Werner "Tybee Hooked" Paddle Hot

I have used the Werner Tybee and Tybee Hook for a couple of years. The Tybee is a great starter paddle for someone just starting out. The Tybee Hook paddle is the same as the regular Tybee. The Hook version is marketed toward the kayak fishing community.

The paddles are durable but do flex a little when paddling. This flex takes away some of the efficiency of paddling with a high end paddle. The shaft is light weight. Overall the paddle weighs in close to 38 ounces. I have used the Tybee paddle in the length of 250 cm for paddling the Jackson Big Tuna and the Big Rig. The Tybee Hook is measured at 230 cm for paddling the Jackson Kraken.

The blades are durable and have taken abuse as I have used the paddles to push off of the rocky wall out at the Charleston Jetties, pilings and docks inshore, and pushing the kayaks across oyster bars at low tide.

The ferrule has a Smart View Adjustable ferrule is the most simple, precise fitting on the market provides a solid feel as if you have a one piece paddle. My issue with this ferrule is that if a grain of sand or something small it is very difficult to separate the two pieces. So difficult you have to have your fishing buddy help you to pull the two sections apart. The range of the ferrule ranges from 0 – 60 degrees. My preferred feathering was 45 degrees for both paddles.

The Tybee is ,without a doubt in my mind, one of the nicest paddles for first time kayak anglers all the way to those who've been doing it for years. The carbon shaft makes the paddle light, while the nylon blades can take a beating and keep going! The ferrule is fully adjustable and able to be locked down while completely rotated, though degrees are only marked to 60 degrees. The price makes this paddle appealing to new 'yak anglers, but it's nice enough that upgrading isn't really necessary!

I use this paddle as my backup on long river trips or when I take my kayak out in tandem. This is a well made paddle that holds up to the rigors of kayak fishing in the toughest of conditions. If you are looking for a paddle with a lower price point this is the one I'd get!

I had never realized the difference a good paddle could make until I used a Werner Tybee. The carbon fiber makes it extremely lightweight, but durable. It's adjustable all the way down to 15 degree increments, helping you find that perfect setting to achieve the most efficient paddle stroke. After applying some WD-40, it breaks down quickly and easily every time. With such a low price for as versatile of a paddle as the Tybee, I'd recommend it to anyone.

I bought the small shaft because I have small hands. I paddle an old Old Town Loon 138 which is wider than most kayaks so the 230 cm works best.

I love this thing. My spare is an Aquabound stingray hybrid carbon 230 standard shaft and it's great but I absolutely love the Skagit. I can paddle all day with this thing. And I have. I can still blister between my thumb and forefinger if I'm not careful but not as much as the larger shaft. I like that the shaft is slightly oval. I like that I can feather it just a few degrees. And it floats. :-) When it's cold and rainy and I'm wearing neoprene gloves, the small shaft is more than a convenience. I can only paddle with a standard shaft for an hour or so when I'm wearing gloves. My fingers start to get weak. Did I mention I'm 61?

I've grounded on sandbars on the Wisconsin River, rocks on local lakes and creeks, rammed through stumps and logs, and used it to pull up or push off of all kinds of flotsam and jetsam. I haven't coddled it. I think it still looks great but I don't consider my gear to be looking good till it looks like it's been used a little. Almost everybody who's tried it likes it better than the Aquabond unless their hands are much larger than mine.

I'm sure there's a better paddle out there but I've found one I like now and I'm not looking any more.

This might be normal wear and it doesn't really hurt but it's annoying. After two seasons, the decal with the markings for the feathering has come off. There markings for the feathering adjustment are decals, not etched in the shaft. The aligning arrow on the right hand half is still fine but the outer decal feathering markings, which is constantly exposed, has lost its adhesion and fell off. There are still adjustment markings on the inner shaft so I can still see what I'm doing when I assemble it, but now I wonder how long it will take for the other one to wear off. I'm going to contact Werner and see if there's anything they can do.

The paddle is still perfectly functional and one should expect some wear and tear on the equipment if you use the heck out of it.