What is the difference in a left handed and right handed kayak paddle?

Question

What is the difference in a left handed and right handed kayak paddle?

Answer 1

Its to do with the angle of the blades, if you are lh and use a right hand one it doesnt feel natural and vice versa, the blades are set dependant upon the neutral position of the dominant hand. Just try one and you will see what i mean!

Answer 2

The only difference would be which hand you grip and rotate with. Some paddles have a slightly oval shape on the (usually) right hand grip area to facilitate grip. I guess you could find one with it on the left. Unless you are a really serious kayaker a non-specific paddle would be adequate. So right or left handedness shouldn't be an issue

Answer 3

Their isn't much,

A right handed paddler controls most movements by his right-hand.  The right hand blade naturally faces you!

A left handed paddler controls most movement by his left-hand.  The left hand blade would naturally face you!

essentially it is better to own a right handed paddle and paddle as such because it will be easy to sell or pass on to others as more people paddle right than left!

Paddling left-handed should not be linked to left or right handed writers.  This is because you learn the paddling skill automatically.  i have known a few paddlers whom made their paddles left-handed by mistake and there after have handicapped themselves when their kit got damaged and when they tried to inter-change it with others.

Answer 4

None, or I've this left handed hammer I can sell you.