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Dihedral
Illustration
at right shows the flow of water off a dihedral blade. Notice how
the powerface is angled from the center of the blade. This angle
is called dihedral. The dihedral angle concept comes from the
discovery that a curved plane gives direction to the flow of water
off the blade. During a forward stroke water builds up on the
powerface of a non-dihedral blade. To expel this build up, a
non-dihedral blade will flutter back and forth. Therefore, by
adding a dihedral angle to our blade design, water is given
direction to flow easily off the blade, minimizing flutter and the
gripping effort needed to overcome the flutter.
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Asymmetrical
This
illustration explains how asymmetry reduces torque. Torque is a
twisting motion of the shaft that is caused by unequal pressure on
each half of a blade as it enters and exits the water. The dotted
line shows the blade area that was cut away to create an
asymmetrical blade shape. Note how the yellow and red colored
areas above and below the centerline are virtually equal. This
creates near equal amounts of force on each half of the blade as
it enters and exits the water. When these forces are equalized,
torque is minimized, allowing your paddle to pull smoothly through
the water and reducing the need to over grip your paddle to
overcome torque.
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Selecting
a Touring Paddle Length
Selecting the right
paddle length is a highly individual and important decision.
Your paddle is the most active piece of equipment used while
kayaking and having the right paddle may be the difference
between a good experience and a truly great experience. The
best way to choose a paddle length is to take your own boat
on the water and try out different lengths. When this isn't
possible don't get frustrated. We recommend three simple
guidelines that will help you choose the correct paddle
length and make your decision process easier. You need to
know (1) what your paddling style is - low or high angle,
(2) how wide the beam of your boat is, and (3) how tall you
are.
If you paddle with a Low Angle style, we recommend a 230
centimeter paddle length. If you paddle with a High Angle
style, we recommend a 220 centimeter paddle length. These
are the most popular lengths and work best for the widest
range of paddlers and sea kayaks. FINE TUNING: If your boat
beam is wider than 24 ½ inches or you are taller than
6'3" you should consider a paddle that is 10
centimeters longer than our recommended lengths. If your
boat beam is narrower than 22 inches or you are a smaller
paddler you should consider a paddle that is 10 centimeters
shorter than our recommended lengths.
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Selecting
a whitewater paddle length
Choosing
the right paddle length is an important decision that may
greatly enhance your individual performance and as well as
reduce the potential of injury. Based on our experience we
recommend the lengths shown below as a guideline for
selecting a whitewater paddle length.
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Paddlers
Height
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Recommended
Paddle Length
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Under
5'2"
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194
cm
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5'0'-
5' 8"
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194
cm - 197 cm
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5'6"-
taller
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197
cm - 203 cm
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