About the handle size,

the handle is the most important part of a paddle for controlling the paddle. I have tried several different styles of handle, thickness and width's and curves.

What I have concluded is that we need something that is easy to hold and grab without thinking about it and applies good leverage to the shaft and blade.

So I make the handles top, horizontal part longer, so that it sits outside of your palm, this gives you more leverage over the shaft and blade.

I also think, what is important for control of the paddle, is to be able to wrap your thumb under the top of the handle and around the shaft, this again gives you better control of the paddle.

The overall shape has been designed to fit naturally and comfortably into the palm of your hand, this natural feel has been heightened by adding curved fillets to the underside of the top of the T, this looks like the roving around a set fin on a board.
I think this enhances the the feel and grip of the handle and feels smooth and soft under your thumb.

I have designed the top of the handle to be curved away from the palm of your hand, this curve fits naturally into your palm and the other side curves back into your palm, its looks like a quarter moon. This allows you to orientate the paddle with out looking at it when things get tight.

The overall thickness / roundness just fits comfortably into the palm of my hand. My hand is 190mm long by 105mm wide, Palm open, fingers close together.

Rod

:X]thankyou casso,very kind words and good pics,the board just gets better every wave,ive never surfed a short board anything before and this is an eye opener for me,lots of fun but plenty to learn,lucky ive got josh constable as a teacher,he will show me how to get the best from my sweet little surfshapes,regards annie

You got that right Brooko, Annie has a whole truck load of style - so smooth, elegant and in control at all times. She has the body of fit 18 year old even though she is slightly older than that (not that I was looking, Col ).

Casso said...

You got that right Brooko, Annie has a whole truck load of style - so smooth, elegant and in control at all times. She has the body of fit 18 year old even though she is slightly older than that (not that I was looking, Col ).

Looks like a winning combo right there, great looking, hot little board, and nice stylish rider Can see Annie winning some comps on that board in the near future

That's Woogie's paddle Lobes, a Kiakaha, specially made for Annie.

Rod

Well theres something. You can use a bigger blade for more stability when you're breaking in a new board.

I never would have thought of that, though in hindsight it seems logical. These threads are great on so many levels

Also enjoyed the explanation of the tail kick and the volume formulae. Fascinating stuff. i'm from largely a wakeboarding background and the tail kick made me think of a phase we went through a few years ago with wakeskate design. They were putting huge bends into the tail of wakeskates that would give you major pop off the wake. I gues its a bit different on a 8ft board with no bindings but are we ever going to see SUP aerials? Are these tails kicks the first step in that direction?

lobes,using the paddle if things get a bit tippy works like a bit of an outrigger i reckon,it gets explained in the c4 sup video 1.ps 18 sup out at national park yesterday arvo,and truckloads of mals.waves kicked today for the open final.taylor jenson 1st josh constable 2nd christian wakk 3rd harry roach 4th,josh had a coughing fit after his 1st wave and just about coughed up a lung(he has had pneumonia and is still recovering),pity the sup final wasnt on today,first point is going off.shoulder /head high long walls getting a tad hollow.contest suck