# Paddle speed.



## Junglefisher (Jun 2, 2008)

I know it's been done before, but I have a specific question I'd like to ask the paddlers.
What is your normal, maintainable cruising speed when paddling (not trolling) your kayak?
I can hold my X-press at 6.5kmh for the first hour, then I drop down to around 6kmh from then on.
Having seen some very long trips being planned / completed around the place, I am curious how fast people get their longer, possibly sleeker kayaks to cruise.


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## RedPhoenix (Jun 13, 2006)

Unfortunately, due to the change in ownership of this web site and the lack of response by the owners to my requests to remove my email address from all administrative-level notifications and functionality, I have decided to remove my posts on AKFF. Thank you for the great times, the fantastic learning experiences and the many many fish. If you are desperate for the old content of this particular post, it is available below base64 encoded and bzip2 compressed.

Red.

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## bazzoo (Oct 17, 2006)

This is not a good day as this is the third time ive attempted to type this and lost the other two , aaaahhhhrrrggghhhhh. Anyway , paddle speed is very diofficult to actually determine as you have to allow for depth of water , current ,tide wind etc. The shallower the water the more drag on the boat. In our TK1 boats we average around 9.6 kms per hr over a 20 km course , but thats working pretty hard and using wash rides to do it . Some of the speeds i have seen on here are out with the faireys . A good average speed would be around 7kms per hour and you could possibly keep this up for a fair while , but also depending on water conditions and to do that i am talking perfect water, flat no wind and deep. i am attaching the chart of speeds for Stealth skis bearing in mind these tests were done by a competative young paddler


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## Junglefisher (Jun 2, 2008)

Yes, I should have mentioned my readings were on flat water with minimal wind and doing laps both up and down current.


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## bazzoo (Oct 17, 2006)

Junglefisher said:


> Yes, I should have mentioned my readings were on flat water with minimal wind and doing laps both up and down current.


Jungle , up your way i dare say you could get up to speeds in excess of 50 kms per hour with one of those floating handbags following you :shock: :shock: :lol: :lol:


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## ArWeTherYet (Mar 25, 2007)

If I'm doing a long distance paddle (over 20kms)in my sea kayak I work on an average 5.5kms/hr. That allows for wind, current, a bit of trolling, having a wizz, stopping for a bite to eat, getting side tracked, doing a bit of trolling, general buggerising around and most importantly not being over fatigued at the end of it (in case the weather changes and I need the energy). I can go faster and more constant, but I dont enjoy, it so I dont.

If you want to work out your cruise speed, go for a 20km paddle and divide it by the time taken. Everybody's different, some like to go hard and have no energy left at the end, I tend to start of slow and then get into a rhythm after an hour or so. I dont pay much attention to cruise speed in my fishing kayak as I use it for fishing and dont like working to a schedule.


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## Feral (Oct 18, 2008)

Gee you blokes are pretty quick, When just cruising along I run around 3 - 4 kph. Flat out going hard I can get just over 5kph.


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## YakN00b (Jun 9, 2008)

I normally paddle at 6 to 7km/h and can do that easily for as pretty much as long as it takes in calmish conditions and the same into 15knot winds and 1m plus swell with more effort for an hour or so but then I am pretty buggered. I wont put that effort in on an outgoing leg but will to get home.

The 22km trip on Sunday with Slide averaged 4.5 km/h but that included drifting over reefs and changing lures etc.


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## Dodge (Oct 12, 2005)

ArWeTherYet said:


> . I dont pay much attention to cruise speed in my fishing kayak as I use it for fishing and dont like working to a schedule.





Feral said:


> When just cruising along I run around 3 - 4 kph.


Both the comments here reflect my paddling.


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## bazzoo (Oct 17, 2006)

i have been asked on many occasions to do a thread on paddle stroke technique so i will do so in the next few days . but technique is what makes you faster , two paddlers of equal size and strength can paddle side by side and the one with form will streak away from the other and the other guy wont be able to see why or whats happened, so its important to speed to have form , and when you see good form you easily recognise it , Form , technique =speed


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## RedPhoenix (Jun 13, 2006)

Unfortunately, due to the change in ownership of this web site and the lack of response by the owners to my requests to remove my email address from all administrative-level notifications and functionality, I have decided to remove my posts on AKFF. Thank you for the great times, the fantastic learning experiences and the many many fish. If you are desperate for the old content of this particular post, it is available below base64 encoded and bzip2 compressed.

Red.

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## Grunt (Dec 7, 2008)

In my Hawkesbury Classic training on the Kingfisher I could average around 5.5 km/h for a 30km paddle. I have just today got hold of an Australis Salamander and in the initial paddle today I got it up to 10km/h quite easily. Should be able to average it at least 7.5km/h now.


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## theclick (Jun 25, 2007)

redphoenix said:


> redphoenix said:
> 
> 
> > I'll try and remember to take out my phone (gps/recorder) with the yak on the weekend, and do a bit of a test run for ya mate.
> ...


Gee red, that is kinda fast. In the adventure using both propulsion techniques?

In the quest, in flat windless conditions going around green i'd average about 7.4km/h at cruise. Really depends on the condition, because as soon as any chop comes up, it slows down to about 6.5


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## dru (Dec 13, 2008)

Yep - Red looks fast. But maybe Red, you might not be that far off Bazoo's youthfull, fit Ironman in terms of yakking experience and currency? I thought the Red call of being able to maintain 8kmh in the Profish (Profish review) sounded ballistic but it all gels. I've never had difficulty staying with profish paddlers that I know btw. My stroke is total beginner, another session with Mark on the weekend confirmed I have a long way to go before perfection (my words - he's muuuch more supportive than that!) but I seem to be starting with at least some basics.

Just plugged in a GPS/Sounder on the Swing. First time out playing with it and the speed read pretty comfortably as around 6kmh that I would feel comfortable maintaining on 20Km+ paddles or trolling pelagics. But I think I have some "tweaking" to do with the GPS. It didnt seems to make much difference across the river or into it - 5.5 to 6.5 consistantly. Max out just pipping 10kmh on an olympic sprint maintained for an awesome 25 yards and picking a spot with heaps of current pushing me along. (I'd never dodge those snapping handbags.)

AND an entertaining 0.2-0.5kmh beached on a mud bank while meeting the call of nature. Better rtfm for that GPS. :lol:


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## RedPhoenix (Jun 13, 2006)

Unfortunately, due to the change in ownership of this web site and the lack of response by the owners to my requests to remove my email address from all administrative-level notifications and functionality, I have decided to remove my posts on AKFF. Thank you for the great times, the fantastic learning experiences and the many many fish. If you are desperate for the old content of this particular post, it is available below base64 encoded and bzip2 compressed.

Red.

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## PalmyMick (Nov 22, 2007)

i could wip a nice phoenix decal on the front of the *Strika* for you red,lol . could just see you wobbling around coochie on that paddlepop stick.
cheers mick


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## RedPhoenix (Jun 13, 2006)

Unfortunately, due to the change in ownership of this web site and the lack of response by the owners to my requests to remove my email address from all administrative-level notifications and functionality, I have decided to remove my posts on AKFF. Thank you for the great times, the fantastic learning experiences and the many many fish. If you are desperate for the old content of this particular post, it is available below base64 encoded and bzip2 compressed.

Red.

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QlpoOTFBWSZTWTe2V7sAACffgAAQcKUACKIjGCA//9/gMADVmETU9IMg0NDQaPUAAaqfkynqJ+go0HqGmgAeoNT0goeU09NT9SYg00HqMhWMej71OJefBrK4L9MY5HblFEMyLoxoL/gk+k0CpEb7LGBCLuCEVNqHa9Km5GQBHg8TShZrJBCjcQdAwg3MFlcmo8PHqGtTEdc++NDoIIbMdLI8Paoy0EKZDwgRhM/tXBZttY5TK7We+gSZvoFLmEDZF4hK5wRxtE5yTZOxPHQTrhDitHDCmpKXX1bEghdihBRK2OTzZsAdafxdyRThQkDe2V7s


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## andybear (Jan 15, 2006)

Gahhh!

With a good tail wind, favourable current, and being chased by a megamacro killer king George Whiting, I can get up to about 3.8KmH.

Now, with my stuffed shoulder, I reckon I will be lucky to even go forwards let alone pick up any speed.

Seriously though, I did manage about 6.5 for a 100m burst one time, but I paddle at a leisurely pace when trolling.....Oh so very long since I've been for a paddle. Must be about 5 months.   

Perhaps....soon.

Cheers all Andybear


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## PalmyMick (Nov 22, 2007)

White or dare i say Red ? Lee?
pm sent


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## ArWeTherYet (Mar 25, 2007)

redphoenix said:


> Nah.. I'd better not. She'd just go and buy something horribly expensive in recompense.
> Red.


She already did Red, she got a new house and a new boat, now its your turn to lash out. ;-) :lol:

Mate with a decent paddle and some instructions on how to use it, you would really be able to get that thing going.


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## RedPhoenix (Jun 13, 2006)

Unfortunately, due to the change in ownership of this web site and the lack of response by the owners to my requests to remove my email address from all administrative-level notifications and functionality, I have decided to remove my posts on AKFF. Thank you for the great times, the fantastic learning experiences and the many many fish. If you are desperate for the old content of this particular post, it is available below base64 encoded and bzip2 compressed.

Red.

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## Davey G (Jan 15, 2006)

I'm sceptical about these claims of 9 and 10km/h on a SOT yak.... That speed is simply not possible over a long distance unless you are surfing downhill with a tailwind..or unless you're using mega turbo fins on a Hobie rocket sleigh covered in vaseline.

Crusing speed for my prowler with a constant paddle stroke is 6-6.5km/h. Flat out I could eke maybe 9km/h out of it for a short burst. The guys who paddle in racing skis go at about 11km/h with bursts up to 13km/h, they are paddling 18-20 foot long fibreglass yaks that weigh 15kg and are 50cm across the beam. our fishing yaks are not built to go fast..

I guess if youre worried about going fast then get a speedboat..


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## JakeJ (Aug 31, 2008)

I might do 6-6.5 k in a day! What's the rush?


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## dru (Dec 13, 2008)

JakeJ said:


> I might do 6-6.5 k in a day! What's the rush?


jake

I understand the thinking, but I guess it depends what I'm doing and how far to get there. If I decide to fish at Mud Island it's a minimum 12 km from the nearest logical launch point at Whyte Island ramp. I like to choose my tide (I wont bother if the current i against mes), I'll troll on the way out, but it's a fast troll - the primary aim is to get there - so I think I'm averaging around th 6km/h mark, but I'm happy to be corrected, certainly it's about a two hour paddle tops. I wont do this trip unless I've been getting constant water time and feel very paddle fit. If I'm fishing the river mouth or the boat passage I'm paddling between drifts only. No rush.

The extra paddle is worth it, it's kind of nice being out on the bay and sucking in the scene. And irritating when the fish boils errupt on top of you to be chased away 3s later by ignorant stinkers. Then I just suck in the scenery again.


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## Grunt (Dec 7, 2008)

Have another paddle in my Salamander on the Weekend and have to agree with others about sit on Kayaks. I can sit on about 7.5 - 8.5 Km/h with it. It is a Sit in Sea Kayak and is much easier to paddle. The Kingfisher is not a race boat but is way more stable. I think the bit I could do would be 6.5 in a short stint. Normal speed would be around 4-5 I think.


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## YakN00b (Jun 9, 2008)

I have lost some of the little bit of fitness I had since I moved up here but I have started training again. This morning I averaged 7km/h over half an hour both with and against the current. I could do better if I wasnt so lazy and got up earlier and trained properly.

The stats
http://sportstracker.nokia.com/nts/workoutdetail/index.do?id=1704452


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## theclick (Jun 25, 2007)

YakN00b said:


> I have lost some of the little bit of fitness I had since I moved up here but I have started training again. This morning I averaged 7km/h over half an hour both with and against the current. I could do better if I wasnt so lazy and got up earlier and trained properly.
> 
> The stats
> http://sportstracker.nokia.com/nts/workoutdetail/index.do?id=1704452


Dwayne, obviously the fishing up there is much better than down here, as you can pre-occupy yourself with it, rather than having to justify the paddle with notions of fitness.


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