On 17-Jun-2005, Keenan & Julie wrote:

How many people have you ever heard of breaking a
paddle in this way?

The person I know who is most vocal about using the "butt first"
entry sells paddle for a living. He's tired of explaining to
folks that this sort of breakage is not covered under warranty.

The only paddle I've ever repaired was broken on such an entry.
It had a composite blade and the end snapped. She couldn't
afford another paddle, so I patched it for her with 'glass.

Paddles do break and sitting on the back deck makes you less
stable than entering butt first. Why make things difficult
when an easy solution is at hand?

Mike