What are the pros and cons of using a Straight Shaft Paddle vs Bent Shaft paddle in a solo canoe?

I have always used a straight shaft paddle and am comfortable with it but am I missing something by not using a bent shaft in my solo canoe?

I understand that a bent shaft paddle is more efficient while using forward strokes. But what about other strokes that I use such as the J stroke, cross draw, modified J strokes and other turning maneuvers?

Dick

I'm certainly no expert paddler, buffalodick, but my experience is that the bent shaft is more efficient for straight ahead paddling. You can do the other strokes with it, but it's not as good as a straight shaft for those. The more bend it has, the more true that is in my experience, i.e. it's easier to do an effective j-stroke with a 7-degree bent than a 14-degree bent. I find that the straight shaft provides better leverage, especially in windy conditions. I usually take both since I want a spare anyway. Others' experiance will vary.

We've discussed this topic before.
I did a quick Web search using the terms "bwca.com straight bent paddle"
and got this paddles thread.

I take both. I'd say I use the bent 95% of the time on the lakes and 50 - 60% of the time on BWCA rivers. I used to be just a straight shaft guy until I really gave bent a try.

As far as strokes, you can do a J with a bent but perhaps not as well. As far as draws, pries, etc it is definately easier/better with a straight. But those are strokes that are most necessary in fast water. For the BWCA, you have very little of that. You might not want a bent shaft at all on wild rivers or true wildernesses, but the BWCA doesn't fit in that category IMHO.

Great link, Koda! extremely informative for this bent-shaft virgin.

I mostly use a carbon 10* bent and carry a sraight shaft as a spare. Most maneuvers are feesable with a 10*. If my only option was a 14*, then I wouldn't even take a bent shaft.
My favorite, light weight, low end, straight blade, beavertail paddle that goes on most trips:
http://store.oldtowncanoe.com/products/314101/Carlisle_Beavertail_Paddle
I like it better than any of my BB's.
They used to have Old Town's name on them. I suppose that Carlisle always made them, and sold under Old Town's name.

I own three straight paddles.
My current favorite is a 60" straight shaft Algonquin pattern that I made myself. It has a long blade that can get a good bite on the water and I really like paddling with it. From what has been said here, I am now considering a 7 degree bent shaft to try in the coming year. I always carry two paddles anyway so I will have one of each along on my trips.

Dick

I use a 14 degree bent shaft nearly all the time in the BW and most of the time on rivers here in Michigan. I don't see any difficulty using the bent shaft for draw strokes. I just turn it around and pull. J strokes I just rotate the shaft a little and it rudders slightly to the outside. I take a straight shaft as a spare but rarely use it.

quote oldgentleman: "I use a 14 degree bent shaft nearly all the time in the BW and most of the time on rivers here in Michigan. I don't see any difficulty using the bent shaft for draw strokes. I just turn it around and pull. J strokes I just rotate the shaft a little and it rudders slightly to the outside. I take a straight shaft as a spare but rarely use it. "

oldgentleman, when you say that for j-strokes you just rotate the shaft a little and it rudders to the outside, which way are you rotating the shaft? The normal way (away from the canoe) for a j-stroke or the other way (towards the canoe)?

90%-10%, 12 degree bent-straight

quote buffalodick: "I own three straight paddles.
My current favorite is a 60" straight shaft Algonquin pattern that I made myself. It has a long blade that can get a good bite on the water and I really like paddling with it. From what has been said here, I am now considering a 7 degree bent shaft to try in the coming year. I always carry two paddles anyway so I will have one of each along on my trips."

Dick, do you find you have a fairly slow cadence with the long paddle?
If you have a chance to test-paddle different sticks, you might try a 52"-54" 7*-10* bent with a small blade, like a Sawyer Kai or Zaveral/BlackBart type. A small blade on a shaft just long enough to fully submerge the blade will enable you to maintain a high cadence of short, easy strokes (especially if you use a lot of torso rotation), which is easier to sustain than long, slow strokes.

a 10 oz paddle weight helps alot also. bent or straight.

What size paddle should I be looking into? I'm going to get one of these 'bent shaft' thingies over the winter.

I'm 5'6 and my canoe is short and fat, lol (so am I atm). No, the Kaynoe = 32-33" in the middle... possible only 29-30" where I'm paddling at.

Thanks!

quote Amok: "What size paddle should I be looking into? I'm going to get one of these 'bent shaft' thingies over the winter.

I'm 5'6 and my canoe is short and fat, lol (so am I atm). No, the Kaynoe = 32-33" in the middle... possible only 29-30" where I'm paddling at."

What matters is torso length, arm length, and how high you are above the water. That's a bunch of variables, but you can start out using a general rule of thumb. Sit on a flat surface and measure the distance from that surface to your eyebrows or just a tad higher. That's the approximate shaft length for you (blade length doesn't matter).

If you have a paddle, try to remember how comfortable it was to use (esp. how high your grip hand is) and how deep the blade went under. The blade should be fully submerged, no more, and your grip hand should be at a comfortable height. E.g., I like my grip hand between about chin or nose height and use a 32"-33" shaft paddle. Measure the distance from the top edge of the grip to the point where the shaft meets the blade (the shoulder). That's a good starting point, unless you know it's the wrong paddle for long-term use.

Anyway, this is a way to start.

Thanks! I can do that :)

Koda,

I do have a fairly slow cadence with the long paddle because there is considerable resistance on the long blade. You are correct, I can't keep up the pace as long as I would like with the long blade because it is hard work, so I think you may have something here that I need to look at a smaller and lighter blade. I will look at what you suggested. This is the kind of info I needed to make a better decision.
Thanks for the good advice!

Dick

quote boonie: "

quote oldgentleman: "I use a 14 degree bent shaft nearly all the time in the BW and most of the time on rivers here in Michigan. I don't see any difficulty using the bent shaft for draw strokes. I just turn it around and pull. J strokes I just rotate the shaft a little and it rudders slightly to the outside. I take a straight shaft as a spare but rarely use it. "

oldgentleman, when you say that for j-strokes you just rotate the shaft a little and it rudders to the outside, which way are you rotating the shaft? The normal way (away from the canoe) for a j-stroke or the other way (towards the canoe)?"

I turn it to the outside, away from the hull. Just a slight bit keeps the track straight.

quote oldgentleman: "

quote boonie: "

quote oldgentleman: "I use a 14 degree bent shaft nearly all the time in the BW and most of the time on rivers here in Michigan. I don't see any difficulty using the bent shaft for draw strokes. I just turn it around and pull. J strokes I just rotate the shaft a little and it rudders slightly to the outside. I take a straight shaft as a spare but rarely use it. "

oldgentleman, when you say that for j-strokes you just rotate the shaft a little and it rudders to the outside, which way are you rotating the shaft? The normal way (away from the canoe) for a j-stroke or the other way (towards the canoe)?"

I turn it to the outside, away from the hull. Just a slight bit keeps the track straight."

That's what I've always done - turned the power face out like a normal j-stroke. I wonder if you'd get a stronger ruddering effect by turning it the other way? I might have to try it next year.

quote boonie: "

quote oldgentleman: "

quote boonie: "

quote oldgentleman: "I use a 14 degree bent shaft nearly all the time in the BW and most of the time on rivers here in Michigan. I don't see any difficulty using the bent shaft for draw strokes. I just turn it around and pull. J strokes I just rotate the shaft a little and it rudders slightly to the outside. I take a straight shaft as a spare but rarely use it. "

oldgentleman, when you say that for j-strokes you just rotate the shaft a little and it rudders to the outside, which way are you rotating the shaft? The normal way (away from the canoe) for a j-stroke or the other way (towards the canoe)?"

I turn it to the outside, away from the hull. Just a slight bit keeps the track straight."

That's what I've always done - turned the power face out like a normal j-stroke. I wonder if you'd get a stronger ruddering effect by turning it the other way? I might have to try it next year."

Best way with a bent is to keep your grip hand a little closer to the center of the boat, thus compensating for the bent. Or you can over-rotate the shaft a little. If you try using the backface for turning, do it at slow speed and in slow motion. Otherwise you'll get the effect of a bow jam, but in the stern - a sudden lurch.

quote buffalodick: "Koda,

I do have a fairly slow cadence with the long paddle because there is considerable resistance on the long blade. You are correct, I can't keep up the pace as long as I would like with the long blade because it is hard work, so I think you may have something here that I need to look at a smaller and lighter blade. I will look at what you suggested. This is the kind of info I needed to make a better decision.
Thanks for the good advice!

Dick
"

You're welcome, Dick. Just be sure to keep the power part of the stroke short, no more than 18". Torso rotation with straight or slightly-bent arms will help. Your body will thank you.

quote Amok: "What size paddle should I be looking into? I'm going to get one of these 'bent shaft' thingies over the winter.


I'm 5'6 and my canoe is short and fat, lol (so am I atm). No, the Kaynoe = 32-33" in the middle... possible only 29-30" where I'm paddling at.


Thanks!"

Much the same size as you, I use a 52 inch bent in a canoe 30 inches wide.
Possible starting point for size. Will go shorter in a narrower canoe.

butthead

Thanks Butthead. i'll be picking up a 52" for a test later this winter! where's my pen .....

quote Koda: "

quote boonie: "

quote oldgentleman: "

quote boonie: "

quote oldgentleman: "I use a 14 degree bent shaft nearly all the time in the BW and most of the time on rivers here in Michigan. I don't see any difficulty using the bent shaft for draw strokes. I just turn it around and pull. J strokes I just rotate the shaft a little and it rudders slightly to the outside. I take a straight shaft as a spare but rarely use it. "

oldgentleman, when you say that for j-strokes you just rotate the shaft a little and it rudders to the outside, which way are you rotating the shaft? The normal way (away from the canoe) for a j-stroke or the other way (towards the canoe)?"

I turn it to the outside, away from the hull. Just a slight bit keeps the track straight."

That's what I've always done - turned the power face out like a normal j-stroke. I wonder if you'd get a stronger ruddering effect by turning it the other way? I might have to try it next year."

Best way with a bent is to keep your grip hand a little closer to the center of the boat, thus compensating for the bent. Or you can over-rotate the shaft a little. If you try using the backface for turning, do it at slow speed and in slow motion. Otherwise you'll get the effect of a bow jam, but in the stern - a sudden lurch."

Yeah, I did that once - that Lurch guy was a big Munster - almost lurched myself right out of the canoe.