PACIFIC DESIGNS

Paddling Safety
The degree of risk involved in paddling varies enormously with the paddling environment, from very little on small confined bodies of water to the considerable potential hazards of offshore cruising. The paddler must take responsibility for matching his level of ability and his equipment to the hazards of the environment. With regard to paddles specifically, the paddler must be prepared to deal with the consequences of being without the paddle, either through some failure or from loosing it overboard. If you are in strong winds and waves and the paddle is dropped, the boat will drift away from it faster than you can paddle with your hands. Even if you have a companion in another boat, the paddle may be impossible to locate in the waves, especially if it's an all-black composite model. If you can't get to shore safely without your paddle, then you need to carry a spare. Consider that you can buy a Sevylor Model 64 paddle for less than $25 (at www.inflatablestore.com, for example) and that even this pretty modest paddle will serve to get you to safety. If you're going far from shore, at least one paddler in your party should carry a spare.

Choosing a Paddle Length
As a prelude to this confusing question, I'll add another layer of confusion by pointing out that the overall lenght that everyone uses to describe their paddles isn't the length that matters. You, the paddler, need a shaft long enough to immerse the blade in the water, so it's not the length to the tip of the blade that matters, but the lenght to the upper end of the blade, or the length of the shaft between the blades. To illustrate with my own paddles, the stock T-1 is 228 cm overall with 50 cm blades, so subtracting these two blades the shaft length is 128 cm. The R-1 paddle is 222 cm overall with 46 cm blades, for a shaft lenght of 130 cm, so it's actually a slightly longer paddle in practice than the T-1.

FEATHERING AND CONTROL HANDS:
Feathering comes from aeronautics, where it means turning a stopped propeller edgewise to the wind to lessen its drag. In paddling, the blades are offset so that the forward-moving blade cuts through the wind. In my opinion, all paddles designed for open water should be feathered. The most taxing situation that open water kayakers face is driving their boat against a strong wind, where the drag from pushing an unfeathered blade to windward is significant. Some paddlers really like non-feathered paddles and I'll put in a "flat" position at no cost on request, but I recommend that beginners start with feathered paddles. It's easy and natural, with less wrist motion than with flat paddles.
In using a double paddle, the control hand is so called because it maintains its grip on the shaft while the opposite hand lets the shaft rotate, or “slip”. Paddlers usually want their dominant hand to control, so paddles are adjustable left or right.

ASSEMBLY:
Both T-1 and R-1 models can be assembled for either right or left-hand control. Because these paddles have asymmetrical blades, they have left and right sides. If the logo is right side up, you're holding the paddle correctly. To assemble the T-1 or T-2, first look at the center tube and find the end with two holes. Put the blade section with the logo on it into this end, and click the lock button into the "R" or "L" hole to select the control hand. There is only one hole for the opposite blade. If you have a custom paddle with only right or only left feathering (or flat) you don't have to think about which end is which and can put it together any old way. The R-1 paddle has the short center section permanently attached so you don’t have to orient it. Once you have the lock buttons in place, twist and pull on the joint to be sure that the sections are solidly locked before you use the paddle. If the lock button action gets stiff from dirt or salt, you can remove the assembly for cleaning. Push down on the button and "ooch" the assembly out of the shaft. If the button is badly salted up you can use a hammer and a dowel, like a little piece of a pencil, to tap it down. It’s useful to note that you can assemble the three-section "T" paddles in a storage mode. Don't lock the buttons and push the blade sections far into the center. This makes a compact paddle, about 63" long, that is very handy as an on-deck spare. You need to remember, when deploying the paddle, that the sections aren’t locked and might come apart. The blade sections will float; the center will not. If you want to be sure the sections stay together, see the modification below.

TYING THE SECTIONS TOGETHER:
Remove the locking pin assemblies from both shafts and drill a small hole in each, set off to the side of the plastic housing. Dont drill into the lock pin; the largest hole you can drill is about 3/16". You can use a light cord such as 1/8" braided nylon or 1/8" shock cord with stopper knots at each end running from the lock pin assemblies through the center tube. If you use shock cord, be sure that it isn't very tight, as tension on the lock pin housings may cause the pins to jam.

HANDGRIPS:
Many paddles come with specific "grip" areas on the shaft, sometimes with an oval shape. The manufacturer is saying to you, the paddler, "This is where you will place your hands and this is the size and shape of the grip." How do they know what's most suitable for you? Many paddlers like to change their hand positions occasionally. My approach is to start with a small shaft diameter and no specific grip area. Paddlers can modify this as they see fit with bicycle handlebar tape, which is widely available, cheap, and durable. Use it to reduce the heat conductivity of the shaft if you paddle in cold water. You can layer it up to make whatever diameter you like and can make an elliptical "axe handle" section by putting pieces of tape lengthwise along the shaft and wrapping more tape around them. The elliptical grip is useful on the control hand side, where its feel will help you keep the blade square to the water. A round grip works better on the opposite "slip" side.
Handlebar tape comes in a variety of materials, colors, thickness and squishiness. All have adhesive, and all need extra adhesive to keep the free end tacked down in a marine environment. If you’re using vinyl tape, PVC Pipe Cement works well. If you have cork or foam rubber, try an elastomeric rubber-cement type adhesive like tube-repair cement. You can also use a wrap of electrical tape to hold down the loose end.

PADDLE FLOAT RECOVERY:
The paddle can be used as an outrigger to help you get back in the boat if you exit in deep water. A float, which you must purchase and carry with you, is put on one blade and the opposite blade is pushed under the deck bungees aft of the cockpit. This use puts much higher stress on the blades than any ordinary paddling maneuver. To minimize this load, push the paddle blade through the bungees so that 1/2 the blade is sticking out beyond them.