: Talk is cheap about perceived advantages, but think about this: Not one
: person is winning Olympic kayak races with unfeathered or Greenland
: paddles. Feathered (wing) paddles are de rigueur, because they are THE
: most efficient for the forward stroke.
: As for quick and/or unexpected bracing, well, what do whitewater paddlers
: use? They use feathered paddles. Whitewater kayaking regularly requires
: vastly more bracing than sea kayaking - try it and see. Feathered paddles
: aren't at ANY disadvantage.

When the wind is from the front advantage to feathered.
When the wind is from the right side advantage to unfeathered.
When the wind is from the left side advantage to unfeathered.
When the wind is from the back advantage to unfeathered.
Biomechanically less likely to cause repetitive stressd injury = unfeathered.
Straight wrist push is physically stronger for the average paddler = unfeathered.
Easier to brace across another deck for rafting and/or standard rescues + unfeathered.
Fits kayak deck contour better for standard paddle float reentry = unfeathered.
Off side blade clears kayak hull more easily during high sculling brace = unfeathered.
Off side blade clears kayak hull more easily during roll = unfeathered.
Consistant blade position for faster braces on either side for average paddler = unfeathered.

Years ago white water kayakers all used 90 degree feathers, now you can hardly find one and many have dropped to 75, the 60, now 45 and they will continue toward 30-20, etc as they see no advantage.
One advantage for WW paddlers using feathered was to clear racing gates better in competition, not for wind or bracing. The very top conditioned flat water racers can benefit from feathered even on calm days. Not the rest of us though.

If I was an mpic caliber racer or even a hihly conditioned amateur who raced, I'd go feathered wing. For the great majority of paddlers who don't have that condition level and are paddling for longer periods and in more varied conditions the feathered seems to have more advantges.
If someone asked you to crank your wrist back and forth for hours in a car ride for no apparent advantage, you might not agree to do it. In a head wind and at a small angle if it feels best biomechanically for your particular body, do it.
Wind tunnel tests have shown that usually under 60 degrees feather, as much energy is spent controlling the upper blade's lift and wobble as is saved from pushing less headwind.
Count the plusses and minusses and enjoy which ever you choose.
Randy