Paddle

A paddle is used to propel a boat by means of arm - muscle strength, the paddling. In contrast to the belt and Skull paddles are performed without thrust bearing on boat free with the poor. The paddler sits usually facing in the same direction.

Types and use

A distinction is made between:

• Two paddle blades: double paddle a kayak
• A paddle blade: single blade paddle at Canadians, dragon boat, outrigger canoe, dinghy including rafting; also Behelfsantrieb of sailboats in still air

The paddle is used for canoes and dinghies many as the only or principal means for driving. In particular bladed paddle are also used by many other boats there as an auxiliary or emergency power. For example, in sailing boats paddle, here pagaie or Petschel be called, used for maneuvering in port or during a lull.

The paddle is used above with the blade into the water, and then passed by the boat on the paddle blade. At the end of the movement, the paddle blade is pulled back out of the water (see also paddle stroke ).

To some extent, also a boat only controlled (large Canadians and some outrigger canoes ) with the paddle.

Construction

A paddle consist of:

• Paddle knob ( only bladed paddle )
• Paddle shaft
• Stem root
• Paddle blade Journal of shoulder
• Sheet edge

Paddle knob

The paddle knob is the upper end of the shaft to blade paddle. Two types are common: The Palm knob as it is used primarily for wooden paddle, and the T- knob (also called " spade handle " called ). The knob is used to control the paddle blade - employment.

Double paddle do not have a knob. A splittable double paddle, however, can be converted by two shaft pieces with Knauf to two bladed paddle.

Paddle, which are offered as a motor boat and yacht accessories, some of them have a hook for catching shaped pommel.

Paddle shaft

The paddle shaft connects with a double paddle paddle the two sheets together. In a single bladed paddle a handle is attached to the paddle shaft on one side of the paddle blade and on the other side.

The most paddle shafts are straight and round. However, there are Spezialschäfte having a bent shaft or an oval pipe. The oval at the handle tube simplifies paddle leaders, especially in whitewater.

Especially for children, but also for paddlers with smaller hands the right shaft diameter is important.

The shaft length is the important criterion for the correct paddle size, and should be chosen to match the height and arm length. However, the total length of the paddle is used by many manufacturers still indicated, including the leaf length depending on the use ( hiking and white-water paddle ) can be very different.

Stem root

The stem root, sometimes called the blade root, the transition from the shaft into the blade. Important here is harmonious cross-section changes so that the forces can be well passed the paddle stroke between the stem and leaf, and no voltage spikes can occur. Can assess the product quality of a paddle on the design of the stem root. With paddle from the low-price segment, the blade root reaches only a few centimeters into the sheet. The transition from the shaft to the blade cross section is comparatively rapidly. Higher quality have a paddle blade root, which further extends with a uniform cross-section approximate to half the blade length, or, in various embodiments to the blade edge. When piercing the shaft paddles wooden root is often no more than a thickening of the paddle blade.

Paddle blade

The paddle blade is the double paddle the outer end of the paddle, the blade paddle the lower end, and is fixed on the shaft root at the paddle shaft. The execution of the paddle blade can be very different and is strongly influenced by the intended use and range. For use in white water, for example, the paddle blades are rather short and wide, for large open water rather narrow and long.

Paddle blades can be symmetric or asymmetric, with the term, symmetrical ' for kayaks and Canadian has different meanings. So fullers Stechpaddel are considered asymmetric because there is a definite front and back. Double paddle are considered asymmetric when the leaf shape is different on both sides of the shaft longitudinal axis.

As the front of the paddle blade, the page is called, to the acts during the paddle stroke the water pressure. The front shows thus when paddling usually backwards.

Journal of shoulder

The upper or inner end of the paddle blade, both sides of the root shank is called a shoulder blade. With paddles, which are more used in white water, there is often a "standing " shoulder to get a large leaf area with a short blade. Paddle for open waters have more of a "hanging" shoulder with a very shallow angle between shoulder and shank. The traditional Eskimo paddle poses with his very long and narrow leaf with strong hanging shoulder the extreme form dar. paddle with hanging shoulder can be clearly performed closer to the ship's side.

Sheet edge

The outer or lower end of the paddle blade is the blade edge. It is ( unintentionally with whitewater or flat water paddling; intentionally when Punting ) by grounding mechanically highly stressed. Therefore, the blade edge is often reinforced. The edge protection is partially ( plugged- U- profile or included metal bar ) is designed as metal rail, partly as a plastic edge of impact resistant material. Fine wooden paddle some have incorporated a hardwood bar. For plastic sheets unnecessary depending on the material used, edge protection made ​​of a special material. The edge protection can be considered a special form to be executed ( eg thickening ).

A damaged blade edge can lead to significant efficiency losses when paddle stroke.

Materials

The traditional material for wooden paddle. Even in Arctic regions without their own forest stand were wooden paddle - here mostly of driftwood - made ​​. Nowadays (eg, fiberglass, polyester, Kevlar, PU foam, RIM, polystyrene, carbon fiber or nylon ) are used for paddles (especially for double paddle ) but mainly plastics used because these robust - what whitewater is particularly important - and z. T. are also easier. For shafts and aluminum pipe is used occasionally. In Holly wood paddles is as a material but still very common.