Needing more feedback on Ke Nalu Mana

[PonoBill]

Welcome to the club. I'm back on xTuf(s) after a couple of days of training runs for the CCBC in the Gorge. I prefer the 100Flex but my shoulders like xTuf. 

[TN_SUP]

Is anyone changing the length of the shaft for Mana vs Konihi to account for difference in blade length?

Sent from my XT1254 using Tapatalk

[PonoBill]

Can't help you there, I surf with the Mana at head height and flatwater/downwind with the Konihi at my wrist break. I doubt you need to change for blade length though--they both insist that you bury them to the ferrule or they gift you with the flushing toilet sound.

[burchas]

I was looking into the Mana 82, xTuf(s) and extended handle

Going through the website I need some clarifications:

1) the website states "Paddle Lengths with uncut Standard Shaft: Mana 82: 84""
is that total length including the handle?

2) The website states I can shorten the shaft up to 6" from top before it start tapering
and 2" from bottom. that would put my paddle length at 76".

I use paddles from 72" to 79" and it does not sound like I could use the extended handle
if I want to go down to 72", but rather a fat handle. It doesn't  seem like logical but that's
how the website reads to me, am I missing something?

3) incase I can use an extended handle to go from 72" to 79" can I get an extended
ergo grip rather than the ergo T grip?

4) Is there a zoner discount for the paddle?

I think the website can use an update.

[Luc Benac]

I was looking into the Mana 82, xTuf(s) and extended handle

Going through the website I need some clarifications:

1) the website states "Paddle Lengths with uncut Standard Shaft: Mana 82: 84""
is that total length including the handle?

2) The website states I can shorten the shaft up to 6" from top before it start tapering
and 2" from bottom. that would put my paddle length at 76".

I use paddles from 72" to 79" and it does not sound like I could use the extended handle
if I want to go down to 72", but rather a fat handle. It doesn't  seem like logical but that's
how the website reads to me, am I missing something?

3) incase I can use an extended handle to go from 72" to 79" can I get an extended
ergo grip rather than the ergo T grip?

4) Is there a zoner discount for the paddle?

I think the website can use an update.

The shafts are 63" so you can go down to 57".
The ergoT handle is 2"
The Mana 82 blade is 19"
So the shortest you can go with standard elements is 78" fro a Mana 82 (79" for a Mana 90 as teh blade is 20").

[PonoBill]

The website sucks. Lane needs to can whoever he has doing work on it and get someone who has a clue about modern design and merchandising. I'm sure it isn't bringing in much money but that's not because it can't, it's because it won't in its current form. But that's just my opinion, there might be some people who like web design and tech that's 100 years old in internet years.

On to the paddle. You can actually cut quite a bit more off the top of the shaft and still get the handle to work reliably if you use the extended ergo-T handle. Just goop it up with lots of hot glue (it comes with quite a bit on it) and make sure to rotate the handle back and forth a bit when putting it together to get the glue well distributed. If you cut more than 6" off the top there will be a gap between handle and shaft that makes the standard length handles a bit unreliable (they might twist), but the problem is more theoretical and cosmetic than real, they work surprisingly well with just extra glue. I made two outrigger canoe paddles out of Ke Nalu parts, and they've been standing up to near-daily use for years. There are lots of kids and small adults paddling Ke Nalus who cut their shaft much more than you plan to.

There are fatter shaft handles available to do this more elegantly, but not in the extended version (I think). I haven't really found them necessary anyway. My surf paddle is 79" and I cut the shaft to allow the extended handle to be pushed in to 75". Works fine. I don't cut the bottom of the shaft anymore, though I have in the past, and it works, but you're reducing the amount of reinforcing for the joint. I've never had a problem from that, but I can't see risking it. The primary forces on the handle joint are almost straight down, the force on the blade joint is mostly perpendicular to the joint.

[burchas]

The shafts are 63" so you can go down to 57".
The ergoT handle is 2"
The Mana 82 blade is 19"
So the shortest you can go with standard elements is 78" fro a Mana 82 (79" for a Mana 90 as teh blade is 20").

That does not make any sense. It's even worse than I thought.

So basically the whole mantra of extending and shortening your paddle
with the extended handle and hot glue falls apart if you happened to need
a paddle under 78"? That's about 99% of all the paddlers I know...

[burchas]

My surf paddle is 79" and I cut the shaft to allow the extended handle to be pushed in to 75".

That's good to know Bill. So if I want my paddle all the way to 72" would you
still say it will work fine with the extended handle?

[Luc Benac]

The shafts are 63" so you can go down to 57".
The ergoT handle is 2"
The Mana 82 blade is 19"
So the shortest you can go with standard elements is 78" fro a Mana 82 (79" for a Mana 90 as teh blade is 20").

That does not make any sense. It's even worse than I thought.

So basically the whole mantra of extending and shortening your paddle
with the extended handle and hot glue falls apart if you happened to need
a paddle under 78"? That's about 99% of all the paddlers I know...

My bad, I had forgotten the 2" at the bottom. So 76" and 77".
The extended handle works a lot better if you cut shorter (that is what I have done for my wife) but the regular handle feels fairly insecure and it feels like there is some give.

[burchas]

The shafts are 63" so you can go down to 57".
The ergoT handle is 2"
The Mana 82 blade is 19"
So the shortest you can go with standard elements is 78" fro a Mana 82 (79" for a Mana 90 as teh blade is 20").

That does not make any sense. It's even worse than I thought.

So basically the whole mantra of extending and shortening your paddle
with the extended handle and hot glue falls apart if you happened to need
a paddle under 78"? That's about 99% of all the paddlers I know...

My bad, I had forgotten the 2" at the bottom. So 76" and 77".
The extended handle works a lot better if you cut shorter (that is what I have done for my wife) but the regular handle feels fairly insecure and it feels like there is some give.

What length is your wife using?

[PonoBill]

Burchas--yup.

Luc--that's probably in your head, and I very well know that thinking there might be something wrong with your handle is almost as bad as having something actually wrong with your handle. A few days ago I became convinced that my handle had twisted and developed all the symptoms of a misaligned handle, but when I stopped and checked it, the alignment was perfect and the problems went away.  But I have wrapped the ferrule of a handle with multiple wraps of aluminum tape in the past to form up the fit. I don't really think it's necessary, but it works.

[Luc Benac]

What length is your wife using?

Good question. I do not quite remember but I think I cut the shaft down to 52" and then epoxied a shortened extended handle. Looks fairly strong and my wife is just touring around.
I am sure that Pono is right but I do not like to take a chance and I do not need to shorten my paddle any shorter anyway.