720 – A Great Addition to Braca Blade Size Choices!
The Braca IV and XI have been available in two mid-sizes 705 and 735. Athletes who wanted something in between 705 and 735 were stuck in limbo. But now, Braca has listened to the people and introduced a 720 size! This is a great option for athletes who want a larger blade without making too big of a jump and swamping their cadence or a smaller blade without losing too much power. So if you’re interested in a new paddle size check out the 720 Braca paddle.
Great option for people who want to balance out 2 paddle sizes for different venues.
The 705 and 735 are our most popular sizes so it is great news to add a middle choice to give athletes more options to configure their ideal paddle. Paddlers who train in different water types will find the 720 a great balance for their larger flatwater or smaller surfski option.
720 New Blade Size for Braca IV and Braca XI Van Dusen ’92
FastPaddler takes its responsibility as Braca’s exclusive USA distributor seriously. That’s why we have so many of the possible configurations of Braca paddles in stock and ready to ship.
The 720 is available now in standard, extra light, marathon, and surfski models. The surfski XI is in stock, and the surfski IV is a special order.
Each increase in paddle size (from 705 to 720 to 735) results in a 15 sq cm increase in surface area. This means that the additional area along the outside edges is 2-3 mm wider. It results in a paddle approximately 10-20 grams heavier, the same weight as about 2-4 quarters. See blade sizes for every Braca model here.
Braca Blade Sizes - IV and XI
Dark colors in stock and ready for expert assembly and ship! Lighter shade is special order.
Shafts Options for the 720 Blade
These are some guidlines for shaft choices. Generally we pair stiffer shafts with larger blades like the Braca I or larger Braca XI blades. As the 720 is a midsize blade there will be a wide variety of athletes and applications that use a 720. For example a smaller size sprinter will want a stiffer shaft while a larger surfski paddler may opt for a 19K. Contact us for any questions.
Marathon
- 17K to 19K, for long distance paddlers
Surfski
- 19K or 21K, with a plastic locker for corrosion of salt water
Fitness/Masters
- 17K, 19K, 21K, go softer for less joint stress
Sprint
- Any of the stiffer options from 02K to 17K, possibly a memory lock
All Braca Shaft Options
Paddle FAQ’s
The Braca VIII blades are long, so it’s essential to order a paddle that is long enough to accommodate the extra blade length. If the shaft is too short, your hands will be too close together even when you grip the paddle close to the top of the blade. This can lead to poor form and fatigue.
When you order a paddle you provide us with the total length in cm, for example 220 cm. The shaft length is the full length minus the blade length. If the blades are longer, such as Braca VIII, then the inner shaft length will be shorter than on an equivalent length Braca IV paddle.
Usually, we add about 10 cm to account for the extra blade length, the Braca VIII is about 7 cm longer, per blade, than standard wing paddles. You can compare dimensions here.
We can always shorten your paddle but we can’t make it longer without a new shaft.
Questions? Email Chris at Chris@FastPaddler.com with any questions.
The VIII is a smooth paddle with deep catch and a graceful entry and exit. A favorite of new wing paddlers and sprint and marathon flatwater.
This is an example of a paddle being shortened so you can see how the shaft length would be affected by a longer blade.
Brača IV 60 is designed for paddlers who prefer a wing paddle with a softer blade and shaft. These are priced less than full carbon paddles due to the lower carbon content. The design is the exact Braca IV and is available in 610, 635, 670, 705, 735 blade sizes. The paddles are great choices for club teams, youth athletes, and older athletes who appreciate the lower stress configuration.
See configurations in more detail at Braca IV Carbon 60
Contact Chris@FastPaddler.com with your questions!
Paddlers looking to transition to a wing paddle have many options with Braca paddles.
- Extreme Twist Wing Paddle
Looking for a smooth paddle that plants solidly and performs for athletes at all levels, including the very top? The Braca XI Van Dusen ’92 – The Braca XI Van Dusen ’92 is a great shape to take a look at, it’s one of our most popular paddles for its power at varied cadences. A solid performer that uses rotation to great advantage. Wide range of blade sizes and constructions to check out.
- Teardrop Wing Paddles
In this category the classic choice is the Braca IV or Braca I (large blades in the IV design) – The Braca IV shape offers blade sizes from 610 to 765 and then the Braca I from 775 to a whopping 840. The Braca IV also has a 60% carbon option that makes a great first wing paddle due to the more forgiving performance of 60% carbon. The Braca IV Carbon 60 is also priced less than full carbon paddles and is a club team favorite.
- Innovative Tear-drop Model
For a transitional paddle, the Bracsa VIII – Bracsa VIII is based on an innovative blade concept and is a great choice. It was designed and engineered to facilitate a softer catch and the generation of smooth, precise and consistent strokes. The Bracsa VIII makes an ideal first wing paddle for sea kayakers due to the soft catch and more forgiving forward stroke posture. These paddles are brand new but from unsold inventory from the factory, with an older label, so they are offered at a very competitive price.
Also … Take advantage of the ability to pick a specific shaft stiffness and custom paddle length, adjustable to 5 or 10 cm centered around your most used length, so you have the flexibility to make adjustments on the fly.
No, it’s a great option for flatwater also. Surfski blades have a special reinforcement in the most stressed areas, which makes them suitable for paddling in any waters with current and frequent bracing, including the surf zone. Designed for more strength when bracing or with unpredictable water/wave patterns. When paddling on big waves, these blades have to withstand reverse forces when stabilizing or paddling backward. Surfski paddling requires a softer but more durable shaft, which has to be light at the same time. Braca developed the 19K and our new shaft, the 21K, especially for this purpose.
Braca XI, IV Surfski Configurations – We recommend 19K or 21K Shafts with your selection of Surfski Blade Size.
How to Select Kayak Paddle Length
The Customization of Braca Shafts is Unique in the Industry
Braca shafts are made from our proprietary carbon fiber and fabricated specifically for each paddle design. The intended use of each paddle dictates the characteristics of the shafts and the shaft options available (short sprint, marathon saltwater, etc.). We maximize performance by providing customization of shafts that are specifically manufactured for your sport. You have lots of options. We do not provide off-the-shelf shaft lengths, FastPaddler assembles each paddle to a custom length.
Braca paddles are assembled to order using your custom paddle length. The shaft you select will have an adjustable range of 5 cm (stiffer shafts) or 10 cm (more flexible shafts). To assemble your paddle we need the shortest and longest length in cm. For example, a Braca IV with an 02K shaft might be 212-217 cm. A Braca XI with a 21K shaft might be 207-217 cm.
To assemble your paddle, we start with a very long shaft. We assemble your paddle by cutting the shaft to your custom length on a Braca jig and then hot gluing the blade on. We follow the official Braca process which you can see in this video.
Braca paddles are not pre-built, each one is custom assembled from your order!
After you select a shaft we need to know your desired paddle length. Each shaft has a range of 5cm or 10 cm. So we need the shortest and longest measurements for the shaft you select.
How to enter the custom paddle length:
- For the 19K or 21K adjustable shaft enter a 10 cm range (ex: 207 – 217 cm)
- For all other adjustable shafts use a 5cm range (ex: 210 – 215 cm)
STEP 1 – SELECT A SHAFT
Your shaft choice will determine the range of your adjustable paddle. Here is an image of all the shaft types. Not every paddle has all these options, for example, surfski paddles only use the 19K and 21K shafts.
STEP 2 – ADD YOUR CUSTOM PADDLE LENGTH
You need to enter the shortest and the longest length for your adjustable paddle in cm.
Remember you can use ANY length, these are just some examples.
| Shaft Stiffness | Adjustable Range | Some Examples of Custom Paddle Lengths |
|---|---|---|
| Find your shaft value | This is the range of the adjustable shaft | These are just examples, you can use any custom length! |
02K, 03K, 04K, 06K, 17K | 5 cm | 203 – 208 cm210 – 215 cm215- 220 cm |
19K, 21K | 10 cm | 205 – 215 cm207 – 217 cm210 – 220 cm |
Shaft Stiffness
02K, 03K, 04K, 06K, 17K
Adjustable Range
5 cm
Some Examples of Custom Paddle Lengths
203 – 208 cm
210 – 215 cm
215- 220 cm
Shaft Stiffness
19K, 21K
Adjustable Range
10 cm
Some Examples of Custom Paddle Lengths
205 – 215 cm
207 – 217 cm
210 – 220 cm
Braca shafts – more about the 21k vs other shafts
Couple of comments on Braca shafts.
– Yes, I have them all in stock, available via the web site. I also stock 1 piece, but do not list them online, need to contact me directly.
-21k is 28mm diameter, which is smaller than the 19k and other shafts, so Braca includes .5mm circular shims to glue onto the shaft before assembling into the blade. Required to get the proper alignment as some folks have noted. Attached is a picture of the shims. Once the shaft is cut to length, just glue these on with crazy or gorilla glue, let set, then assemble the paddle as usual with Braca hot glue. FastPaddler assembles all paddles unless requested not to.
– Braca has had flexible hybrid shafts for a while, 05K and 09K, blend of fiberglass and carbon. Before the 19K and latest 21K these were the most flexible shafts they offered, with the 17K being the softest all carbon shaft. Feedback from the Surfski community spearheaded by Oscar was there was a need a softer all carbon shaft that was light and has a very fast recovery unlike the hybrid kevlar/fiberlgass shafts. Braca came out with the 19K which was the softest all carbon shaft available with only a couple of the hybrid shafts overall softer. Year and half ago, Oscar visited the Braca factory for a week and half and worked with them on developing an even softer all carbon shaft, the 21K. Braca manufactures their own carbon fiber that they actually sell to many industries outside of kayaking, and also manufactures all their own shafts. Here is a link to some videos Oscar took at the factory. fastpaddler.com/oscar-chalupsky-videos-of-braca-sport-factory/
So to make the 21K super flexible, while keeping it 100% carbon to maintain the quick recovery, Braca had to make the diameter smaller, 28mm. This allowed them to get the flex they wanted, super fast recovery and still meet their durability spec. Really cool shaft if you have not tried. I personally love it in the ocean.
Braca also has a spec to measure flexibility of all the shafts, I actually have the set up as well to compare different shafts at times. Pretty simple. 10kg weight, piece of extruded aluminum and a digital dial indicator. Pic attached.
Also, note that Braca does not use a ferule on their 2 piece shafts. The male end of the shaft is 1 piece. They are very meticulous in trying to make the flex of 2 piece shaft as continuous as possible, and a ferule epoxied into the shaft makes this near impossible. If you are ever at an large European event and Braca is there, swing by the tent and ask to talk to one of the owners: Andrash or Arunas. 2 very proud gentlemen who love to talk about paddles and specifically the effort they put into the shafts.
With a wide range of blade sizes, paddlers looking for a powerful catch and a smaller blade than the Epic Small Mid Wing go for Braca XI 735, 720, 705 or to go even smaller the Braca XI 675.
The Braca IV shape also offers blade sizes from 610 to 765 and then the Braca I from 775 to a whopping 840. The Braca IV also has a 60% carbon option for clubs, youth, masters.
Take advantage of the ability to pick a specific shaft stiffness and custom paddle length, adjustable to 5 or 10 cm, depending on shaft. Pick the length that allows you to adjust for different boats or conditions or competition events.
The Braca XI Van Dusen ’92 is a great shape to take a look at, it’s one of our most popular paddles for its power at varied cadences. A solid performer that uses rotation to great advantage. Wide range of blade sizes and constructions to check out. Braca is a licensed manufacturer of the Van Dusen paddle design.
The Braca IV shape offers blade sizes from 610 to 765 and then the Braca I from 775 to a whopping 840. The Braca IV also has a 60% carbon option for clubs and youth.
Take advantage of the ability to pick a specific shaft stiffness and custom paddle length, adjustable to 5 or 10 cm, depending on shaft. Pick the length that allows you to adjust for different boats or conditions or events.
Selecting Braca Carbon Shafts
Braca shafts are custom fabricated for each type of paddle by Braca-sport in their Lithuanian factory. No other company provides custom shafts that are manufactured for desired stiffness and flex.
Generally, sprinters use the least flexible shafts, and marathoners and surf skiers use the more flexible shafts.
- If more flex is the goal then pairing a stiffer blade with a softer shaft is recommended over a softer blade with a stiff shaft.
- Sprinters most often use 06K or maybe 04K, the 03K, and 02K are for athletes who are primarily serious short-distance sprinters only.
- Surfskiers use 19k or 21K
- Marathoners, we recommend the 19K
What do the numbers mean?
Stiff shafts have a high stiffness number and a low deflection number.
The higher a stiffness # = softer shaft, more deflection when weight is hanging
Stiffness # is deflection in mm with 10kg weight
SOFTER
21K: Stiffness = 6.2 or 5.4 Designed in collaboration with Oscar Chalupsky for surfski paddlers, or anyone looking for the softest, lightweight 100% carbon shaft on the market. 10cm of adjustment.
19K: Stiffness = 4.5. Designed in collaboration with Oscar Chalupsky for surfski paddlers, or anyone looking for a more flexible, lightweight 100% carbon shaft. 10cm of adjustment. Metal or plastic locker.
17K: Stiffness = 3.3. Less popular, but often used for paddlers who feel the 19K may be too soft. 5cm of adjustment.
06K: Stiffness = 3.1. Popular for 735, 705 size blades on flat water, some mild ocean paddling. 5cm of adjustment. The most popular Sprint Kayak choice is 06K or 04K.
04K: Stiffness = 3.0. Popular 760 and 775 size blades for larger paddlers on flat water. 5cm of adjustment. The most popular Sprint Kayak choice is 06K or 04K.
03K: Stiffness = 2.8. Popular 775 and 815 size blades for largest sprint paddlers on flat water. 5cm of adjustment.
02K: Stiffness = 2.6. Popular 775 and 815 size blades for largest sprint paddlers on flat water. 5cm of adjustment.
STIFFER
Choosing Connectors
Shafts are available in a combination of metal and plastic connectors (lockers). Stiffer shafts are used with metal lockers and more flexible surfski shafts are used with plastic lockers. In the middle, the athlete can select metal or plastic for the 19K. Plastic lockers are lighter, extremely durable, have angle settings for feathering, and are more resistant to saltwater corrosion. The memory lock option holds your feather angle when dismantled and reconnected and is available for all shafts and is primarily geared for flatwater sprinters.
