pandle

In a freshman design course, I worked in a team with 3 of my peers to design & create a dual-function SUP (Stand Up Paddleboard) paddle. Our client saw a problem with current SUP paddle designs and sought our help as he set out to design a better, more user-friendly paddle.

The Problem.

When stand up paddleboarding, beginners often have difficulty balancing and find it easier to sit down on the board. Even advanced stand up paddleboarders often find it enjoyable to paddle while sitting down as a way to take a rest or just enjoy their surroundings. However, the traditionally long design of the paddle makes it difficult for users to paddle while sitting down.

Requirements.

We determined the following 3 main requirements of our design:

Functional must allow users to effectively paddle while standing or sitting
User Friendly must be intuitive for users, accomodate all heights (adjustable), safe for use in water
Aesthetically Pleasing must be visually appealing to users and easily marketable

Client's Design.

Our client came into the project with a prototype of his own. He wanted us to improve on his idea but was also open to completely new ideas.

His prototype featured a kayak paddle with an angled handle attached on one side of the paddle along the shaft. When sitting down, users use the paddle as a kayak paddle, and when standing up, the handle allows the paddle to function like a traditional SUP paddle.

Main issues with the client's prototype:

handle attachment interferes with user's grip when using horizontally, sitting down
lacks adjustability - doesn't accomodate users of all heights
aesthetics - looks homemade and is not "market ready"

Our Solution.

We presented our client with 2 solutions - our own idea and an improved version of his original prototype. Both designs incorporate the kayak paddle base to allow easy transition from sitting to standing and vice versa. An adjustable shaft to accomodate users of all heights is featured in both designs.

The Pandle. Our design features a handle built into the paddle head. Ideally, the handle-paddle would be injection molded to ensure a seamless and durable integration of the handle. For our prototype, we just attached a bicycle handle to the top of the paddle head.

Angled Handle. This is the improved version of the client's prototype. The angled handle is more seamlessly attached to the shaft and doesn't interfere with the user's grip when using the paddle horizontally.

PANDLE

a dual-function SUP paddle

The Problem.

Requirements.

Client's Design.

Our Solution.