I have a Venus 11 kayak, and with it I use a Werner Skagit Paddle. I enjoy the paddle immensely. Here is why.

First, a few details. I am 5'7" and 130 pound. I primarily go out kayaking on ponds and lakes. So I am not doing heavy white-water-rafting kinds of rides. I am generally doing relaxed, steady paddling, although we do get windy conditions where I have to go "full steam ahead" in order to make forward progress.

I like that the Werner Skagit is in two pieces and can be rotated to connect together at any offset I wish. I tend to ride with a 15 right offset. You can feather the paddle anywhere from 75 degrees right to 75 degrees left. I'm sure all of us have our own personal preferences, and it's nice to have that flexibility. Having it in two pieces means I can easily take it apart and put it in the car. The connection and disconnection process is one-button easy.

The paddle is incredibly light compared with other paddles I've tried. It's only 35 ounces. So that means I can go out kayaking all afternoon long and my arms don't get as tired. That's a big plus for me.

The bright yellow color is good. If I were to lose track of the paddle - which so far I haven't - I'd be able to spot it and grab it easily. Also, I suppose it's good in case I was up close to other boaters, so they could be aware of where my paddle was moving.

The shaft is made from a carbon blend, and the blades are nylon reinforced by fiberglass. It's extremely sturdy. I don't tend to "baby" my kayak equipment, and it's held up to everything I've done to it.

In general, I move very quickly with this paddle. It's easy to stop, turn, and change direction. I did buy third party drip rings for it, but that is the only alteration I've made.

Well recommended.

Buy the Werner Skagit Paddle from Amazon.com

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