review of the Ke Nalu (Pono Bill) paddle

[NHSUPSurf]

Thanks for the info, PBill.  Will PM Lane.

Creek, holy cow!  You ARE rough on equipment!  Thank gawd you treated that Hobie you sold me with tender loving care though 

[LM]

You don't have to. First, yes you can glue it, but I'm pretty sure lane is continuing the "forever paddle" program.  You take a picture of the damaged blade, send it to him, and he'll sell you a very deeply discounted blade. Since the blade is just hot glued it's easy to replace with just a hair dryer.

I would have waited for lane to answer, but he doesn't get on the zone too often. Pm him and I'm sure he'll do you right.

Thanks Bill! & Yes you are correct we still have the program in place & if anyone else has any issues & is outside of their warranty period it's a really good option (Bill created it).

[LM]

Hi NHSS
Sounds like good advice.... but if you need it tomorrow.... here's what I did.

I beat the crap out of my Ke Nalu Wiki. I love it. but abuse it.
I use it to chop ice in the winter all the time.... when I go till the ice is too thick, I simply chop a "turn around spot" in the ice with the tip of my blade.
I use it as a depth sounder, everytime I step off my board... in sand, on rocks.... better to smack my blade around that bust up my knee or ankle.

Sooooo..... it splits apart from time to time. It has happened twice in 3 years

Both times, I just paint in some epoxy and clamp it back together. I used wooden shingles the first time to spread the clamping force... if I do that again, I will use clear packing tape, so the shingles don't glue to the blade 

I did it last week with just small "C" clamps... took 5 minutes to fix... over night to cure. Surfed all day Friday, paddled with Caribesurf all Saturday, and have been out this week.
The paddle looks beat up.... but still paddles perfectly.

Note.... even though I split in COMPLETELY.... tip to top.... it never lost its shape and glued together perfectly.

#1 - Ke Nalu Ice Chopper
#2 - My latest minor chip
#3 - Clamped with sidewall shingles
#4 - Same paddle, this weekend during a Maine road trip, to Caribe's beautiful coastline.

Wholly crap!!...Nice repair on that, but remember the forever paddle policy is in place for you too, if you ever need another ice axe

[TN_SUP]

My Wiki blade was one of the first and it started to split along the seam of the insert and down the shoulder. Looked like the foam in the insert expanded too much and pushed it apart. Was sent a factory second that weighed more when I warrantied it, but didn't complain because the blade is still usable for the small stresses my little arms put on it, just put superglue to help stop the tiny crack from progressing down the blade. Lane said they are using different foam now.

[PonoBill]

I remember that blade. We hand picked it from the first batch there were two ultralight blades. A lady got the lightest, you got the second--heavier by 2 grams. But you got the lightest shaft.

That's the kind of crap I remember. I don't know when my grandsons were born, but I remember that blade. Sorry to hear it cracked. That was a good one.

[TN_SUP]

Ha! That explains why the factory second weighed a third more. Quality of the blade face is better than the second Wiki Blade I bought in 2013, which is why I sold the newer one.

[PonoBill]

We actually used to weigh all the blades, shafts and handles when the came in. I don't remembr why. There's about a ten percent variance expected with composites.

[Surfindog]

Recently received a Maliko with 100 flex shaft from Lane and couldn't be happier with the performance, paddling the mangrove flats here in SW Florida. Like night and day compared to the aluminum clunker I had been using. And no more shoulder issues to boot.  Why didn't I do this sooner?  Thanks again Lane for all your help in getting us set up.

[LM]

Hey guys, check out our new Youtube channel https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCX8lUchPeVkeu-j8vua-nZQ currently there's videos on the Konihi, Ho'oloa, Elite & xTufs and a new How to Assemble vid. More on the way soon.

[supthecreek]

Hey LM... just wanted you to know that I have given up my evil ways of slamming my Ke Nalu into rocks and chopping ice with it. sort of. I am more careful, but dang it..... it works so well....

I have to report, no one has ever passed me out there, so it may well be the fastest ice paddle as well.

I need an intervention.
Do you need someone to take pictures in Thailand?

[spookini]

If you have to wear a scuba suit to go paddling....

   IT MIGHT BE TOO COLD 

[PonoBill]

Nice videos. I wondered who was doing the nice production, but it was pretty obvious at the end--Rod Parmenter. Pretty funny seeing Rod's face.

[stoneaxe]

Sweet!

[LM]

Hey LM... just wanted you to know that I have given up my evil ways of slamming my Ke Nalu into rocks and chopping ice with it. sort of. I am more careful, but dang it..... it works so well....

I have to report, no one has ever passed me out there, so it may well be the fastest ice paddle as well.

I need an intervention.
Do you need someone to take pictures in Thailand?

BRRR! I can't even imagine paddling in water that cold, that's hard core! you need to get someplace warm

[EatCrow]

My XTUF shaft and XTUF Wiki just came the other day, and I think the blade is and Elite..... I can not imagine a blade being lighter than this one.


One more month before I'm allowed to get back in the water, and can't wait