On this trip, I wanted to paddle a good 27 miles with
my new blade for a thorough testing!
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(tap or click pic to read)
Paddling RGB with my new Orka Super Flex wing paddle in the late afternoon sun.
K1 trainer and wing paddle test with a 27 mile day paddle on Florida Bay.
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My new wing paddle proved to be a great paddling tool,
but the trip was a real pain in the arse.
So I decided to do another extended day trip on Florida Bay. As with most of my own trips there is always an “experimental” factor involved, whether it be new paddling or camping gear, photographic lens, etc. On this trip the experiment as it were would be a brand new wing paddle I acquired – an Orka paddles “Super Flex” model. This is a tear drop wing paddle loosely grouped in the so called “Gamma” shape, after a famous paddle design from Jantex. It’s a nicely finished paddle, feels stout and slightly heavier than Jantex or Brača – but also half the price!
What attracted me to this blade is the versatility of the design. It generates it’s power peak in mid-stroke and has a very smooth entry and exit. The catch is strong, but not overwhelmingly technical. It almost doesn’t care how you handle it and seemingly auto-corrects any sloppiness. Of course good technique never hurts! Also the blade is speed sensitive, so that the faster your cadence, the more power (lift) it generates. There is almost no cavitation! Mine came as a adjustable 210-220cm, which I found too long for my anatomy and style of paddling. So I cut off the ferrule and shortened it down to a 204cm. With a heat gun I was then able to cleanly separate the metal locking ferrule and re-epoxy it back on to the shortened paddle shaft
This was a full day of paddling, taking about 6 hours of paddling to cover the 27 miles with two one hour breaks in the mix. The Super Flex is versatile enough to quickly catch swells and for sprinting, yet smooth enough for all day paddling without hurting me.
Fitness, Adventure and Art on Florida Bay!
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Full story at:
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! Bless UP
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With that said..
Blessings friends!
🙂
kayakfari ( kayak .. far .. i ) 