Wide kayak owners (Hobie PA, etc) and paddling....

Met up with Pin (PinStriper) yesterday, at Next Adventure Water Sports Center. While there, I mentioned I'm finally starting to shop for a "real" paddle for my Hobie PA 14. My reasoning is, if I'm three miles from the launch point and the Mirage drive decides to go out, I'd like to be able to paddle back. Pin said, "What's wrong with the stock Hobie paddle...I've never heard any complaints?"

Well, I didn't have an answer for him. Other than, I had heard/read they were terrible. Come to think of it, maybe it was paddling a larger kayak in general (read: PITA).  I've never actually used the Hobie paddle, and only assembled it once, initially just because it was new and I was curious. 

So, what's your experience...wide boat owners? I first owned/paddled a 12' Ocean Kayak with a 230cm Werner, but unfortunately, I was undersold and the paddle was too short as I'm 6' tall. I'm presently looking at the Bending Branches Angler Ace Plus Telescoping Kayak Paddle because of lower price point and great features.

Respectfully, I'm really hoping to hear from Hobie PA owners or close comparisons. Paddle brand/model suggestions are welcome (and appreciated) but more than that, I really want to know if you think a "real" paddle is a justifiable expense/upgrade. Thanks in advance....Dave

I *think* my comment was "who in their right mind would want to paddle a PA ?"

But I will accept your version as well, since if I didn't ask it, I should have. For a pedal kayak, the Hobie paddle is perfectly cromulent since it is, at best, the backup propulsion.

6 or maybe 7 years ago Hobie had some problems with their paddles. If you put enough torque on them for long enough the blades would separate from the shaft. I haven't heard of that happening in quite some time, so unless you have an older model you will probably be OK.

I believe, the paddles come with the Hobie are/were made by Bending Branches. They are probably of similar quality minus the notch in the paddle and telescoping handle.  At approximately $200, I would just save some more money and buy a back up mirage drive if I planned to go several miles from a launch in a PA 14.  Especially if there is any kind of current. Heck, I would hate to have to paddle my Outback that far. The Revo, no problem.

First thought... try paddling the PA with your current paddle.  If it sucks, borrow one and try that.  The PA isn't a paddling boat, so it'll be sporty no matter what paddle.

I frequently use the PA14 as my fishing rig.  My paddle choice might seem a bit strange. The paddle I use is a three section SUP paddle.  It packs up small for easy on boat storage.  When I get to the area I want to stand and sight fish it's more efficient to treat the PA like a giant SUP.  It works well in calm winds and little current.   

It also works well (in collapsed form) from the seated position to make minor correction adjustments.  If you back paddle on the side you are turning to you can get the beast to almost spin on a dime. 

If I ever needed to get back to the launch over distance with wind and current, I would paddle from a kneeling position.  I think single is more effective than a traditional double blade for this boat.  The stock Hobie paddle in single blade configuration would work about as well.

I believe, the paddles come with the Hobie are/were made by Bending Branches. They are probably of similar quality minus the notch in the paddle and telescoping handle.  At approximately $200, I would just save some more money and buy a back up mirage drive if I planned to go several miles from a launch in a PA 14.  Especially if there is any kind of current. Heck, I would hate to have to paddle my Outback that far. The Revo, no problem.

+1
I think all the supplied Hobie paddles are the same length and as such I found mine too short for my Outback. I'm 5'10". I use my old, longer paddle that I had for my Malibu Stealth which was 33" wide. Same as the Outback, and found that to be a better length.  At 36-38" wide depending on which PA you have, the supplied paddle would be way too short for extended use IMHO.
https://bendingbranches.com/sizing/kayak-paddle

Paddling is more of a technique thing than many people give credit.  If you're paddling "flat" without using your chest muscles a 230 CM paddle can be two short for a 24 inch sea kayak.
You're doing a good thing, planning for the unexpected.  There are all kinds of paddle strokes but as a rule, the more you use your upper body, the shorter paddle you can use and the more efficient your strokes will be; critical for a big boat.
This is a decent short video to use as a primer: 
I've done over 40 miles a day in Puget Sound and can tell you that technique can make a huge difference in even a 3 mile paddle.  There's lots of other good vids out there, but I wouldn't toss/rule out the 230 until you gave it a good high angle trial.  Hope that helps
 

I would agree with Craig and spend money on an extra mirage drive if I were worried about something happening to my drive several miles from the launch point. I think even a V1 with stock fins would be a better investment than another paddle. I always carry my stock Hobie paddle with the t-handle and have used it several times on flat water for positioning purposes only. If I run the Clack, Wilson or Sandy, I use the full paddle and it works great. The same is true if I use the PA like a SUP. Maybe you could have a PA paddle race and see which paddle works best.

Watching two people try to paddle PAs for a reasonably long distance would be fun to watch.... as I pedal along in my Perception Pilot and laugh at encourage the competitors...