PreferredModes

JIMISTYX

Photo: Rob Hall

Bland:

Blade:

Blue angel:

Dipping edge:

Edgings: 

Feather:

Flavor: 

Grip:

Power face:

Releasability:

Speed cruising:

Shaft: 

Throat:  

Trik style:  

Veneers: 

Every paddle "wobbles" slightly as it is pulled through the water, a consequence of the eddy that forms on the back of a blade.  In a bland paddle this wobble is as slight as possible but in more than one direction.  See "flavor ."

The widest part of the paddle, i.e., the part applied to the water.  For many years there was little blade design innovation and the vast majority of shapes were closely based on what was called a "slalom" shape, which was basically a rounded rectangle.  Jim started experimenting with "minimalistic" shapes starting in 1981 and blade design technology finally began to blossom into a wide open science.

Boats running closely in single file

The "bumped" bottom edge of an S.O. Terrik blade that gives it "flavor."

 A thin tough border around the outside of the paddle to protect the softer woods of the inner blade.

The relation, in degrees, of the plane of one blade to the plane of the other in a kayak paddle.  The Eskimo paddlers used a "0" degree feather; old European racers used a 90 degree feather for lessened resistance in the wind and better tolerances for running gates.  Lower degrees of feather require less radical twists of the wrist and so expedites strokes.  A lower degree of feather also allows better bone alignment in the upper (pushing) hand.  This lowers the amount of work being done by ligaments and tendons in the wrist and so reduces fatigue.

 Every paddle "wobbles" slightly as it is pulled through the water, a consequence of the eddy that forms on the back of a blade.  A paddle with flavor harnesses this wobble and aligns it in directions determined by twists of the wrists, enabling a paddler to use accentuated wrist twists to transfer body English to his or her boat.  See "bland ."

The "T" at the upper end of a canoe/raft paddle.  Custom carved of beautiful hardwoods to the customer's handsize or specifications.

The face of the paddle blade which is pulled against the water (in contrast to the "back" of the blade).  The back of the blade is the eddy side during a stroke. Curved power faces enhance the "catch" of the blade -- when it first hits the water -- but also develop a "ponded section" midway through the stroke by diminishing positive water flow off the power face. This can render a squirrelly feel at the midpoint of the stroke when the paddler is best able to put the most power into the stroke.  Trik style paddles have a dihedral power face which maintains positive flow off the power face and allows maximum strength to weight.  They have a soft catch but a smooth and steady "power section" of the stroke.

The ease with which a paddle can be ripped edgewise out of the water. 

Doing fast runs down familiar stretches of river, seldom catching eddies, and often " blue angel."

The long, narrow part of the paddle;  i.e., the part to which the blade or blades is attached.  Jim uses plated shafts in his paddles -- a sandwich-like form of shaft construction featuring ash plates, with proper grain alignment, as the "bread" of the sandwich and a core of lighter wood. Jimistyx feature sassafras cores because sassafras flexes repeatedly without fatiguing, is dense enough to be very strong, and is water and rot resistant in case the finish ever breaks down.

Where the blade meets the shaft.

A "Trik style" paddle is "bi-facial dihedral", that is centered on the shaft (like a canoe paddle).  This keeps the weight low, the flex high, and maintains excellent wing dynamics.

 Exotic woods sliced very thin and used as a protective cover over the tips of the paddle.