Hi, pretty much a SUP newby, I've been doing some distance paddles on using a 7" Fanatic paddle. I find it a really nice paddle for 2 hour paddles. Using it surfing over the weekend, really reefing on the shaft scratching for take offs I was thinking a stiffer shaft with an 8" blade would be more suited to this type of 'sprint application'.

Any thoughts generally? Stick to the one paddle, or spend some more bucks on a more specific surf paddle, and if so, what should I be looking for?

Personally I'd stick with the 7" blade.. an 8" blade will also be good..

I think the only reason to have a separate paddle for surfing would be to have it slightly shorter.

DJ

depends how big you are.... some of the companies wave blades are very large, and run with a shorter shaft. I'd try a few first. 7" is very small. my wife uses a naish mikana 8"

I should have said, 82kegs, 185cm tall.

I found when I was reefing on the 7" I was getting a lot of air coming in behind the blade. I've never had this issue doing long paddles, it was just the 3 desperate scratches to get onto a wave where I noticed I wasn't getting max traction.

How much shorter would a surf paddle generally be than a flat water paddle?

105kg and QB Slim Jim is excellent. 60kg mate has one too. Great paddle.

yep I paddled a 100 QB slim jim, it was really nice and stable.

Done a bit more research, I'm thinking now to stay with the same blade size that I'm currently using, but going for a slightly shorter but much stiffer shaft.
Anyone else done this?

Fanatic 7" is too small for an 85 keg bloke.

Just picked up a Quck Blade 110 off Buy&Sell - should be able to try it out this w/e!

Check out this link

www.quickbladepaddles.com/documents/QB_choose_paddle_chart_sm.pdf

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skebstebamal said...
Fanatic 7" is too small for an 85 keg bloke.

Cam is one of Vic's best paddlers (if not the best) and for a long time when he was winning everything he was using a 7" Kialoa Pipes paddle.. Racing and suring.. He's about 85kg (after lunch)

I've been using my 7" Pipes paddle lately and really enjoying it.. I'm 95kg.

I think it's more about what you're used to and your paddling technique.

DJ

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SSSimon said...
I should have said, 82kegs, 185cm tall.

I found when I was reefing on the 7" I was getting a lot of air coming in behind the blade.

This is due to your technique.
You must "plant" the paddle deep enough (and forward enough) for it to be completely submerged before applying power. I guess the excitement of the take off make you forget to wait for it.

A bigger blade is better for very short SUPs (7') that have no glide and must be "forced" into the waves in one or 2 strokes. Otherwise, a small blade is OK, better work on your technique first. a fully submersed 7" blade will be much more powerful than a 2/3rd 9" one.

Shorter lengths are good as they force you to bend your knees more, and are easier to fit between you and the wave.

I'd say work on your technique first. As long as you are not able to fully plant the blade in the water it is no need to go to a bigger blade (risk of injury without proper technique) or a shorter length (making it even harder to fully immerse the blade).
With technique, a paddle for surfing can be between your length and +6"

Hi France, thanks for that tip. I will watch out for that in future!

I run a 8" blade with a really stiff shaft for the surf.

I find that it is great for instant acceleration, especially for those late take-offs or the desperate scratch to make it over the set.

I am lucky enough to be making my own paddles so have had a lot of different ones to test out to find the best one.

I've had a go now with the QB 110 I picked up off Buy & Sell.
Paddling my 9'5" Naish Mana into 30kmh winds with the board wanting to stop after every stroke, it was a good workout, I felt the QB just let me monster the board through the chop.
Will def use the QB as my surfing SUP paddle!