My original paddle was about 245 cm with 45* feather and 6.5" x 18" asym. solid glass blades. The blades are curved lengthwise, but flat across the width.

The new one is 235 cm with a 60* feather, and 5.5" x 21" asymmetrical foam-cored blades. These blades are curved a bit less lengthwise, and curved (reverse-spoon?) across the width.

I tried the new paddle Friday and yesterday afternoon. It had a bit of an epoxy problem. I think my resin pump is leaking (sounds like the same problem Gerard Dolmans had on his boat). A pump on it doesn't dispense as much as a pump on the hardener handle. Anyhow, after a month, the paddle still has soft spots, and when they got wet, they got this spongy, pasty white. Oh well, it's not like it was a valuable boat or anything. I'll try to salvage it, but if it doesn't work, I still have the "feather" paddles (Nick's design) to make.

I don't know if I liked the longer, narrower (5.5"x21") blades or not. I took both paddles and switched when I was paddling yesterday. The wider one definitely feels faster, but it doesn't necessarily make me more tired. I didn't really feel like I was increasing my cadence with the narrower paddles. I also didn't feel like I was paddling my boat as fast with the narrower paddles. I was using my bow-wave as an indicator. It felt like I could push up against the bow-wave (at max. hull speed) and reach that speed easier with the wider-bladed paddles.

The "feather" wooden-bladed paddles I build using Nick's design will probably be the wider, shorter size (6.5x18") like my original blades.

Shawn

I'll post the pictures of the paddle in construction as soon as I get the film developed.