Riddle me this....

[ridinshockgun]

I recently ordered a 15 deg offset, RH, bent shaft paddle.

Ive been using a 45, RH, straight shaft.

I am left handed and tend to manipulate the blade with my left hand and let the right hand slide. But my "onside" roll is my right side (right hand forward).

I CANNOT get ANY water with the new 15 deg paddle when I go to sweep/C to C roll. Im talking not even enough for me to start the snap. It doesnt matter how I cock the wrist at setup. I can drop the paddle and hand roll, I can back deck roll, I can do any roll with my 45 straight shaft. So it has to be the paddle.

BUT, this shouldn't make a difference right? Unless I am positioning the blade with my left hand, the one that isnt doing the sweeping. Because if I was positioning the blade with my right hand the offset wouldnt make a difference.

Am I nuts?

I know, find a pool. Just looking for thoughts on this one. Until then the new paddle is a door stop and I can only back deck roll to one side.

[DamRepublican]

what made you change to a different angled paddle in the first place?

[Storm11]

I'm guessing it's because you're positioning your paddle with your left hand. Try it with your offside roll (if you have one) and see if things feel any different in respect to how the blade performs. Also, have someone watch you when you try to roll and see what your blade angle is when you initiate.

And just out of curiosity, why 15 degrees?

[Conundrum]

I paddle a 30 but have used a 15 and a 45. I'm guessing you picked the 15 for your killer loopdy loops and playboating.

I doubt it's the offset as much as the bent shaft. If it's a Werner (neutral bend) things will be easier than with an AT or others.

Either way, time to get back to the fundamentals. Take some swim goggles to where ever you can practice and set up and look at it. I bet the bend is messing you up.

If you roll onside with your right with a right handed paddle, that blade angle from the shaft indexing should be the same with a 15 and a 45. You get that 30 degree difference on the left blade.

But, it would be worth looking at if you are truely leading with your right hand. South paws f*** everything up [wink]. There are good left hand specific paddles out there and it might be worth looking into.

Without being there, it's a little tough to diagnose.

[ridinshockgun]

Thanks, Ive done some living room rolling and think Ive picked out the problem. Yes its for playboating because I was annoyed at not being able to back deck roll to my offside.

During my roll I loosen the grip on the right hand and I position the blade with the left hand (weird, I know). So I dont position the right blade, I subconsciously position the left hand....based on left hand position my right blade is now 30 deg from where it usually is.

So it is just a lefty screwing everything up.

My roll is so engrained into memory and one quick motion that its hard to stop and think about this when I just want to roll and get back in the eddy. I'll just hang up the new paddle until I can get pool time.

[teledave]

Ahhhh, good to see another satisfied graduate of Mr. Stinky's School of Paddling.

[ridinshockgun]

Problem solved. Just had to swallow my pride and get in the top pond at the park here and get somebody to stand there and set my blade square like all the other noobs out there. In 5 minutes I was gtg, didnt miss one all night and I already sold my straight shaft 45

Still weird but i have to cock my wrists all the way back in order to get a brace. I thought I was diving the other way and was cocking them forward. Oh well.

The funny thing is my roll takes a lot less effort now because they pointed out that I was rolling without setting up at all. I was just grabbing some water and snapping.

Now back to that offside back deck roll.