In the team raft slalom at Clackfest 2025, my paddle blade snapped on the very first stroke. We went for the gates anyway, surfed the Carter Falls hole, lost a swimmer, and got disqualified.
Video: Carnage at the Clackamas whitewater festival 2025 by Jacob Linkhart on the SOLWYRX Paddlesports YouTube channel.
Disclosure: SOLWYRX Paddle Gear sells Sawyer gear, and I earn money when you buy it here.
What happened
I was racing in the team raft. The blade snapped on stroke one, so I swapped paddles with the smallest paddler in the boat and we kept going for the gates. At the Carter Falls hole we got surfed and one paddler swam. I climbed forward to dig us out. We were DQ'd because the swimmer crossed the finish separately from the raft. (A swim by itself doesn't get you DQ'd; crossing apart does.)
Afterward the Redwood Rafters returned my broken blade. I still have it.
What it taught me
- Don't flinch. When gear fails, adapt fast and keep paddling. More on that in Don't Flinch: Be Proactive, Not Reactive.
- Know the rules. Racing rules can turn a good recovery into a DQ.
- Paddles take a beating. A tough raft paddle like the Sawyer Guide Styk is worth it; see Guide Styk vs. Guide Styk PRO.
That wasn't my only broken paddle that year: Project Streamline includes one snapped at Armstrong Rapid. For the better day at the same festival, watch the IK mass start.
Personal trip report: flows, wood and hazards change, and what worked for me that day isn't a rule for your boat or group. Check current conditions, scout, and boat within your training.
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Updated October 28, 2026 · By Jacob Linkhart, owner of SOLWYRX Paddle Gear · Spot a mistake? Email me and I'll fix it.
