Werner Paddles - Fishing Paddles - Which One Is For You?

Fishing paddles-Blade shape and paddling style. 

Simply put, if you focus on a paddle that fits you it will means less fatigue, more time on the water and more fish in the boat.  A lot goes into a great paddling paddle and each manufacture will happily tell their story, so do your research, try stuff out and make an informed decision.

However the constant between all brands is that you are going to see 2 general blade shapes.  They will differ some, but generally you’ll have short and fat or long and skinny.   Each shape is designed specifically to perform better with your paddling style.  Now sure you can use any blade, paddle however you want, but to get the most from your paddling matching a blade shape to your paddling style.  Let’s take a closer look.

Long and Skinny. 

This shape is for “Low-Angle” paddling.  In this style your top hand is shoulder height during your stroke, and much more relaxed as it puts less pressure on your smaller muscle groups.  This allows you to spend more time focusing on landing fish.  Try for yourself and see how the longer, narrow blade shape “fits” in the water better and presents more surface area of the blade to the water.   Now the disadvantage is that with every stroke the blades travel away from the side of the boat, making the boat turn slightly as you travel across the water.  Less of straight line means more time to get from point A to B.

Short and Fat.

 When high angle paddling, your top hand will come up to about forehead height.  Notice that your blades travel much closer to the kayak helping you to track significantly straighter.  Again note that the short and wide blade shape “fits” in the water better in this position.   It can be harder on the smaller muscle groups, but as you commit to perfecting your paddling technique, it will allow you to be a more efficient paddler.   The common misconception is the fatter blade is faster, more powerful.  Generally the blades are the same overall size and again the shape difference is to match style.  To truly become more powerful, faster, work on technique.   Here is a great, short, video for the kayak angler and their forward stroke.

http://wernerpaddles.com/werner-tv?video=76954009&title=Werner+Hooked%3A+Forward+Stroke

Still not sure what paddling style is best suited for you? Ask yourself, “What do I see myself doing the most out there?” If your answer is to get out there, relax and maybe catch a few fish, low angle would be the way to go. If your answer is to get out in the water and focus on better technique for more efficient paddling, high angle would be the ticket for you.   You can always get out there and try paddles out.  The day you become a kayak fisherman, you have to think like a paddler first.  Consider your paddle fit as much as you would consider any of your tackle.

Don’t forget, a bad day of fishing is still a great day of paddling.

Article provided by the paddling instructors and paddle designers at Werner Paddles.

Werner Paddles - Available for Travel

At Werner Paddles we take our customers needs and wants very seriously and for this blogpost I am going to focus on those paddlers who love to travel or have storage constraints.

Currently Werner Paddles offers break-down paddles (3 pce or more) in the following categories:  Touring, Whitewater and Stand Up Paddle.

Having the ability to stow your paddle in your luggage is not only convenient but cost effective as many airlines charge for over-sized bags.  These paddles are also great choices for those that have storage constraints when living in smaller homes ie. apartments or condominiums or quite possibly the back of a van.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          
 In our touring category we offer the following paddles in a 4 pce. straight shaft with the Smart-View Adjustable Ferrule System:

Werner 4 pce. Ikelos (top) Photo credit: www.havekayakswilltravel.com

Ultimate Performance - Kalliste, Athena, Ikelos and Cyprus  

Premium Performance Carbon - Camano, Little Dipper, Corryvrecken and Shuna

Premium Performance Fiberglass - Camano, Little Dipper, Corryvrecken and Shuna
















In our whitewater category we offer the following paddles in a 4 pce. straight shaft:

Premium Performance Fiberglass - Powerhouse, Sherpa, Side Kick, Player, and Twist

Werner 4 pce. Powerhouse Photo credit: www.outdoorplay.com

In our Stand Up Paddle (SUP) category we offer 3 pce. adjustable straight shaft in the following models:

Ultimate Performance Carbon - Nitro F, Nitro M, Nitro S and Spanker
Ultimate Performance Fiberglass -Soul F, Soul M and Soul S
Premium Performance Fiberglass - Carve F, Carve M, Carve S, Session (whitewater), Stinger (whitewater) and the Tonga
Standard Performance - Fiji 

Werner 3 pce Nitro (current model not shown, 2014 model has different logo and a carbon grip).  Photo credit: blog.surfingsports.com

 

Werner 3 pce Stinger Photo credit: www.cksblog.com

***4 pce paddles may not be widely stocked by your local Werner Paddles dealer but they would be happy to order one in for you***

Paddling with PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder)

Last summer at the Kal Classic SUP Race, I had the pleasure of meeting Trevor Petersen who served in the Canadian Armed Forces for 17 years before being medically released in July of 2010 due to Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).  One of the things that has helped Trevor in his journey with PTSD is Stand Up Paddling.  

Trevor shared with me his plan to raise funds and awareness for Wounded Warriors Canada, and encourage fellow injured soldiers to become active and part of the SUP community. 




I find Trevor's story and plans very inspiring.

Trevor will be paddling with Werner Paddles SUP paddles as he begins his journey on July 1st, leaving Sir Wilfrid Laurier Park  in Edmonton.  He will be utilizing the North Saskatchewan River and lake systems to reach his final destination of The Forks in Winnipeg, MB.  Trevor hopes to arrive in Winnipeg 2 months later.

You can follow Trevor's trip on his website and see his interview with CTV Edmonton HERE

Outfitter Profile - SKILS

1.            Tell me a bit about the history of SKILS?  What sets SKILS apart from other outfitters?

SKILS was founded in 2003 with the goal of providing courses for intermediate and advanced kayakers as well for professional guides and instructors. Despite skepticism that our model would work, we have had 12 successful years and are still going strong. Our efforts have impacted the paddling community across the country, increasing the level of skill and knowledge of Canada’s sea kayaking industry. What sets us apart is that we try to work with, rather than compete with, all the paddling organizations across Canada. We act as a catch all of sorts for upper level training. There are often too few students at each school to effectively run upper level training, so we pull those individuals together into one group, creating opportunities to advance these upper level students. The hope is that these individuals then take that knowledge and skill back with them and raise the level of skill in their community. Eventually this creates more demand for higher training at the individual schools. We also like to travel to our students where possible, rather than have them travel to us. It gives us a chance to meet paddlers across the country, and paddle in a variety of fantastic places.

2.            Tell me something about your staff, anything that makes them stand out?

Our team is composed of many of the premier guide and instructor trainers in Canada. Each of them has exceptional skill, knowledge and talent, as well as a strong desire to keep learning and growing their skills. We put a lot of time and energy into creating unique and interesting opportunities for professional development for each staff member; our goal is to help each of them grow thereby developing the skill set of our team as a whole. It has taken time to grow our team, as we don’t hire through the traditional means of gathering resumes and applications, but rather through approaching exceptional people whenever and wherever they are identified.

3.            What do students have to look forward to in 2014?

We have numerous new sea kayaking courses being developed for the 2014 paddling season. Programs such as an Instructional Tour where you learn while underway on an expedition, and Advanced Expeditions which offers training for the seasoned kayaker who wants to undertake more challenging trips. We are also in the process of developing advanced kayak surfing courses along with an introductory course in Skookumchuck tidal rapids. More information can be found soon on our website.

Our kayak fishing department is getting bigger and bigger and is currently the fastest growing part of our business. In 2014, we will offer more guided kayak fishing day trips and a deluxe 5-day kayak fishing expedition. The 5-day expedition is being run in partnership with our friends at West Coast Expedition on Spring Island in Kyuquot Sound, which is an exceptional location for salmon fishing, especially large Chinook. (An insider tip, the best time for guided kayak fishing day trips is from September 10 to October 20.)

Last but not least, in 2014 we will run a 3-day SUP camp in Clayoquot Sound. The group will travel by water taxi to a remote beach and set up a base camp. Once on site, participants will develop their flatwater SUP skills and SUP surfing skills. When not playing on the water, there will be opportunities to hike and take in the wonders of Clayoquot Sound. Once again, check out or website for more details.

One of the most exciting elements of our business model is that most of our courses are private and custom developed for the groups we are working with. (If the dates of our open enrollment courses are not suitable for you, we encourage you to contact us.) This means that we never really know at the beginning of a season where our programs will take us and who we will end up paddling with.

4.            Can anyone participate in a SKILS course?

Most of our courses target intermediate to advanced paddlers as well as professional guides and instructors, but we do have courses for all skills levels. Be sure to check out the prerequisites of any program that you are interested in joining us on, as most programs do require you to have a little bit of pre training. If you have a gap in your skill set, get in touch with us; there are always options for gaining missing skills. If you have never paddled before don’t fret, we do run programs for absolute beginners as well.

5.            How is SKILS involved in their local community?

One of the fundamental goals of SKILS is to support the community we are so passionate about. To this end, we pursue various avenues including: volunteering at paddling community events, conducting presentations and clinics for paddling clubs, taking part in beach clean ups, playing key roles in provincial and national paddling bodies and through equipment and instructional donations to our local high school outdoor education programs. In addition, since our inception over a decade ago, we have supported the development of Paddle Canada instructors nationally and SKGABC guide trainers provincially. This is a responsibility we have always taken very seriously. As in years past, in 2013 we have had the pleasure of coordinating 10 apprenticeship positions, 5 of which have been filled by non SKILS staff. We invite candidates that would like to explore possible future apprenticeship opportunities to contact us by email.

NEXT Weekend is the Vancouver Kayak Club Whitewater Festival

Jackson Kayak is proud to support the Vancouver Kayak Club Whitewater Festival,May 2 - 4, 2014 on the beautiful Chilliwack River.

In collaboration with the VKC and Western Canoeing and Kayaking, Jackson Kayak is offering two clinics, Introduction to Playboating with Stephen Wright and Introduction to River Stand Up Paddling with Ken “Hobie” Hoeve.


Kokatat drysuits on hand for folks to demo too!

 

The clinic schedule is as follows:

Saturday May 3rd
9am Intro to River SUP Clinic
9am Intro to Play-boating Clinic
2pm Intro to River SUP Clinic
2pm Intro to Play-boating Clinic

Sunday May 4th
9am Intro to River SUP Clinic
9am Intro to Play-boating Clinic
1pm River SUP Clinic
1pm Intro to Play-boating Clinic
2pm World Kayak/SUP Throwdown - This event offers paddlers the chance to Surf a wave, do a trick or just look good falling off and win a prize too!

Instructor: Ken "Hobie" Hoeve will be teaching Introduction River SUP with 5 participants/class. Preregistration: Starts Friday May 2 at 7pm Cost: $20 (payable by cash or cheque only) Equipment Supplied: Jackson SUPerCharger stand up paddle-board and paddle. Other Equipment: Wetsuit or Drysuit, Helmet and PFD (There may be a limited # of extra PFD's and helmets available upon request). Prerequisite: Must have previous river experience and basic paddling skills.

Instructor: Stephen Wright will be teaching Introduction to Play-boating with 5 participants/class. Preregistration: Starts Friday May 2 at 7pm Cost: $20 (payable by cash or cheque only) Equipment Supplied: None. Must use play-boat! There may be demo boats, paddles and other equipment available however it is up to the participant to arrange this in advance. Prerequisite: Must have a roll and be comfortable in class 3

2014 Jackson Kayak Tripper 12

The Tripper 12 is the evolution of our very popular Day Tripper model which was discontinued in the last
couple of years, here is a great video walk-through.

Contact your local Jackson Kayak dealer today.

For more informative videos on Jackson Kayaks please visit the JK You Tube Channel

Here are a few we suggest you watch that are very valuable for those using or selling our fishing kayaks
- Big Rig Walk Through (kayak fishing)
- Kilroy Walk Through (kayak fishing)
- Big Tuna Walk Through (2013) by Len Zilkowsky (kayak fishing)

This one is particular important for those using or selling our whitewater or ocean play kayaks
- Jackson Kayak Uni Shock Bulkhead (whitewater/ocean play) 
 

The Ride of Your Life

Today, we welcome team paddler and Kokatat Regional Team Paddler, Kate Hives with her thoughts on the Santa Cruz Paddlefest - Kayak Surf, Waveski and SUP Competition in beautiful, sunny California.

            It all happened as any good epic does, with venturing into the unknown, saying 'YES' and jumping in with both feet. I have been a kayaker for over 18 years and have most recently found inspiration in surfing ocean waves and rough water paddling in performance sea kayaks, but never did I expect to fall in love with paddling all over again in the form of 'High Performance' surf kayaking. From the moment I took off down a wave and felt my surf kayak begin to plane and carve, gaining energy and momentum from the ocean's force, I knew that my quiver of boats was about to grow.

            Making the transition from sea kayak surfing to surf kayaking has been one of those both-feet-jumping epics. After surfing in Neah Bay, WA at Hobuck Hoedown and loving the festival vibe from years past, I have surfed my home breaks at Jordan River and Tofino, BC, Canada in a Valley Rush+ and have gotten my my fair share of big wave beat downs and cruzee faces alike. When the opportunity arose for the second year in a row, I decided I should repeat the pilgrimage to Steamer Lane and attend the Santa Cruz Paddle Surf Festival in California.

Kate - Steamer Lane 2014 Middle Peak photo: Mark Boyd

After having been in a surf boat only a handful of times, I knew that I had a lot to learn. Having the ability to transfer style and technique from my sea kayak and white water boats is handy , but there is certainly a learning curve to this small, hard railed boat, that begs both aggression and finesse. So I figured that the most efficient way to get into this sport was to watch and paddle with the best. I knew I needed to see bigger waves, so the decision to return to Santa Cruz was easy.

The event draws competitors from around the world to surf at this famous California point break, this year a solid crew came from Basque Country demonstrating big carves and dynamic moves on the waves! During the 3 day festival surf kayaks, SUP's and wave skis take over the lane and competitors have the opportunity to surf the break with only 3 other wave riders, which is remarkable based on how popular Seamer Lane is. This is the perfect recipe for paddlers to demonstrate their skills, share tricks and expand the envelope of what we, as paddlers, think we can achieve.

 

Kate - watching the break photo: Mark Boyd

            Remembering back to my first trip down to the competition last year, I truly had no idea what to expect. As I drove down the windy coastal roads through Redwood forests and along the Pacific Ocean, I imagined myself riding the face of a beautiful wave, visualizing the ride. I had seen some footage from surf videos and past kayak festival posts, but nothing ever looks the same on camera as it does when you are paddling along side a double overhead cresting face. So when we pulled into Santa Cruz on a warm afternoon and looked out at The Lane, imagine the butterflies in my stomach when I saw the crisp shoulder of perfect waves, against the steep California bluff. The wave peels off the point with stunning consistency cruising to the right with a beautiful steep shoulder and high potential for deliciously long rides. Perfect!

***Kate's PFD of choice is the Kokatat Maximus Prime  (in Navy) which you can not see under her competition bib in the photo above***

You will be hearing and seeing a lot of Kate this season, watch for her upcoming review of her CUSTOM Kokatat Women's Icon Drysuit.

New SUP and Kayak Fishing Paddles from Werner Paddles

Last week Werner Paddles introduced some new products to their already stellar line-up of hand-crafted, North American-made paddles.

For the every growing kayak fishing market, they have added the very popular, Ultimate Performance, Kalliste & Cyprus to their Hooked paddle series.

Now kayak anglers will be paddling with these exceptionally light, buoyant and quiet paddles.  With this addition, there is a paddle that fits every kayak anglers needs, from performance to budget.

Lengths available: Kalliste - 220cm - 260cm, Cyprus - 220cm - 250cm

Hooked: Kalliste

Hooked: Cyprus

For the Stand Up Paddlers (SUP) we have the new Session.  The Session is the perfect addition to the whitewater line-up which is currently the Stinger.  The Session is our whitewater SUP Play paddle, built "bomber" as all our ww paddles are for strength and reliability.  The progressive rectangular shape is versatile, perfect on or off the river in bright translucent amber.  Available in 1 pce, 2 pce adjustable and 3 pce breakdown.  Adjustable sizes - 70-77.5in, 74-81.5in, 80-87.5in.

SUP: WW Play

The Session is our most versatile whitewater paddle, great for surfing and playing.  The Stinger is our "bomber" downriver paddle perfect for those paddlers who are moving from point A to point B and stopping to play.

All paddles are available to ship NOW so call your local dealer to place your order.

Team Paddler Luke Vollmerhaus and His Mexican Vacation

Okay, so clearly I am doing something wrong when in the last 10 days or so we've had two Nikki Rekman Sales team members reporting from sunny Mexico.

Here's a trip report from Luke Vollmerhaus that will having you yearning for Spring or hoping on the next plane to visit warmer waters!

Hey Paddlers!

I hope everyone’s winter is treating them well and anyone playing in the backcountry of the Rockies has been VERY careful.  We’ve seen some of the most reactive avalanche conditions in years this season.

Anyhow spring is just around the corner (it’s a marvelous +10⁰C here in Calgary) and I managed to make it down to Mexico at the end of February to hit the beach!

We stayed in a town just outside of Puerto Vallarta called Sayulita, less people more waves! We were super fortunate with weather and had blue sky days the whole week we were there. I was lucky enough to have both my family (Andy, Lori and my brother Jakob) and my girlfriend Allison along for the trip.

I could barely wait to taste the salt water so when we arrived my first move was to get a board and hit the ocean. The local surf shop had some great SUP boards. The waves were small the first couple of days but this was an excellent warm up and an easy catch for the SUP board. One comment I have to make at this point regards the ocean floor in this area. The bottom was comprised of oyster beds, for any non-surfers out there this means you’re surfing over a bed of small knives. This is a little hard on the feet and surf-wear, I was incredibly impressed with my Kokatat Surf Trunks which stood up to the beating without issue, no awkward streaking out of the water holding shreds of shorts for me!

During the first days of our trip we took a couple of small SUP tours out of Sayulita’s bay, an incredibly beautiful area, warm water and we even had the privilege to see humpback whales spy hopping!

As the week passed the waves got consistently bigger, nothing impressive but definitely more fun to ride! I got out on a surf board for a couple of days and went back to the SUP later on.  My family had their boogie boards as well as a play boat we dragged along with us, everyone managed a few great rides every day. I even managed to get Allison on a surfboard and after just a couple of short learning sessions she was up and riding like a pro! Her long board practice at home definitely helped.

I must really recommend this area for anyone looking for a sweet cheap vacation, there’s tenting spots right on the beach if you’re worried about accommodation blowing your budget and food is cheap!

I brought my own paddles down for this adventure and got to put Werner Paddles’ Stinger through its rounds in the surf and I must say I was very impressed. The blade surface area provided tons of acceleration when catching the wave and it’s shape made an excellent brace and rudder for cranking the big board through a tight turn.

I’m back in Canada now and eagerly awaiting the spring melt to start our rivers pumping! See you on the water!!

Cheers,

Luke