Re: Wing Paddles

Posted by Stephen P on Jun 22, 2004

I just "upgraded" to an ONNO wing after four years of swinging my home built wooden paddles. I race a Pax18 and although I see the potential, after four weeks with the wing I am still coming up a learning curve.

It took about an hour on the water before I even began to think I hadn't wasted my $$$'s. Now that I have the catch locked in and the correct path through the water, the wing feels rock solid. It is the "high impact" version of paddling... like pushing a brick wall and this initially gets some new muscles in your shoulders working. This efficiency of effort with no noodly eddies or cavitation adds to the wing's forward propelling power. (I went back to my GP paddle for a mellow paddle with my in-laws and almost fell out the boat on the first couple of strokes.)

Bad technique isn't rewarded, an immediate softness is felt if the blade isn't moving out in the optimal path. Torso rotation is rewarded and a slightly higher cadence seems to pick up the pace.

Lee,G is right that this isn't the paddle for everyone and definitely not a good choice as a first paddle or for all conditions. Only when 95% of your body mechanics, degree of optimal feather and conditioning have been eliminated from the equation, will the wing be a way to gain a few extra percent. There is a whole new world out there when searching for the ultimate performance combination.

If you have $$$'s and time, a wing could be a new adventure. A good custom built wing will cost almost as much as building a S&G on the cheap! Don't tell the wife!

Regards

Stephen (1% closer)

In Response to: Re: Wing Paddles by Mac on Jun 22, 2004

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