Submitted: 06-23-2003 by TW
I bought a used expedition layup Kevlar Rendezvous on a whim, before I knew about the rocker. But during a 246 mile river trip, I learned that with the proper paddle, it propelled me for 34 reasonably comfortable miles per day. Purists, you can stop reading now, because it was a long carbon fiber sea kayak paddle that made the difference. I had purchased the paddle just to provide variety during my 10 hours in the boat each day, but after 1.5 days, I realized that the kayak paddle added a full 1 mph to my pace, not to mention being easier to handle in headwinds. My three canoe paddles rested for the remainder of the trip. I'll do the 213 mile Suwannee this fall, carrying one canoe paddle as my backup. (Fortunately, where I paddle close to home, no one really knows what is supposed to be correct anyway, so I get no odd looks.) Seriously, the rocker problem disappears with a light, long kayak paddle. |