Weird Konihi 95 Blade

[PonoBill]

I did paddle testing yesterday with the 11'11" sic board I plan to use for the bop. In steady chop I got 4.7 mph with the 95 Konihi and 5.0 with the 84.

WTF? 

The 84 is a little too short,-I got a little carried away tweaking them-- and so is the 95 (though less so). I'll try again today. I REALLY don't like the 84, feels like I'm using a swizzle stick. Maybe that's the key here--speed is inversely proportional to how much you like the paddle. 

Those results are the reverse of my previous testing on the starboard 12'2" which has the same rocker (but is narrower than the 11'11"). Which by the way is both pretty fast and fun to surf in a big, swoopy kind of way.

[capobeachboy]

What?  I need to add an 84 to my quiver.

[PonoBill]

So, obviously I don't know anything about paddles or paddling. Nothing I thought I knew could be right. There might even be something to homeopathy--oh,wait,thats going too far.

anyway, i did the adjustments as planned, and then did short sprints of three minutes with each paddle with a minute rest between.  On the 11'11" surfboard. did 14 repetitions. 84--max speed 5.7 mph average 5.3, 95--max 5.3, avg 5.1

this is all with motionx which is much less accurate than my fragile speedometer (which is in Hood River in three pieces after some clumsy goon fell on it.)

the 84 cruises at 4.5 with the length right.

I know nothing.

i can send the .GPX or .KPS file to anyone curious enough to look at them. I don't have a computer with me, just an iPad and I'm not enough of an iPad power user to be able to do anything with them. I also posted the file to facebook there might be something useful there.

If you felt what I felt using this paddle you'd toss your hands in the air too. Nothing special--nothing. its just crazy fast with a surfboard. I need to test the race boards again.

[headmount]

So, obviously I don't know anything about paddles or paddling. Nothing I thought I knew could be right. There might even be something to homeopathy--oh,wait,thats going too far.

anyway, i did the adjustments as planned, and then did short sprints of three minutes with each paddle with a minute rest between.  On the 11'11" surfboard. did 14 repetitions. 84--max speed 5.7 mph average 5.3, 95--max 5.3, avg 5.1

this is all with motionx which is much less accurate than my fragile speedometer (which is in Hood River in three pieces after some clumsy goon fell on it.)

the 84 cruises at 4.5 with the length right.

I know nothing.

i can send the .GPX or .KPS file to anyone curious enough to look at them. I don't have a computer with me, just an iPad and I'm not enough of an iPad power user to be able to do anything with them. I also posted the file to facebook there might be something useful there.

If you felt what I felt using this paddle you'd toss your hands in the air too. Nothing special--nothing. its just crazy fast with a surfboard. I need to test the race boards again.

Bring those with you when you come.

[PonoBill]

I'd be crazy not to. I'm starting to think I shouldn't have told anyone about this.

[Luc Benac]

I have been trying out the Ho'oloa 84 with good results but mostly on flat water to date. I get a good, faster cadence than with the Konihi 95 and good speed. It makes me wonder if the Konihi 95 is just "too much" paddle for my 166 lbs and if I should have been more modest and purchased the Konihi 84 instead...
Or I might be making improvement to my stroke using the Ho'oloa 84 that might paid-off in the future when I put back the Konihi 95 blade and take full advantage of the larger blade....that might be wishful thinking maybe :-)
One think is sure, both KeNalu blades are great.

Cheers,

Luc

[PonoBill]

I can't get a high cadence with the 95 no matter what I try. I go a little quicker with the 84, but it's not the huge difference I expected. I think I'm waiting for the catch to hit too long. I think the catch happens right away, but it's soft and smooth so the paddle is closer to my feet than with a standard Ke Nalu paddle.

Actually I'm just babbling, I don't know what the hell these blades are doing.

[Luc Benac]

So far this is what I come-up with.
It feels counter-intuitive so tell me if it is just a result of my lackluster paddling technique.
On flat water, specially with my 14' displacement board, the 84 Ho'oloa feels the best allowing effortless high cadence.
On confused chop, specially with my 14' Glide, the 95 Kohini with an extra inch on the shaft feels the best. I have a slower cadence but I feel more "anchored".
I never tried a 84 Konihi which might be the "magic" paddle.
I am 6' and 166 lbs but reasonably athletic and flexible.

Cheers,

Luc