PADDLER 5
PADDLER 5
REVIEWS
shortened my paddle for me , so my lower hand fell closer to the middle of the cranked section . I took my Sprint for a session down the canal , and swapping sides over the raised front end was no problem with the shorter length - I can easily mess this up with a paddle that ’ s too long on this board . I ’ ll look forward to paddling the Sprint and the cranked shaft paddle at the Norfolk Ultra , especially now it ’ s better suited to me .
PLAYING ON THE SEA
I have really enjoyed using this paddle and found myself choosing it above my others . I took it on holiday with me , where I had a play on the sea . I found a sheltered bay with little surf but a fair amount of swell , which was new to me . I paddled a little on my knees to feel how the board moved and switched between kneeling and standing far more than I normally would so I could look at the seaweeds and fish in the clear waters . Getting my hands and arms into a good position quickly after getting up was easy . Again , I felt very safe leaning on the paddle and getting power from it in unfamiliar waters .
I had a session playing on the slalom area at Mile End Mill , Llangollen , with my floating brick and Starboard Tufskin paddle . Perfect for not worrying about smashing on rocks , but paddling upstream was hard going . The plastic blade was fluttering and giving me no power , and I wished I had the Ainsworth Crank . I worked out where the water was deep enough not to worry about rocks and gave it a go . The increase in power and lack of flutter was impressive . I had so much fun playing on the slalom that I entered a SUP slalom event and took the crank .
It was interesting to see how good it felt to do a lot of turning paddle strokes on a course involving a lot of paddling upstream . There were some strong currents and headwinds , and my Tufskin would have been awful . As a complete novice to both slalom and white water , there were some aspects I found very difficult and made a complete mess of .
It ’ s easy to lose hand position on the paddle when moving water catches you by surprise . The shaft was so easy to feel exactly where my hands were supposed to be as I was trying to recover myself . I lent the paddle to some of the other paddlers , who were mainly kayakers . They preferred it over their straight-shaft SUP paddles . Shortly after the event , I had an Intro to Whitewater SUP lesson . I borrowed an Ainsworth polycarb blade , which is ideal for use in shallow and rocky waters but felt much less grippy in the water than the carbon blades . I swapped onto a carbon blade and straight adjustable shaft and instantly felt the difference in stiffness and support in the water .
Again , I wished I had my cranked shaft paddle with me instead of the straight shaft . Where I was making a mess up learning to ferry glide and break in and out of flow , it felt harder to recover my position on the paddle without the crank to guide my hands , and I felt as if I was fumbling around and slower to get the paddle back under control and back in the water . The Tufskin and the Ainsworth polycarb are great for what they are designed for , with no worries about damaging them , but the carbon blades feel much more precise and powerful .
300 + KM AMAZON CHALLENGE
I met Jon , who took his Ainsworth Crank Shaft on the 300 + km Amazon Challenge . He ’ s built very differently from me , with strong shoulders , whereas my friends tell me I ’ m tiny . He was equally enthusiastic as I was about how the paddle made your arms stay in a strong position when you ’ re tired and how the crank shape made a difference . After his epic adventure on the Amazon , he was a bit less worried about rocks than I was .
I am looking forward to trying mine out on some grade 2 rivers in France and Spain over the summer . Ainsworth are confident I won ’ t smash the paddle on the sections I plan on doing . The blades are made the same way as their whitewater kayak paddles but shaped for SUP .
I would wholeheartedly recommend this paddle to anyone who has developed their technique enough to be confident in buying a fixed-length carbon paddle . It is so important to get the crank in the right place — and not for your friends . I have noticed a big difference in power , catch , and exit phases of the paddle stroke , even when paddling the most awful boards .
This will 100 % be my go-to paddle for any endurance event and any paddling where I ’ m learning new water or skills and want to keep improving my technique . It ’ s been worth working through any weirdness . My only problem now is that I want to throw away my Tufskin and kayak paddles and get upgrades . This paddle has highlighted the difference a well-shaped shaft can make , especially in gaining power and improving technique . Price : £ 350.00