How to measure kayak paddle

For stern or guide paddling positions measure from the ground to your collar bone. Tell a fellow kayaker you use a 7222. Typically the wider a kayak is the longer your paddle will need to be to reach into the water on both sides without putting too much strain on your body. The industry standard is to use metric units to measure and describe paddle lengths. Add this number to the height of your canoe seat then add the length of the paddle blade. For bow paddling positions stand on a flat surface and measure from the ground to about mid-chest.

Hold a paddle in front of you with your elbows bent at 90 degrees.

As a reference here are the widths of typical kayak types. Choosing a canoe paddle length is a fairly straight forward formula. Your hands should be on the shaft about one hand-width from where each blade begins. First things first the primary factors to consider when determining your kayak paddle length is your height as well as the width of the kayak. Tell a fellow kayaker you use a 7222. Every kayak fishermen is a bit different than the next so make sure you dont get persuaded into a one size fits all paddle. Sit in a chair and measure from your chair seat to your nose. Lightweight materials improve performance but add to a paddles price. To get the most accurate measurement of the width of your kayak measure at its widest point. For stern or guide paddling positions measure from the ground to your collar bone. The length of your torso will determine which paddle length suits you.