Peter wrote in message news:QRDub.184415$9E1.989642@attbi_s52...
andrei wrote:
So what I would be looking for is
reccomendations for a better paddle for my wife KEEPING IN MIND THAT
SHE WILL STAY WITH HER CURRENT KAYAK FOR THE TIME BEING. I mean - is
the Tarpon 100 too sluggish to improve on it anyway and are better
paddles only for more advanced kayaks - or might there be a
*reasonably price* (ABSOLUTE MAX 100 dollars) paddle which would
*significantly* improve the kayaking experience for my wife? (or does
the Tarpon 100 make the purchase of a better paddle a useless
endeavor?)

I doubt anyone here can really give you a good answer since we don't know
what's making your wife unhappy about the Carlisle that she's using now.
If she's getting tired from the effort of holding a heavy paddle, then
sure, investing in a lighter one will probably be worthwhile (that's why I
first upgraded my paddle). OTOH, maybe the length isn't quite right for
her - in that case the most important thing would be to get one of the
right length. Some people prefer smaller blades for a smoother feel while
paddling and others like the immediate grip in the water of larger blades -
again, we don't know what your wife may prefer.

Isn't there some kayak store in your area that's on the water so you could
go there with your boats and have your wife try a few different paddles? I
expect she'd be able to determine pretty quickly if an upgrade would result
in more enjoyable paddling.

Hi,

She did not say that she did not like paddle - only that she was
getting tired fairly rapidly. It was me who was looking at the paddle
change option (since we cannot change the kayak) in the hope to help
her. As for shops, there are a couple of shops around here, but they
main interest is *selling* rather than finding a cheap solution. They
position is: sure, get a better paddle. And I am left wondering "is
this worth the 100 extra dollars".

Anyway - thank you all for your inputs!

Cheers