascinated by the wooden blade, it's a good looking paddle.

Not a lot of info or user experience on the web, any inputs appreciated.

Other paddle i'm looking at is the Kialoa Insanity.

I've got a 11.2 board, aiming to to use in 35% mushy surf and 65% flat water.

DavidJohn
VIC, 17408 posts
18 Mar 2014 2:18PM
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Caymansup said..

Anyone paddled the relatively young Bending Branches Balance or Amp? Carbon shaft with wooden grip and blade. I'm shopping around for a new paddle now and really am fascinated by the wooden blade, it's a good looking paddle.

Not a lot of info or user experience on the web, any inputs appreciated.

Other paddle i'm looking at is the Kialoa Insanity.

I've got a 11.2 board, aiming to to use in 35% mushy surf and 65% flat water.


Are you after looks.. or performance..

IMO the only good performing wood blades are a thin wood veneer on carbon..

btw.. the Kialoa Insanity is awesome.

Welcome to the breeze..

skebstebamal
QLD, 578 posts
18 Mar 2014 8:32PM
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I agree with DJ's QB summary. horses for courses. im somewhat of a loaper in terms of cadence and much prefer a larger blade.

i run a qb elite racer in 100 and love it, did my pb around lake kawana with the big kenalu. further, i was running a 7.25 for surfing, but after a snappage on holidays had to use my race paddle... best id surfed in ages. i actually think i could run 1 paddle.. just my QB. i have a 475 enduro i tried for surfing... waaaayyy to small.

i am quite large and heavy though.... in contrast to the super fast cadence of beau or jake. horses for courses.

Caymansup
5 posts
21 Mar 2014 5:27AM
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Thanks DJ. Hah! No, performance before looks for sure. Always just a challenge to balance price point and performance. If we all had unlimited money then it would be easy to just get QB or similar.

To come back to the Bending Branches...the weight for their Balance model is 24 Oz which isn't bad considering. Only issue is the lack of info available.

Same goes for SUPATX paddles. Their prices are pretty decent for full carbon paddles but then again the only real reviews/comments out there are generated by themselves. Any thoughts on the SUP ATX paddles?



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"The Ever Asked Question of Blade Sizes" started by DavidJohn