There is no doubt that kayaking is one of the most favorite hobbies and sports for many of us. It also is enjoyable and exciting and is for those who love adventure and are not ready to accept the status quo in life. It also offers a number of health benefits and many consider it to be one of the most complete exercises and workouts. Though the health benefits are quite a few in number, we are only mentioning a few of them.
However, we will be spending more time understanding the finer points about Kayak Paddles and also will try and find out the answer to the question as to why kayak paddles are offset. This is also referred to as feathering. We are sure it will help the readers to uncover quite a few things that they may not have known as far as kayak paddles are concerned.
The feathering of a kayak paddle is done to help the end that’s out of the water cut through the are and not act as a sail. But feathering might not always be necessary read more to find out when you should feather your kayak paddles.
Kayaking is of course known to be great for weight loss and therefore it is a great way to burn fat and calories. An afternoon of full-fledged kayaking could lead to burning off around 1,600 calories, though it could perhaps be lower or higher depending on the amount of time you spend on the water. But even when compared to other high-intensity exercises it is still a great way to burn fat. It also could be a good stress buster, and being outdoors and moving forward against the natural force of water and making use of your muscles, does not only offer a great workout to different parts of the body but could also lead to the reduction of stress and tension. It also could be useful for having a happy and clear mind.
In today’s world where socializing means boozing and eating unhealthy food and engaging in other such lifestyles, kayaking is one of the healthiest and better ways to socialize. You could catch up with old friends and make new friends and the interactions that you will have with them is something that will help in better man-to-man bonding. There are also other obvious benefits like improved heart health, better leg toning, strengthening core muscle strength, and better self-image. Yes, many kayakers get started early in the day and they absorb the best of Vitamin-D that the sun has to offer during the early part of the day. Hence, there is no doubt that there are a number of reasons to go in for kayaking.
Having the Right Paddles Are Important
However, it is important to have the right paddles and therefore we need to feather the paddles properly or ensure that the paddles are offset properly. We will learn more about it in some details over the next few lines.
It is quite possible that many of you might have one or two paddles. You also would like to take advantage of it through feathering. But there could be many others who may not have the right knowledge or information on this matter. So what exactly is feathering? This is for those who may not have an idea about the concept of feathering. Put in simple words, “feathering” is an action by which you position your blades exactly at opposite angles to one another. This is considered important and vital because it could help in reducing wind resistance while paddling. In other words, feathering is a technique where one blade remains immersed in the water. The other paddled is angled in such a way that it is able to slice through the air. This leads to much better and improved paddling efficiency. This is the straightforward and simple logic behind the feathering of paddles. But there is much more to it and we need to get into the finer details so that you are able to understand it better.
Should Feathered Paddles Be Used?
Should we use feathered kayak paddles or un-feathered ones? This is a common question that often comes to the minds of many paddlers. There cannot be a straight answer to this question. It would depend on the place or the water bodies where the kayaking is being done. For example, sea kayakers may have to use kayak anglers. This is perhaps because they have to paddle for long distances. It is, therefore possible that they may be concerned more with the overall paddle durability. They may be ready to compromise on a slightly reduced speed advantage or because of decreased wind resistance. On the other hand, other types of paddlers are not too bothered about it. They perhaps may feel that using a paddle in its original and simple form could work quite well for them. The third category might be those who may not have heard anything about feathering. There could be another group of paddlers who may have come across feathering in some details but they may not be sure whether these features are available on their paddles. They need to be educated about it and made to understand that these facilities and features are available in all kayaks and it is about knowing more about it and making use of the same.
Understanding the Feathering Position
As paddlers, you will not be able to take full advantage of the offsetting of paddles unless you know how to go about it. To begin with, almost all two-peace paddles, including the low priced ones will always offer two angle positions. Some might even offer more and it could be three. To know this better we need to have a closer look at the ferrule. This is the joint where the two halved of the paddles are attached. They come with three different slots where the button can be clipped into. They are0 degrees, 60 degrees to the right and 60 degrees to the left. There is a reason for providing a right angle and left angle option. It gives the users the option to choose which hand to use more like the control hand. In most cases, right-handed people will feather the right paddle. On the other hand, left-handed people would be keen on feathering the left. While this is a general rule there can be changes to it depending on the person. These are for the low-end paddles and they are also available in other high-end paddles also.
Mid To High-End Paddles
When you buy mid to higher-end paddles, you can be sure of getting greater adjustability. These come with special ferrules or something similar to it. These are the unique features of any higher-end paddles. They offer angles to the right or left and the angles go up in small increments and in most cases, it is in 15-degree increments. This could come in handy and be very useful for paddlers who have to encounter wind speeds that keep changing constantly. There could be many water bodies where the wind speeds may not be so wide and big. In such cases, a 60-degree change in angle may not be necessary. There are some paddles that offer feathering angles up to 90 degrees.
When Should Feathering Be Done
When should feathering be done or when should kayak paddles be offset? This is another common question that comes to the minds of many people. The answer is quite simple and it shouldn’t be too complicated to find out how it should be done. You must know the time and situation where and when feathering is considered most advantageous. As mentioned above, it comes in very handy when the wind speed is high and or when it keeps changing every now and then. When you have a paddle blade set at a higher angle, you will encounter lesser resistance. On the other hand, when you have an unfeathered paddle it could come in handy when you have the wind at your back. The paddles will work as small sail each time the blade is raised into the air. Hence, it is quite obvious that the speed of the wind and the direction which in you are moving are the most important deciding factors for changing the angle of your paddle or feathering it as it is commonly known. When the wind is right behind you, feathering may not be needed.
How Does One Use a Feathered Paddle?
Let us now try and understand how best we can make use of a feathered paddle. There are some ground rules that need to be followed before you start making good use of a feathered paddle. You must rotate the shaft of the paddle making use of your hand. This should help the blade to slice the water at a vertical angle. This also will lead to the other blade to rotate exactly in the opposite direction. This will lead to the paddler having a more horizontal position to help slice through the air. This movement is a bit complex because it would mean making use of one of your hands for the purpose of rotating the shaft. This hand is often referred to as the control hand. This might take some time to understand and implement and therefore you must try it out a few times before you start using it in strong and tough wind conditions. It would be better to get started with a docile and relatively wind-free water body, get used to the feathering of the paddles and then go into larger and windier water bodies. This will give you time to get adjusted and take things forward step by step instead of rushing through it.
You need to keep in mind that for first-timers, it might look a bit difficult and they may feel awkward about it. Hence the advice of trying it off the water a few times. When you feel you are ready enough and have understood the science and mechanics behind it, you should start it in water bodies where the wind force is low and it is manageable.
The extra rotational movement when using a feathered kayak paddle with rotational movement can put some strain on the wrist of the control hand. In case you feel that the strain is uncomfortable and is leading to pain and discomfort in the wrists, you could try lowering the feathering angle. The secret lies in fully understanding the impact of the wind on your blades. When you are paddling or kayaking on a windy day, always try and let the wind be behind you. Once you are in such a position, raise a single blade in a vertical position in the air. You will be able to move forward quite easily and you also will be surprised as to how little wind will be able to propel your kayak forward and that too quite effortlessly.
The Proof Of The Pudding Is In Eating
At the end of the day, we need to bear in mind that understanding kayak paddles is much more than merely reading some books and articles on it. Feathering is a minute technique and there cannot be any straight jacketed rules apart from some broad ideas and ways forward. The best way to learn and perfect feathering or learning how to offset paddles is to try it out. It is all about trial and error and you can be sure that it will not happen overnight. There will be adjustments that might be required and it will take some time before we understand it fully. It may not be a bad idea to take some lessons from a professional kayak and paddling instructor. We also need to understand that a feathered paddle may not be suitable for everyone but it could certainly come in handy when there is a need to cut through strong and uncomfortable winds. Only with time, regular practice and regular understanding, will you be able to understand feathering better and it is a process that has its own gestation period. It will depend on situations, specific needs, and requirements. As mentioned above, regimentation is simply not possible and there cannot be one-rule-that-fits-all sort of a thing as far as feathering of paddles is concerned.
The Final Word
It would be better to focus on the sheer enjoyment and excitement associated with paddling and also benefit from the health point of view. This will help you to fall in love with kayaking. Once you are able to have a strong bond of attachment with your kayak and the fun and frolic associated with it, you will start understanding the finer points of feathering or offsetting of paddles. This is perhaps the best way forward and what you will learn from practical experience cannot be replicated by books and tons of theoretical knowledge, to say the least.