review of the Ke Nalu (Pono Bill) paddle

[PonoBill]

Lot of people at the Round the Rock thanked me for Ke Nalu paddles. It's pretty fun having people be so enthusiastic.

[swordfish1227]

It's hilarious when you hand someone an adjustable paddle, then a carbon/wood veneer BW one piece, then the elite Wiki with the elite shaft. The look on their face is priceless.

[PonoBill]

It would be really nice if I didn't have to relearn lessons so often. Paddling with new hockey tape on your paddle is nasty--it gets sticky and if you too long and too hard the adhesive softens, the tape moves around, and wads up. It's only the old stuff that's tolerable, and that usually after a waxing to get the adhesive calmed down. The only reason to use it is if you get sunscreen on your hands.

For some stupid reason I taped my shaft at the Round the Rock. At first I was just going to tape a section up top so I could choke down and have a good grip, but I had all that tape, and it was handy, so...

13 miles later against a nasty headwind, both hands are covered with blisters and aching. If I had just trusted the sharkskin of the shaft I'd have been fine, or just rubbed on a little wax. But no. I'm supposed to be paddling an OC6 this morning, but instead I'm trapping mice and moles and trying to get my fingers to work. .

[TN_SUP]

I prefer the suntan lotions that make your hands slick as opposed to sticky. Tried ultimate sweatproof stuff and could feel my hands getting hot as I paddled my wiki, could not wash it off and got blisters. Much easier to wipe off the slick stuff.

[swordfish1227]

Bill have you gotten any footage of the wiki/xTuf combo compared to other setups? I have a theory on why it works, but I'm not sure.

I'm wondering if the xTuf is starting to unflex before the end of the stroke with the wiki due to the decreased resistance compared to a maliko. Essentially I'm wondering if that little flick you get at the end of the stroke with a Maliko gets spread over the whole stroke with a wiki.

[PonoBill]

I've shot three runs so far (each one with a different person, paddling six different paddles three times each), but I'm shooting from a bluff down onto the water, which may not be ideal for analyzing stroke effects, I'm just looking at the speed differences. We probably need to shoot from dock level at the paddlers, so I might move the whole thing to the marina.

[kayadogg]

Bill, any eta on when wiki blades will be back in stock?

[PonoBill]

They're at the shipping agent now, so should be about four or five days.

[swordfish1227]

I've shot three runs so far (each one with a different person, paddling six different paddles three times each), but I'm shooting from a bluff down onto the water, which may not be ideal for analyzing stroke effects, I'm just looking at the speed differences. We probably need to shoot from dock level at the paddlers, so I might move the whole thing to the marina.

Another idea I've been toying around with is an internal flex sensor that you could put in the shaft. would be interesting to see the results if it could be done.

[PonoBill]

Got them, I use a strain gauge hooked to the paddle pod data recorder I built. The only problem is that I don't know what to do with all the data.

[Celeste]

Got them, I use a strain gauge hooked to the paddle pod data recorder I built. The only problem is that I don't know what to do with all the data.

Set up a data base, start writing queries that match any thought you might have.  Play with it till you are out of ideas, then play with it some more.  Some background in data mining might help unless you like playing with data bases

[swordfish1227]

Got them, I use a strain gauge hooked to the paddle pod data recorder I built. The only problem is that I don't know what to do with all the data.

Does it  give you deflection as well as loading?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[PonoBill]

Actually all it does is give you the amount the strain gauge deflects.

Celeste--that's kind of the problem. I can view the data graphically but I really don't have much to go by in understanding what's "good" or "bad". I shot video under the board and tried to correlate the graphic data to the stuff that didn't look like good performance, but it's a little sketchy. When I have time I'll do a lot more correlations, but between having a life, having ADD and having a zillion projects it's kind of back burner.

Somewhere there's a version of this old article that includes the video we shot and the data the video relates to. But this one give some idea of what we did. http://www.kenalu.com/ke-nalu-elite-paddles/  The strain gauge is a new addition, I finally found one that is long enough and cheap enough that I could use it. I've still got three channels left for other sensors, not including dedicated channels for pitot tube speed sensors and an RPM sensor that I used to make an instantaneous speedometer. Pretty trick little data recorder for $250

[SaltH2Opaddler]

Pono -

Any word on the paddle testing? Results?

Did your new shipment go out?

Tried the Wiki and the Maliko...both are sweet but only could demo the 100shaft - would like to try the Xtuf(s) in both.

Looking to buy a Ke Nalu asap.

Thanks

[Sup-position]

Wiki Paddle, X-Tuff and 100%

I have a few for those desperately in need.

I have the other sizes too...

Ralph
Sup-position
Huntington Beach, California, USA
(714) 899-3020

Sup.position.com@gmail.com

www.Sup-position.com