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.
