For the most part it is a matter of preference. If you are going to paddle
marathon style you use a bent shaft but then a gain you wouldn't catch me
paddling Marathon style its not my preference. I paddle straight all the way
but very once and a while I will ask to borrow a bent just to check it out.

--
Abe Elias
Diving Sparrow Paddle Co,
http://home.cogeco.ca/~aelias
"Te Canaille" wrote in message
news:6vF3c.42873$UU.5767@lakeread01...

"Bart Wallace" wrote in message
. ..

Lake users will love bent shaft.
River use...get it straight.
Simple choice.

There's a lot of truth in this statement but it is not universally true.
Because of my choice of preferred strokes a straight shaft
is chosen even on lakes. I feel that my paddling style with a straight
shaft gains enough efficiency to compensate for lack of the
bent shaft advantage. Many paddlers on lakes, however do prefer the bent
shaft. A lot has to do with how one originally learned to
paddle.

John