: Note, Linda, that bungies are needed for both the blade ends and the shaft
: ends. "BCU types" like to have their blades facing the cockpit
: with the shafts toward the bow or stern. I believe this is so 1) you can
: feel the index of the blade in case you need to roll up with a paddle
: half, and 2) big waves may be less likely to grab the blade if it is
: nearer the coaming.

I understood it to be the case that blades further from the cockpit caused
the windage on the blades to exert more turning moment, so you get greater
weathercocking (blades to aft) or the more serious lee helm (blades to
forward). Blades at the bows will cuase a lot more water to splash up at you
in a head sea. Having said that, if I'm not going out in windy conditions, I
often find it easier to stow with blades far aft. It depends what else I
am carrying on the deck. I usually have an aft deck bag for flares and
VHF radio, and a tow line next to the cam cleat and bullseye, all of which
make it hard to stow the splits with blades near the cockpit. In this
situation I try to stow the split paddles on the aft deck *of my wife's
boat* :-)

Andy