PADDLER 8
Ainsworth Paddles Ocean crank paddle www . ainsworthpaddles . co . uk By Rachel Hudspith
PADDLER 8
REVIEWS
Ainsworth Paddles Ocean crank paddle www . ainsworthpaddles . co . uk By Rachel Hudspith
When Andrew Ainsworth called me and said he had a new carbon sea paddle with a new crank shaft paddle that he wanted to test out , it could not have come at a better time .
I was about to embark on a series of sea trips throughout May , many of which were decent lengthy trips to test a cranked paddle out .
I took delivery of an ocean two-piece fully adjustable Ocean crank just before my trip to Alisa Craig . Andrew explained that the length adjustment would only be around 5 cm as the bend of the crank was close to the joint connector , which reduced the length of the spigot . If you order the correct length for yourself , then the 5 cm length variance is not much of an issue . It still gives you some adjustment of length for longer journeys , playing in the surf , and exploring tight gullies and caves .
The first thing I noticed was the weight of the unit . It felt as light as my straight-shaft Ocean blade , coming in under 1000g . The matt finish and the built-in oval shape give a very positive feel to the shaft . This , coupled with the double-dihedral blade shape , offers good power transfer without any flutter . The distance between the two hand grips of the crank is nicely spaced for mine and other paddlers in my group ’ s arm ’ s length .
Although the split system is a cumbersome , chunky connector , it is easy to operate and set . The angle measurements are stickers , which will most likely wear off over time . The real benefit of this system is that it fits easily inside the boot when carried in the car . You also have the option of a limited adjustment to the length for your different paddling venues .
Andrew sent me a Sea blade to compare against the more powerful Ocean blade . Having two differentsized blades to compare was an interesting experience , as I have always preferred the larger blade size so that I could pull more water when I needed that additional boost .
I enjoyed the effortless cruising feeling of the smaller blade , and I felt that it had adequate power for my needs . I loaned the Sea blade to a colleague who had just bought a two-piece straight shaft paddle , and he was very impressed with the feel of the crank . He liked the higher cadence of using the smaller blade area . Another friend who has been having issues with elbow strain loaned the Sea crank shaft for a weekend , where we visited the islands of North Berwick and the Firth of Forth . After these two 26 km trips , he had not experienced any pain in his elbows and was very impressed with the weight , the positive feel of the shaft and the ease of use .
I did make a classic error on the last day of my week-long paddling trip to the Lochinver region of Assynt on the Point of Stour . I put an Ocean blade and a Sea blade together for the paddle , carrying the two other ends as my spare splits .
I have no hesitation in recommending Ainsworth paddles for all types of kayaking . Their nearly 50 years of experience designing paddles have resulted in products that are incredibly durable and always state-of-the-art . Price : £ 450