Kayak Paddle

Abstract

Disclosed is an improved kayak paddle with increased paddling efficiency, the paddle including one or more protrusions along the top and/or bottom edges of the paddle blades to impede the flow of water over the blades. In one aspect, the protrusions are on the top edges of the front faces of the blades and on the bottom edges of the rear faces of the blades to allow the same features to be facing the user upon a full one hundred eighty (180) degree rotation of the paddle about its axis. Alternate features such as integral drip ridges (minimizing water flow on a user's hands), integral leash ridges (for maintaining the location of the paddle rope or leash during use), paddle orientation indicators (to indicate the correct orientation of the paddle relative to the user during use), and reinforced blade tips (to increase blade buoyancy and minimize blade diving) may optionally be incorporated.

I claim: 
     
         1 . A kayak paddle comprising:
 a shaft having a longitudinal axis, a first shaft end, and a second shaft end;   two blades, a first blade attached to said first shaft end, a second blade attached to said second shaft end, said two blades each including a top blade edge, a bottom blade edge, a front blade face, and a rear blade face; and   a plurality of protrusions located on at least one of said front blade face and said rear blade face.   
     
     
         2 . A kayak paddle wherein said plurality of protrusions includes four protrusions, two of said four protrusions located on said front blade face of said two blades adjacent said top blade edge, and two of said four protrusions located on said rear blade face of said two blades adjacent said bottom blade edge. 
     
     
         3 . The kayak paddle according to  claim 1  further comprising:
 two transitional sections, each of said two transitional sections located between one of said two blades and said shaft. 
 
     
     
         4 . The kayak paddle according to  claim 1 , wherein each of said plurality of protrusions is substantially linear. 
     
     
         5 . The kayak paddle according to  claim 4 , wherein said substantially linear protrusion section has a length slightly greater than one half of the length of one of said two blades. 
     
     
         6 . The kayak paddle according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 one or more drip ridges encircling the perimeter of one of said two blades in a location proximal to said protrusion.   
     
     
         7 . The kayak paddle according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 one or more leash ridges encircling the perimeter of said shaft and located centrally on said shaft.   
     
     
         8 . The kayak paddle according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 one or more reinforced sections located along a longitudinal axis of said paddle at a distal end of at least one of said at least two blades.   
     
     
         9 . The kayak paddle according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 one or more indicators located along a longitudinal axis of said paddle proximal to one of said plurality of protrusions.   
     
     
         10 . The kayak paddle according to  claim 1 , wherein one or more of said plurality of protrusions is tapered at a distal end. 
     
     
         11 . A kayak paddle comprising:
 a shaft having a longitudinal axis, a first shaft end, and a second shaft end;   two blades, a first blade attached to said first shaft end, a second blade attached to said second shaft end, said two blades each including a top blade edge, a bottom blade edge, a front blade face, and a rear blade face;   two transitional sections, each of said two transitional sections located between one of said two blades and said shaft; and   four protrusions, two substantially linear protrusions located on said front blade face of said two blades adjacent said top blade edge, and two substantially linear protrusions located on said rear blade face of said two blades adjacent said bottom blade edge, each of said four protrusions having a length slightly greater than one half of the length of one of said two blades.   
     
     
         12 . The kayak paddle according to  claim 11 , wherein one or more of said four protrusions is tapered at a distal end. 
     
     
         13 . The kayak paddle according to  claim 11 , further comprising:
 one or more drip ridges encircling the perimeter of one of said two blades in a location proximal to said protrusion.   
     
     
         14 . The kayak paddle according to  claim 11 , further comprising:
 one or more leash ridges encircling the perimeter of said shaft and located centrally on said shaft.   
     
     
         15 . The kayak paddle according to  claim 11 , further comprising:
 one or more reinforced sections located along a longitudinal axis of said paddle at a distal end of at least one of said at least two blades.   
     
     
         16 . The kayak paddle according to  claim 11 , further comprising:
 one or more indicators located along a longitudinal axis of said paddle proximal to one of said four protrusions.