I often think about a paddle failing when I'm crossing the top of the bay and the wind goes back to the north.. or crossing western port bay with an out going current.. and then think.. Thanks God I'm using Kialoa's.. I would recommend one of the big brands like Werner, QuickBlade or Kialoa's but I'm sure C4 and even the new Naish and Starboard paddles are also very good and trustworthy.. Personally I would not trust a wood or alloy shaft paddle.. and I would also recommend having a close look along the shaft of a carbon paddle for small fractures.. Also remember heavier is not necessary stronger.. In fact I think my lightest paddle (my new Toro) is the one I would trust the most.. An awful lot of work and testing has gone into Kialoa making this the strongest paddle they've ever made.

DJ

i've been thinking about setting up some good stainless steel clips in front of my feet to the front of the board and carrying an extra paddle.

two reasons- safety and if i'm struggling with a big paddle i could swap for a smaller blade.

i have heard of outriggers crews sprint starting with big paddles then changing over to smaller blades later in the race. no sure if its true but it sounds good

cheers

paul.j said...

laceys lane said...

i've been thinking about setting up some good stainless steel clips in front of my feet to the front of the board and carrying an extra paddle.

two reasons- safety and if i'm struggling with a big paddle i could swap for a smaller blade.

i have heard of outriggers crews sprint starting with big paddles then changing over to smaller blades later in the race. no sure if its true but it sounds good

cheers

You do know that if you break your paddle you are not stuck out there dont you?? we have these funny things at the end of our arms called hands and with these you can use them to also paddle, they were put there i believe as a safty idea just for times like this.....

haha, yes i believe they can work. i just need to grow longer arms

Thanks all for your comments.

aussiewahine: I'm sorry about your paddle. That is exactly the kind of experience that worries me. Thanks for the suggestion for a paddle repair kit – I'd not thought of that.

laceys lane: Yes, I'd wondered about carry a spare 3-piece paddle strapped to the front of the board using some kind of arrangement like DJ has on his Naish 17. In fact I did put some stick-on hook thingies on my Naish 17, but they started peeling off after a couple of weeks (they weren't big brand ones). Maybe your idea would be better.

DJ: I was intrigued by your suggestion of the Toro, and wondered why that particular model would be stronger than the others. So I wrote to Kialoa, and then Quickblade, and then C4, and asked them all the same question:

“…on long offshore downwinders I worry about breaking a paddle. Accidents do happen. Can you please tell me which is your strongest and most robust SUP paddle? I don't really care about cost or weight. I just want it to be as bombproof as possible.”

FYI These were their replies:

From Kialoa: “I would recommend our LauLau, which is in our new Ikaika Line. The shafts in these paddles are nearly indestructible. We have actually run over them with a truck with no damage. The blades are also super durable and can be used on rocks when going in and and out of the ocean.”

From Quickblade: “our AC 110 in a 38 ssi shaft or 40 ssi shaft would be your best bet! The 40 ssi is a pre preg stiff shaft. The 38 has a bit of flex but still our best bomber shaft!”

From C4: “Either the carbon or fiberglass HD... Heavy-Duty paddles. They are both good."

But I'm still puzzled why no-one thinks that aluminium/alloy shafts aren't the strongest – I have a Kialoa Hinalea adjustable paddle (aluminium shaft) that I forget to wash out for a few paddles and it seized so it was no longer adjustable. So to try to free it I ended up subjecting it to all manner of lunacy, such as (1) removing the handle, filling both the shaft and paddle head with water, putting it in the garden and letting it freeze solid outside (it was winter here, snow on ground) for a couple of days, then plunging it in a bath of boiling water; (2) bathing the inside of the shaft in every kind of caustic chemical and lubricant known to man; (3) using a blow torch on the shaft, whilst under pressure; (4) drilling through the shaft at the top, running steel cord through the shaft, then suspending it from a tree, and swinging myself and weights from the bottom of it (neighbours looked a bit funny at me with that one); (5) in final desperation, I stuck it in a vice, took a lump hammer to it and whacked it every which way like man possessed. Anyway, none of this worked, the paddle is still seized. But I glued the handle back on and it works just fine as a paddle for the kids – sanded down the marks and scrapes and it's as good as new! I can't imagine any carbon shaft standing up to that – but maybe I'm wrong…

I'm not sponsored or affiliated in anyway with Kialoa but mine has lasted over 2 years of copping an absolute beating in the surf and is still going strong.

Just snapped a kia kaha at the base where paddle enters shaft, didint snap pole. Thought these guys would have been stronger . not happy when you spend a bit more

Jimmy Lewis shaft mated with a kia kaha blade is doing the trick for me at the moment

Area10 said...

But I'm still puzzled why no-one thinks that aluminium/alloy shafts aren't the strongest

I can't say this will happen to all aluminium paddles but it happened to mine.

I now have the naish carbon/glass 9.5" swallow with the 29mm shaft which seems ok (for now)