Do wing paddles provide any significant advantage over more conventional paddles or is this more hype. I understand a lot of racing types use them but are they worth it for the touring sea kayaker. If the answer to this is yes then should they also be a crank design shaft?

Cheers

Bill

Yeah, there is actually a difference between the two types. With a wing paddle, it's made is such a way to "grip" the water and pull you along. While with conventional paddles, it's more of a pushing the water along your boat. Pushing a pulling may sound remotely similiar, but when kayaking their is a large difference. I personally would not get a crank design. I would look into a two piece Aqua-bound carbon fiber shaft, with White abX resin blades. They run around $150 dollars. After a long day, the money is worth the price though. There is the all carbon fiber shaft, it's does weigh 3 ounces lighter, but it may run you about twice as much.

Paddle2gether

Hi Bill,

Yes there is a significant difference between conventional- and wing paddles.

Comparing a wing paddle, as used in competitions, with a conventional paddle:

a Wing gives certainly more efficiency in your paddlestroke or you can also say: you can go faster

but a compatition wing has also a downside: not al (support)strokes can be performed safely. Because of the curled, leading edge in a wing the blade can rotate uncontroled at some of the sculling-strokes, but even in a sweepstroke this can happen. When the grip of the blade on the water falls away this could result in a capsize if you don´t recover quick enough.
It would be helpfull if both handgrips are oval.

You can improve by learning, but you should take may be two years for getting completely used to this.
But I think that, under difficult circumstances, you never feel as secure as with a conventional paddle.

Then there is a compromise wing-paddle (f.i. the Lendal Kinetic Wing) Which I use myself now. The blades of this paddle don´t have the curled leading edges and the effect of the wing is created by the model of the blade; a look alike of an airplain-wing.
The rotating-danger with this paddle is much less and after 2 years I feel quite secure now: Being able to perform most strokes. However sculling is still difficult. And when paddling in a bouncy sea, sometimes I don´t feel completely comfortable.

As this paddle is a compromise, the propulsion is not as good as a competitionwing. And also you have to addept another style of paddling to get the most out of it. The problem is that you can easily fall back on your way of paddling with a conventional paddle, thus giving away the profit in efficiency. The competition wing is less demanding there as it forces you itself to the wing-style of paddling, meaning the blades goes aside when pulling. (dont have to think about that)
I feel that now, after almost 3 years, I found and addapted "the tric"

So I am not too surprised that there are not so many wings found on the sea

I love my Braca 7 wing paddle for sea kayaking. I find rolling much easier and even sculling to be easy. I'm sure it would take some getting used to but when you do I think they are great. I am however thinking of buying a Mitchel paddle out of the UK which is a conventional paddle because my new boat has no rudder and I think it may???? be better for sturn rudder strokes in surf. A good wing is a great paddle though!

I'll throw in my two cents here. Wing paddles are great for flatwater racing using high-angle Euro-style paddle techniques. I tried one with my upper-hand-never-above-my-chin touring stroke and it didn't work well at all. It kept trying to rotate in my relaxed grip and had a tendency to want to take off in unintended directions. I felt like I was fighting the paddle. Others have noted that wing paddles are less than ideal for sculling. I'd add that they don't impress me as being all that great for any other support stroke either. For me, the wing is a specialty paddle that doesn't work for my more relaxed touring style. I'm on the water to have fun, not set a new record from Point A to Point B. On the other hand, I've had a thunderstorm blow up suddenly when on a lake and found myself in need of every bit of reliable control I could find. My paddle choice? It's a semi-Greenland style paddle that I can swing almost effortlessly for hours but still have the support strokes I need when things get a bit rough. I won't state the specific brand but if I ever wear this one out I'll buy another just like it.

John

Just a quick note about my background before I wade in here. Had been a sea kayaker for almost 10 years before getting into the racing scene by accident (was asked to do the paddle section of a multisport team race by a friend). Had been paddling with a Greenland blade and a small asymetric conventional blade up until then. Got hooked on racing and have been doing a lot more of that over the past 4 years. Around this time I started using a wing. I now use a Lettman 1 blade for sea kayaking and the ski and a Jantex Gamma for the K1.

I now paddle a sea kayak, a surf ski, and a flatwater K1. And regardless of which kayak I paddle I will always use a wing blade. The efficiency and power of a wing cannot be matched by a conventional paddle of the same size. Sure, you cannot do some strokes with a wing. But since the vast majority of one's strokes in a kayak should be the forward stroke I don't consider that a problem. In addition, the wing gives you great lift for a roll and you certainly appreciate the extra power in a headwind when this may become a safety issue.

What many sea kayakers don't realise when they criticise the wing blade is that there are two main types - the teardrop and parallel edged. The teardrop (i.e. my Jantex blade) is what most flatwater racers use. It has a powerful catch and exits quickly. They're great on flatwater but can be a bit unpredictable when it starts to get rough. The parallel edged blades (i.e. my Lettman) are very smooth throughout their stroke and are more predictable in rough water. Most parallel blades can be used with a high or low angle style, unlike the the teardrop style. The main issue is that using a wing does require a different style which many users of a conventional blade initially find difficult to adapt to. Try to use a wing like a conventional blade and you'll probably end up swimming. It took me several months to make the transition.

Virtually all surf ski paddlers use wing blades and many of these guys paddle water far rougher than most sea kayakers will (on much skinnier boats I might add!). I understand Freya Hoffmeister used a wing blade exclusively on her recent circumnavigation of Australia. In my opinion, if you are interested in covering long distances efficiently then wing blades are certainly worth some serious thought.

As for crankshafts with a wing, I'm only aware of one manufacturer which offers this (Lendal). I personally don't think you need a crankshaft with a wing unless you have wrist problems. And if you have wrist problems (or elbow problems for that matter) when paddling then perhaps you need to have someone look at your technique.

I paddled with a normal touring paddle for 6 years before trying out the wing design. For me personally, I've found it much more efficient for straight kayaking on open water, allowing for much greater speed. For casual kayaking, and maneuverability, I prefer the standard touring blade. I use a W1 by Peregrine Kayaks. So far its worked great.

Hi, y'all! Great topic since I recently completed my first race. It was a benefit race. It was only five miles (a short one to those who are into racing,but have to start somewhere). Afterwards both my husband & I began discussing wing paddles. Y'all have mentioned some brands that I had never heard of before, so I've been looking them up. (Thanks for the education!)

Does anyone know anything about Fenn wing paddles?

Thanks!
deb

Jhansen, what is a semi-Greenland style paddle? I'm not trying to be cute; I just haven't heard of that type of paddle.

We bought a Fenn 4 (used)and Tom used it for the first time last night on a moonlight paddle up a crystal clear spring run (Rainbow River, Dunnellon, FL). He did say it will take some getting used to, but liked it. He said he feels he could use it for touring with a little improvement in technique)as long as there was not a lot of manuvering necessary.

I haven't had a chance to play with it yet. We both think I'll need a small (JR) wing. But I'm game...

Its so much fun to try new things! We hope by the time we're ready to try our next race we'll both have wings and be somewhat proficient in using them.

Speaking of trying something new; it's not a wing, but my newest paddle--a Werner Camano is a peach. Actually, it's a work of art. The new ferrule is slicker than snot. I've only used it once so far, but I'm looking forward to spending a whole day with it.

We bought the Fenn IV and I have used it on a couple of streams with some stiff current. I really like it for "touring". With a simple sweep turn and some edging, I found it turns the Cypress very well.

I read all this stuff about how the wing paddles will dive under the boat and cause you to flip, if you're not careful. Not the case with this paddle at all. Just plant it close to the boat and as the boat move past the paddle in the water, it moves out away from the boat approx. 18" to 2 ft. Lift and stroke other side, same thing.

I plan on using this paddle more in the future for open water as well as river running. I do carry my wind swift, just in case I need to switch. I'm no expert, and have not tryed anything beyond forwards, backwards and sweep with this paddle, but a touring paddle it could be.

Magooch, Camano is a really sweet paddle. My husband uses his weekly. Its easy on his wrists and shoulders.

But, as for me, I'd still like to try a smaller wing, but really like the wing.

I have now used my Camano extensively with my Expedition and I think a couple of times with my Sirocco and I love it.

This is no revelation, but going from a heavier paddle to a lighter one is easy; switching from a 25 ounce paddle back to anything heavier is tough. How quickly one gets spoiled.

Looking for a touring paddle also so I can switch back and forth between low and high angle. I also want to put down some good distance without hurting my joints. Werner paddle guide suggested a Kalliste model paddle for me and my Solstice. Any input on that paddle? I guess I would go CF as the Shuna I have now is fiber glass bladed.

from what I have read wings are 3-4% more efficient.