yeah, there is something special about paddling on glassy flat water...it kinda puts u in a hypnotic trance....i like to try and do a Slow stealth paddle...no splashing allowed....love it...it's like being a kid again

I also like doing the stealth paddle thing..

I saw an interview with Dave Chun..or something like that..He's the Kialoa paddle guy..and he said his paddles have no dihedral because he likes the silence of a flat blade as it enters the water and releases from it..He says the dihedral (C4 and Werner) makes a plonk sound.

I don't know if I agree or not..but his paddles sure are quiet in and out of the water if you do it right.

DJ

That sounds like marketing spin DJ. My Werner doesn't make a 'plonk' sound - that would scare the salmon away - the Werner is pure stealth.

When we catch up next we will compare our paddles with a 'plonk' test

My poo plonks when it hits the john water if Im in a rush and dont put dunny paper down first

Hi guys, very good to read your opinions, I thougth I was getting old (well, I´m actually is...)
I feel exactly the same paddling in flat water... I use to have as a daily routine in my time off, to go early in the beach to check the waves and the swell for a surfing session.
Nowadays if the conditions are not good, I prefer go paddling in a lake close to my home, I have more fun. I feel great, is a kinda meditation, silent, everything is calm, birds singing, I almost go levitating . Not to mention the excellent workout. Now a question, how long do you guys paddle in a normal session ?
Here go some pics.
Ivan
[./img/
[./img]
[./img/

This is where I paddle in the morning before work. The bay is sheltered and usually calm. I can carry my board down to the bay from my home. I rarely see anyone on the water, just an occasional fisherman.

Hey IvanNash, SF - keep the photos coming. They both look like a fantastic places to paddle, no wonder you leave yourself behind when you go there. Is the water clear. What sort of marine or other life do you see there?

The water is not as clear as the ocean, but still good enough to spot a few small fish and the occasional stingray. I am about 10km from the ocean by water. That's got me thinking; if I catch the outgoing tide that would make a nice trip. Paddling against the tide is not an option as it runs at about 4 knots through the narrows near the ocean.

Steve

plonking is not good......the secret is to try and keep your paddling as quiet as possible to enable maximum effiency of your paddle stroke. the dyhedral only centralises your paddle stroke to prevent rail banging which is good. The paddle should exit the water vertically otherwise you will be lifting water thus pushing your board deeper into the water and creating drag.

alls good

the race at manly is only limited to 12ft boards because the major sponsor's boards are only 11'6.

Thought I'd put on some pics of our last flat water session last weekend..