WATERSTICK PADDLES

In the watersports industry, every company has a hook. Some companies tout indestructible paddles, others promote the extreme lightweight and springiness of their products. Some hooks even claim revolutions in design so advantageous, you would be crazy not to paddle with their “stick”. One Canadian company has taken advances in paddle technology to a whole new level and has delivered on their hook.   

Waterstick(www.waterstick.com) manufactures paddles for a variety of uses (touring, whitewater and rafting). They are a subsidiary of Baycomp, a company that manufactures thermoplastic supplies for industrial, medical and aeronautical fields. All the materials are generated in-house, giving the company exclusive quality control measures. Waterstick utilizes Baycomp’s experience in these fields in both the design and materials departments to create paddles that stand out from the competition. 

Waterstick has two different styles of paddle for each sport: the Karma series incorporates fiberglass into the paddle blades, making these paddles a bit more forgiving than their cousin, the Zen series. Zen series paddles are full-on carbon fiber construction, making them stiffer, stronger and bit less forgiving. Both material types have their advantages: fiberglass flexes a little, providing those with sensitive joints a paddle that is less stressful on the body and a chance the feel the water a little better. Carbon fiber is lighter, stronger and stiffer, thereby allowing a much more efficient transfer of power to move the boat. 

The carbon fiber utilized in their Zen series is an exclusive material called Fiber Reinforced Thermoplastic (FTP). FTP, in short, is a composite cloth with an advanced thermoplastic resin matrix that, when molded, is visually identical to standard wet lay-up products, but without the associated brittleness. This material is stronger in impact strength, overall tensile strength and abrasion resistance than standard fiberglass or other carbon fiber-based paddles. Waterstick also states that the production of an FTP paddle releases no toxic gasses into the environment, and the material is 100% recyclable. 

Waterstick paddles also have a unique surface profile that divides the blade into three sections across the power-face (tri-hedral design, visible as a unique Y shaped ridge extending out from the center axis of the blade), as opposed to other paddles where there is a semi-flat powerface or a two-section powerface (the standard di-hedral design, characterized by a ridge in the paddle face that coincides with the spine and shaft). The difference between Trihedral and Dihedral can be felt during your forward strokes. Dihedral or semi-flat blades have a tendency to “flutter” back and forth while pulling on the paddle. This flutter is generated by the uneven surface flow of water off the end of the blade. Trihedral blades significantly reduce the occurance of flutter by allowing a more even distribution of water off the end of the blade, thereby making it more stable. The trihedral profile also acts like a built-in skeleton, transferring stress across the blade surface in an even distribution, making the blade stronger while remaining light in weight and very stiff. 

Their shaft is what they describe as “ovalized” – generally meaning rounded. However, there is no indexing, so losing one’s grip on the shaft while surfing a hole could make your roll attempts interesting. The paddle also has a low “swing weight”, meaning that because the blades are so light, it is easier to get them around when paddling quickly. And it takes less energy to paddle, giving one more energy to play and to execute technical moves. 

I am a 155-pound, 5’4” female paddler that has been boating whitewater (Class 3-4 water) for 5 years. I have owned a total of 4 different paddles in my career, ranging from the basic Harmony Rapid Passage to a Seven2 I-series. I now paddle with a Waterstick Zen Straight Shaft, 188 cm, 12-degree feather, Right-Hand-Control (RHC) paddle. These dimensions may sound small for a paddle, but for whitewater playboating and someone my size, they are just right. 

In the year and half of paddling I have done with this paddle (approximately 105 days on the water), my Zen remains structurally sound and still performs as good as the first day I used it. There are the obvious collection of scratches and dings that go along with paddling shallow whitewater rivers, however, overall the paddle has done well to withstand the abuse (it has even been employed in the occasional game of pepper at takeout while awaiting shuttle – this I do not recommend). 

If you are looking for a great paddle and willing to pay a little more, I highly recommend Waterstick paddles. They are light, strong and durable and well worth the investment. And should any troubles come up, I have found their customer service reps friendly and knowledgeable. But be warned – factory service will require you to part with your stick for a while! They’re in Canada.

For more information on Waterstick paddles visit www.waterstick.com

 By: Kimberly Degutis