Outrigger Canoe Paddles

Palafamala – Hybrid Outrigger Canoe Paddle – Ozone Built

Hybrid Carbon Outrigger Canoe Paddle

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Pala Paddle: For paddling OC1, OC2, OC6

PALA LENGTH AND BLADE OPTIONS
Length: 44″ – 54″
Blade size: 9″-10″

Choosing blade width comes down to resistance. How much resistance do you want on your blade?

The basic rule is to not pull your paddle back but instead pull the canoe forward. It really comes down to your strength and experience level. You’ll want to have enough blade to be able to hold the pressure without slipping while having enough strength to maintain a desired pace.

To keep it simple, the 9.25 is usually used for OC1 and the 9.75 is usually used for OC6 and the 9.5 is safe to use for both.

Hybrid Carbon Steering Blade

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Pala Steer: For Steering OC6

PALA STEER
Length: 46″-54″
Style: Double Bend or Straight

Shaft, Bend, and Size

Straight Shaft
This is the traditional steering blade set at 5 degrees. This degree allows for instant control of the canoe when “J-stroking”. It also allows you to have easy control of the blade when screaming down a wave or locking down a turn in regattas.

Double Bend
The blade on the double bend is set at 7 degrees. This allows the steersman to blend in better with their crew when paddling. The double bend also allows you to relax your bottom wrist and pull at a stronger angle. If you are used to paddling with a double bend then steering with one will make you feel like more of a paddler. This blade is good for bottom grabbers and one handed pokers since it is easier to keep the blade flush to the hull by letting go of the T top.

Sizing
When ordering your steering blade don’t forget to take into consideration that the blade is 22” long. You will want to make sure that you have the shaft length that you need to maintain the arm span that you are used to.

BALANCE
We try to keep the balance point of the paddle about one fist above the blade. Although some paddlers choke all the way up or all the way down, the majority grab about one fist up. This allows you to not feel the weight of the paddle.
WEIGHT
Most paddlers like light paddles but not all. Some like to feel something in their hands as they swing back on the return. Some like the blade to be heavier than the shaft (head heavy) so that they feel the blade help them sink on the press instead of having to press down with no help. We decided to go with the majority and keep our blades light. The average weight for all paddles is 17oz.
FLEX
There are so many different opinions about flex. Too stiff and it hurts the body. Too much flex and you won’t get the instant response. Some like enough flex so that it gives a slight whip before making the exit. We like it to be with slight flex. Enough to get the response but not hurt the body.
DEGREE
We have stuck with the traditional 10 degrees on the blade. It has worked for years and after playing around with different degrees this was still the one. Our paddles are double bends but If you set them on a table touching the T top and the upper back side of the blade, you will have 10 degrees from the straight edge of the table to the blade. This would be the same as if it was a straight shaft lying on the table with a 10-degree blade.
DOUBLE BEND
This could be different in the other parts of the world but in Hawaii and Tahiti double bends are where it’s at. I have heard many reasons why the double bend is used but for me, it is to relax the bottom hand. You can get a full fist on the shaft a lot earlier into your stroke at a more relaxed position than if you were to grab onto a straight shaft.
Some people like the straight shaft because you have a direct connection when driving down on the blade. I personally have never felt that I lost that connection by using a double bend.

The Blade

The blade options are 9.25, 9.5, and 9.75. This is measured horizontally at the widest point of the teardrop. Soon we will have a 4th smaller option at 9×17 for those looking for event less resistance in the catch.

The Shaft

Poplar and Basswood have been the standard shaft materials for years but we searched for something better. After many different woods and layups we ended up using Poplar for the stringer and Vertical Grain Sitka Spruce for the sides. We found this to be the best for weight, strength and flex.

The darker wood on the upper part of the shaft is Western Red Cedar. We use it to add contrasts and beauty while maintaining good weight.

The carbon sleeve in the shaft is not needed for strength. The shaft alone is strong enough. The carbon helps the shaft from getting dings or wear from rings etc. Some paddlers look at carbon and instantly think it’s going to be too stiff but realistically there is plenty flex.

T TOP HANDLE

I made my T tops to be comfortable. I used to hand shape all of these using Cedar for the beauty and the lightweight. It ended up being too soft and would dent easily. I moved on to Basswood that was harder and painted it black since there was no pretty grain. It still wasn’t as durable as I would like. Michael Giblin took my design and made a super light, durable, carbon T top. I am super happy with it.

The Story of Palafamala

A video sharing the background of the paddle shaper and the family that shaped a paddler