I order a new kayak paddle. blind.
 

I have the crappy one Hobie gave me when I bought my kayak. it comes in one length...lets just call it "too short". they only have one size for most kayaks and a longer one for just their biggest boat. I think the handle is carbon fiber. I was rough on it. pushing off of rocks, docks and the occasional boat (sorry). and I stand up and paddle around inflicting maximum bending stresses on the thing. I makes cracking sounds now. and the drip collars are done, and I get wet. (I have a weird paddling form). my kayak has a pedal drive, but I fish the thick stuff and I paddle a lot. I pull my pedal drive up so it doesn't get tangled in the weeds. I leave the bass boats behind in clear waters.

the Ocean: I watched a few friends launch off of a beach, and it was intense. I wanted to see what I was getting myself into before I said, "let's go!". they sometime had to crank thru the surf. coming back in to shore looked like 5 seconds of terror, if I'm being honest. i think this is the scenario that will snap my suspect paddle.

well, I heard Rockfish and Lingcod are delicious. and expensive. not as expensive as the lingcod and rockfish I am going for. the gear I have purchased is funny. now I have a carbon fiber high(er) performance paddle on the way. this rockfish will work out to $258 per pound. haha..

I never knew there was such a variety of kayak/canoe paddles. you can spend hundreds..many hundreds. not entirely sure what a better paddle is going to get me. if focused on getting the right length mostly..and save some weight. I went middle of the pack, I think. I dont know.

you kayakers? your using a better paddle?

I made my own Greenland paddle. I also made the skin-on-frame kayak, so why not make the paddle too. It's a very nice paddle. You can get the plans for the paddle at Cape Falcon Kayak. Of course, you need a wide range of power tools. You can crank one out using my tools in Half Moon Bay.

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1751477599.jpg

My wife was surprised I sprung for carbon paddles instead of aluminum.

When we were quite a ways down the lake, I asked if she wished the paddle was heavier.

Now she gets it.

I think ours are just the "normal" aluminum ones...nothing fancy or expensive. Never had an issue with them on lakes or rivers. Have only done "mild" white water.

You don’t know my woodworking skills. I can’t even hear a table saw ramp up without sweating. Haha. But that paddle is so nice!

You just named my next kayak. Haha. I can’t tell you my current named boat w/o going over to the political forum. Haha.

When we did white water kayaking, I used a nice custom-made Silver Creek paddle, made by a guy in North Carolina. A nice paddle makes all the difference. That and a good boat.!

The vintage wooden paddle goes well with this: (I hadn't built the paddle yet.)
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1751573370.jpg