review of the Ke Nalu (Pono Bill) paddle

[pdxmike]

Geeze, I posted my last on this thread late last night, reread this morning... incredible what a twist of the mind can conjure with a different light on it.  Had to laugh at myself.  More than slightly embarrassed.

Makes me think that there's some truth to a statistic that I just read that 69% of people can find something dirty in any sentence they read. 

[spookini]

What was that statistical %-age?  69?

C'mon, too easy.   

[jd]

Geeze, I posted my last on this thread late last night, reread this morning... incredible what a twist of the mind can conjure with a different light on it.  Had to laugh at myself.  More than slightly embarrassed.

I wouldn't expect anything less from someone with the username "headmount" discussing preferences of shaft stiffness.   

[viatormundi]

OK PB, I'll bite.

I'm in the UK. How can I get one of your paddles, and how much will it cost either with or without this new Bongo arrangement?

We pay 20% sales tax on anything coming into the UK from the USA, and that 20% is calculated on the price of goods *plus* the carriage costs.

Henrik F - since you seem to be closest to me, how much did it end up costing you in total?

It's the ability to change the length that is clearly the USP for me.

PM me the name of your local dealer. I'm getting ready to do a push to get some UK dealers. Going to do the UK first since I can't ramp production very quickly. It will probably be the most reasonable way to get one.

Of course you can order direct. Click on the Bongo button on the site and it will tell you what the likely freight will be. The tough part is that it's going to be the same freight for one or five since these aren't heavy, just bulky.

The shipping box size is 69" X 4" X 10" and the weight is 4 pounds.

Hi PB,
I hope you will have a distributor in Spain soon. It looks like ordering one of your paddles using Bongo becomes quite expensive. For example, a shipment of Wiki (worth 375 USD) to Spain costs total of 656 USD with bongo. Which is about 495 Euros. On the other hand, a qb Kanaha Elite Race 8.3'' costs here around 360 Euros (about 475 USD).

[stoneaxe]

Swapped paddles with a SUPper at Newport today. He has the same paddle I used to use and love. OMG!...my arms were tired late in the session but it felt like I might as well have been using a 2x4 with some plywood attached. I have to tell you Bill. I think you've made it impossible for anyone to switch back to anything else once they've been paddling a Ke Nalu for any length of time....not that they'll want to.

[PonoBill]

OK PB, I'll bite.

I'm in the UK. How can I get one of your paddles, and how much will it cost either with or without this new Bongo arrangement?

We pay 20% sales tax on anything coming into the UK from the USA, and that 20% is calculated on the price of goods *plus* the carriage costs.

Henrik F - since you seem to be closest to me, how much did it end up costing you in total?

It's the ability to change the length that is clearly the USP for me.

PM me the name of your local dealer. I'm getting ready to do a push to get some UK dealers. Going to do the UK first since I can't ramp production very quickly. It will probably be the most reasonable way to get one.

Of course you can order direct. Click on the Bongo button on the site and it will tell you what the likely freight will be. The tough part is that it's going to be the same freight for one or five since these aren't heavy, just bulky.

The shipping box size is 69" X 4" X 10" and the weight is 4 pounds.

Hi PB,
I hope you will have a distributor in Spain soon. It looks like ordering one of your paddles using Bongo becomes quite expensive. For example, a shipment of Wiki (worth 375 USD) to Spain costs total of 656 USD with bongo. Which is about 495 Euros. On the other hand, a qb Kanaha Elite Race 8.3'' costs here around 360 Euros (about 475 USD).

We're working hard on it. We think we can reduce our distributor minimum quantity a bit to make it feasible to to ship direct to European countries instead of trying to have a central European distributor. . And since we don't ship finished goods (they must be assembled locally) the duties might be lower. It's priority one--getting distribution in all European countries. For some reason our paddles are like Jerry Lewis--even more popular outside the US. I can't believe how much email we get from Australia.

[PonoBill]

Looks terrific.  The component idea is very attractive.  It would nice to see the component weights as well.  I know some of them are scattered around the web site in other places.

A question is whether, on the whole paddle page, the xTuf shaft should be selectable as one of shaft options even for the (otherwise) Elite paddles (still at the Elite paddle price).  Seems like it might be an option for someone wanting more flex to protect their joints but not concerned about having a sturdier blade.

Good idea, both of them. We'll do that. The Molokai Downwinder is exactly that, a Molokai with a xTuf shaft. I did a southside downwinder with mine today. I love the fricken' thing. It's wonderful. No reason not to do a Maliko and a Wiki Downwinder. I think we'll do that instead of making it a shaft option, just to keep it obvious. But the weight is a solid idea, I'll get that going.

[headmount]

I now have a profound admiration for those who post on these paddle  oriented threads and choose words that don't sneak up on you like a blind alley.  I'll never use, starts with sh and ends with aft, again.   It's late and I'll stop now before I walk myself into another ambush of my own words.  But let me just say I'm stoked on KeNalu paddles.

[jdmotes]

I now have a profound admiration for those who post on these paddle  oriented threads and choose words that don't sneak up on you like a blind alley.  I'll never use, starts with sh and ends with aft, again.   It's late and I'll stop now before I walk myself into another ambush of my own words.  But let me just say I'm stoked on KeNalu paddles.

 Know what you mean head; Have to start using something like: stick, or rod, or pole... OMG! I can't think of anything to sub that doesn't have over/under-tones... "HELP"!!!             Paddle on,  JD

[Dwight (DW)]

Bill,

I'd like to see a blade size between the Wiki and Maliko. Although the numbers indicate they are close in size, the power difference feels wide.

[SUPpaddler]

I second DW's request for a blade of about 89-90 square inches.  Or for now, how about a template or trace pattern by which one could cut or grind down the Maliko to that size, keeping a Ke Nalu recommended shape.  I've cut down carbon, fiberglass, and plastic blades to my own liking and never had a problem.  Don't cut ones that are tipped with a different material (some have S-glass or ABS), and never cut near the foam core.  So why not -- we are already cutting shafts and gluing things together, so why not cut out a new blade pattern?

[Tom]

I second DW's request for a blade of about 89-90 square inches.  Or for now, how about a template or trace pattern by which one could cut or grind down the Maliko to that size, keeping a Ke Nalu recommended shape.  I've cut down carbon, fiberglass, and plastic blades to my own liking and never had a problem.  Don't cut ones that are tipped with a different material (some have S-glass or ABS), and never cut near the foam core.  So why not -- we are already cutting shafts and gluing things together, so why not cut out a new blade pattern?

Maybe you could just get PB to send you the raw materials for a paddle and 20 youtubes on design & build techniques. 

[JimK]

Bill,

I gotta second the difficulty going back to my favorite paddle after using the KeNalu. I tried it last Fri in a lesson I had. It was night and day

AMAZING PADDLES

JimK
www.extremewindsurfing.com

[PonoBill]

I now have a profound admiration for those who post on these paddle  oriented threads and choose words that don't sneak up on you like a blind alley.  I'll never use, starts with sh and ends with aft, again.   It's late and I'll stop now before I walk myself into another ambush of my own words.  But let me just say I'm stoked on KeNalu paddles.

 Know what you mean head; Have to start using something like: stick, or rod, or pole... OMG! I can't think of anything to sub that doesn't have over/under-tones... "HELP"!!!             Paddle on,  JD

I don't know about all you guys posting about your posts. Seems like some kind of post fixation.

[headmount]

Good one.