Paddle upgrade questions??

[HobieScot]

Ok so I still have my old Hobie paddle that came with my Hank Parker Edition outback. I'm not even sure what year it is but it's pretty old.

I keep seeing people say that the Hobie paddle sucks so I was curious about an upgrade.

The only time I use the paddle is to back up or maneuver in a tight area like a boat dock or similar place.

I have been lucky to not have my mirage drive break on me yet so I really have never had a reason to paddle for any distance.

So I wouldn't know the difference from a good paddle vs bad one. What makes the Hobie paddle a less than ideal paddle? And conversely what makes another brand paddle a good one?

What difference would I notice when I upgrade to a new paddle?


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[taggermike]

Grades of paddles go from aluminum with plastic blades riveted on, to fiber glass, and then carbon fiber. Low Price paddles are heavier, pricy ones are lighter. There's also a "feel" component between paddle quality that's hard to explain. How much are you planning to paddle your out back? If its just for a few minutes of surf launches and going threw kelp the paddle you have should fine. Ive paddled an outback and it didn't paddle well IMO. I have a paddle yak and a CF paddle. After hours on the water I can tell the difference over a heavier paddle. I hope that helped. Mike

[Iceman]

When people say it sucks they are referring to them snapping, as in the blade snaps off on the older ones. Last year Hobie changed manufacturers and Cannon is making their paddles now.

Fiberglass and carbon fiber, shafts and blades are better than aluminum and nylon.

[HobieScot]

Thank you for the clarification Mike and Andy

As for paddling my outback...

I don't plan to unless I have to. But I do plan on upgrading to a PA12 sometime this year. With it being a heavier kayak I was thinking of getting a better or more efficient paddle in case I did ever need to paddle back to the launch.


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[Mr. NiceGuy]

When people say it sucks they are referring to them snapping, as in the blade snaps off on the older ones. Last year Hobie changed manufacturers and Cannon is making their paddles now.

Fiberglass and carbon fiber, shafts and blades are better than aluminum and nylon.

Hobie puts a lot of effort into the things they design -- both for style & benefit, and so things break as soon as possible, just outside of warranty. I find myself constantly having to replace unique and proprietary Hobie components that break.

For Hobie, "all parts are replacable" (yay!) --- by intent and design. They are all difficult to substitute with non-Hobie solutions, and they are all expensive. It's part of the master plan, I'm sure.

As a matter of fact, the plastic buckle of the strap that holds my new Livewell to the deck behind my seat just shattered for no particular reason. I've been using my new Livewell for about a month. I already replaced the plastic nut that holds the circulation pump in place because the overly soft threads stripped. It's typical. I bought a new deep size Hobie "tupperware" gear bucket for the center hatch a few weeks ago and it's already splitting vertically in three places. It looks good, it fits, and it's meant to be con$umable, dispo$able and replace$able.

[HobieScot]

So far I've good luck with Hobie products

None have broken this far. Yes they are more expensive but they have never let me down yet


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[Dave Legacy]

I have some Werner Skagit FG IM paddles and they're pretty nice; CF/Blend shaft with fiberglass blades. As nice as they are I do feel a little flex on the blade if I dig deep, which is probably because they have a low-angle blade type. What I'm getting at is I think it would be favorable to have a CF blade as well.

[HobieScot]

Would upgrading to a Werner or similar paddle be a noticeable difference in performance? Or is the weight savings the thing I would notice the most?

I was looking at the Werner site and saw paddles in the $165-$400 range. I won't be spending $400 for a paddle since my paddle is only used as a backup for when my mirage drive breaks. If I wasn't in a Hobie and relied solely on my paddle for propulsion then that would be a different story. I would want something on the higher end of the spectrum.

What should I expect to spend on a decent paddle?


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[Aznronin]

A good paddle is a great investment. It will make your on the water time more enjoyable, and last longer. I would recommend buying at least a carbon fiber shaft with fiberglass. Or the best option is full carbon fiber. Werner makes a great durable paddle.