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What is the price?

Not sure this hybrid combo is good for dragon boat - especially since most of our races are 500m and under.

except that every organizer seems to be throwing in a 2k in to their races

Why bother with wood anymore anyway? I don't get it.

I get a woody every year.



Seriously, I would rather pay $50 every year and get a brand new grey owl high performance wood paddle than $200 for a carbon fibe. Either could break, one only costs $50.

As to this paddle...wood shaft, carbon blade combo is interesting. Flexible shaft, clean catch. I'm willing to try it.

Grey Owl and High Performance seems to be an oxy moron

Carbon fiber is lighter than wood. That's why you don't use wood.

It would be nice to get some details:

Wheer it's made, price, is it to spec, website... A picture won't do it.

Kialoa is Oregon State. judging from the photo, I'm gonna guess the construction is the same quality of their outrigger blades. I have used and abused one of their Axel paddle for a couple of years in outrigger. I recall a pic of the Kialoa guy load testing the paddle with gym weights. there was at least 1003 on the blade befor it failed.

cant "weight" to see one!

A few more details on the paddle here: http://tinyurl.com/b58vba

More pictures of the Kialoa Dragon Boat Paddler here:

http://readyandreach.wordpress.com/2009/03/03/kialoa-dragon-boat-paddle-arrived/

any feedback yet?

Has anyone actually used this paddle yet?

If it's part wood, it's not optimal. Period. (Unless someone has found a type of wood that is as light and strong as carbon fiber...)

12:02 am,

You likely have reading comprehension problems.

Just because its part wood doesn't make it less than optimal. I've used a Kialoa hybrid outrigger paddle for years and love it. In fact out west its probably the most common outrigger paddle around. I've tried straight carbon fiber and found the hybrid more to my liking. Not sure how this particular paddle will perform but overall Kialoa builds a solid product and I certainly wouldn't rule it out based purely on its construction...

scott..stop with the reading comprehension crap

the retail on this is just not worth it... I would probably purchase one if the price wasnt higher than a burnwater/zaveral. it's a hybrid, should be priced in the same range as one... other than that I would stick to my CF...

- just my opinion...

3:36 - Huh? WTF?