I\u2019ve always felt a bit uncomfortable about the idea of someone switching to a smaller blade size, if they can’t achieve a desired stroke-rate\u00a0with their current paddle (due to a\u00a0‘high load\u2019). Switching to a smaller blade (same overall paddle length) reduces the \u2018load\u2019 felt by the paddler,\u00a0as the smaller blade slips more in the water.\u00a0But this seems a\u00a0bit like ‘slipping’\u00a0the clutch in a car, a temporary expedient to \u2018keep the revs up\u2019, but perhaps not the right substitute for being in the right gear! (The right \u2018gear\u2019 might be better achieved by shortening the paddle shaft).<\/p>\n
After many years of relying on\u00a0this intuitive approach to choice of blade size,\u00a0I’m\u00a0now comfortable it was correct,\u00a0supported\u00a0by the results indicated\u00a0with applying Newtonian physics, maths, and a practical experiment.<\/p>\n