It's remains a Great Mystery...

Okay, so there have now been 1,324,674 blogs on how to choose the non-existent "perfect" boat. What still alludes this paddler is how to find the right length paddle. Never mind about shaft shape, blade size, etc.. We are talking about length here.

Too many times students have come for their first kayak lesson with an already purchased (sometimes expensive) paddle recommended by an expert at the store and, in at least one case, a real expert with one of the paddle companies. What was similar among all these hapless folks was that the paddle wasn't the proper length for them and their boat. They just did not look comfy out there.

I would have different students exchange paddles, often with their spouse, and would sometimes loan them one of mine and....Shazam! They looked good and paddled faster with less effort. Sometimes an average sized lady would end up with a 220 and another similarly sized person with a 205; and both would love their paddle. The thing is that after running all the data through a NASA Craig computer, I have found no detectable correlation between anything including paddler's height, paddler's arm length, boat width or astrological signs.

So, what do I tell my grandson when the time comes?

Paddle safe...
DS