What are the basics of outrigger canoeing?
This PDF is a thorough introduction to the sport and basic technique. There is a download link below the preview.
What are some websites that explain outrigger culture?
Some excellent sources of deeper knowledge on the sport and culture are available through:
How do I choose a paddle for myself?
If you are a complete beginner, come join us for a paddle and learn the technique with one of our club paddle!. After you have some experience, you can dive into the following information to help guide you when you’re ready to own your own paddle.
Here are some guidelines to help you to narrow things down. Paddle variables include: surface area of the blade, length of the paddle overall, with less important factors for beginners being: blade angle and material/weight.
If you were to be joining a competitive OC-6 team, you would likely be told exactly which paddle to get so that everyone in the canoe is in unison and pulling the same water at the same angle.
BORA is not that competitive, so folks are free to buy a paddle that best fits their body.
Surface Area
While many paddles are described by their width, that number can be misleading, as paddle shapes differ. The dimension that gives you the most comparative information is surface area, in square inches. Paddles with less surface area are generally less punishing on your body, but strong paddlers can find themselves overpowering a smaller blade such that it does not grab the water as well as a larger blade.
Kihei Canoe Club’s OC-6 racing coach wants all paddlers to use a 123 sq in paddle (Palafamala’s 9.75″ paddle specifically). A paddle this big is probably too much paddle for many recreational paddlers; it is super solid and feels like you’re pulling on a fencepost set in concrete; your body parts may not be happy with this. Palafamala’s website says “To keep it simple, the 9.25 [117] is usually used for OC1 and the 9.75 [123] is usually used for OC6 and the 9.5 [120] is safe to use for both.” (Keep in mind that a good number of Palafamala’s customers are strong athletes.) For comparison, Kialoa’s biggest (non-steering) paddle is 120 sq in, and Quickblade’s is 119 sq in. See the Kialoa paddle descriptions below for more insight. If you have a smaller frame, or are concerned about an injury, you may want to avoid the bigger paddles.
Length
There are a lot of opinions about length for outrigger paddles. To start with, don’t consider any canoe paddle length advice intended for folks other than outrigger canoe paddlers. Most people err in choosing a paddle length that is too long.
Olympic paddler and Quickblade designer, Jim Terrell, told us that he has everyone on his men’s OC-6 racing teams using 48″ paddles, which is well below the average men’s paddle length. It doesn’t take much leverage to maintain the fore-aft position of the top hand. Although this fore-aft positioning is critical, you don’t need a longer paddle for this. The predominant strength requirement of the top arm is that of downward pressure on the paddle, and you are stronger at that when your top arm is lower. A shorter paddle also means your top arm does not have to travel as far (this adds up on distance races), and it is supposedly kinder to your shoulder as well.
There are a lot of charts prescribing paddle length ranges based on your height. These are ball-park figures. Try to borrow a paddle on the short end of the range to see how it feels. If you are using the method of ‘sitting on a chair with a paddle and raising your arm to drape your fingers over the handle’, be sure to keep your shoulders fully relaxed and don’t lift your shoulder to reach for the paddle handle.
Bend
There are still some single-bend outrigger paddles to choose from but double-bends have become an outrigger crowd favorite. Double-bend paddles give you a more relaxed wrist angle on the bottom hand.
Blade Angle
Blade angles are typically measured right where the blade meets the shaft, and on double-bends tend to range between about 10 and 16 degrees. If you have a single-bend paddle with a blade angle that you like, keep in mind that a comparable blade angle on a double-bend will be about 3 degrees more than your single-bend. Larger blade angles (16 degrees) are a little more forgiving for those who tend to end their power stroke late, as the blade will be less negative at the end of the power stroke. These larger blade angles can also be more forgiving on your wrist and elbow.
Blade Shape
Blade shapes vary from wide to narrow (blade) shoulders, rounded tips to more squared-off tips, and flat to scooped power faces. Manufacturers may lay claims to increased efficiency because of their shape’s superior catch, power transfer, etc. However, finding scientific, empirical data based on realistic testing is elusive. With experience, a paddler may be able to discern an opinion about the feel of different paddle shapes, and might even tweak their technique to suit a particular shape. Recreational paddlers will likely find that adjustments to their technique matter a lot more than paddle shape. If you are still concerned, simply choose a shape that looks like an average of the predominant outrigger paddles on the market.
Materials
100% carbon-fiber paddles are great because they are so lightweight. Keep in mind that they are light enough to be susceptible when switching sides in high winds, and small nick in a carbon-fiber shaft can cause the shaft to shatter under load. 100% wood blades can be heavy, with thick blade edges, and their blades have a tendency to crack over time. Hybrid paddles with carbon blades and wood shafts are very popular, and help mitigate the weaknesses of all-carbon-fiber or all-wood designs.
What are some good sources for outrigger equipment?
The following websites all sell well-made and reliable equipment. Some is specific to outrigger canoeing and some is more general water sport gear.
Paddle Manufacturers:
https://www.quickbladepaddles.com
https://www.gillespiepaddles.com
General Water Sport Gear: