Paddling Hands?

[jbaker]

when i first got my kayak i realized i was holding the grip way to tight me hands would hurt and it tired me out, if the paddle got wet or my hands got wet I had to grip really hard, so i got some grip tape for a bat i think, maybe $5 at big 5, wrapped the paddle where i grip it and its worked great for a year now. I was thinking about paddling gloves too.

[dgax65]

That used to happen to me when I was regularly paddling several days a week. When my hands are subjected to prolonged immersion the top layers of skin slough off. It mostly happens at the points of contact with the paddle shaft. I think some people's skin is just more susceptible to this than others. It made starting up my work laptop a pain in the ass. Sometimes it would lock me out before I could get a good fingerprint read.

As annoying as the the peeling hands was, the chronic monkey-butt was worse. I sure do miss that OK Drifter. Nothing like sitting in a couple of inches of cold seawater for hours on end.

[wiredantz]

Monkey butt pain in the worse!

[wade]

you were being kind! u only showed them your raw pinky skin after you went to town.ive been meaning to make a post like this for months..im not on a Hobie but, i feared i got leprosy from a seal..& my hands rot off worse!

[driftwood]

Did that monkey butt pain come with extreme itch? That was my biggest problem! ouch!!!

[PapaDave]

Can't say if you are paddling properly or not, I don't know, I have a hobie drive kayak.

[BT]

I get that too, not as bad, but pretty bad. It isnt the paddle, its the water. The worse spots for me are along my nails, and on my palm along my knuckles. Gloves may actually make it worse. One thing I do is keep a rag with me and keep my hands dry as much as possible. Not easy when paddling though.

Sometimes when I get home, I use a product called bag balm or udder cream. It is a heavy cream, and I put cotton gloves on over night. Then I use the cream multiple times over the next day or two and that seems to work.

[Pescavore1]

It appears we have the same problem. According to my dermatologist, the condition I have is known as keratolysis exfoliativa and occurs from prolonged exposure to water.

http://www.dermnet.org.nz/dermatitis...ratolysis.html
http://www.dermnet.com/Keratolysis-Exfoliativa.

My hands would swell up after a day of fishing and become raw and sting. Couple of days later, the skin would harden, become numb, and peel off in layers as thick as 5-6 sheets of newspaper. I use to think it was from paddling but the problem did not improve after I switched to a Hobie. I then discovered that it was the constant exposure to water that caused it – from handling bait, constantly putting my hands in the bait well, tying off to kelp, etc. Even when I’m fishing the iron, my hands still get wet.

Over time, my sensitivity to water seems to have gotten worse. There does not appear to be a way to prevent it other than to keep my hands dry. I now wear gloves to minimize exposure to water. I usually go through 2 or 3 pairs of gloves everytime I fish. My dermatologist recently prescribed Salitop Cream which I think is helping but I’m not sure.

In support of your desire to get a Hobie, I will say this: peddling does keep your hands dry.

I also want to make this very clear to everyone reading this: I do not suffer from monkey-buttus exfoliativa.

[bigbarrels]

Originally Posted by Pescavore1

It appears we have the same problem. According to my dermatologist, the condition I have is known as keratolysis exfoliativa and occurs from prolonged exposure to water.

http://www.dermnet.org.nz/dermatitis...ratolysis.html
http://www.dermnet.com/Keratolysis-Exfoliativa.

My hands would swell up after a day of fishing and become raw and sting. Couple of days later, the skin would harden, become numb, and peel off in layers as thick as 5-6 sheets of newspaper. I use to think it was from paddling but the problem did not improve after I switched to a Hobie. I then discovered that it was the constant exposure to water that caused it – from handling bait, constantly putting my hands in the bait well, tying off to kelp, etc. Even when I’m fishing the iron, my hands still get wet.

Over time, my sensitivity to water seems to have gotten worse. There does not appear to be a way to prevent it other than to keep my hands dry. I now wear gloves to minimize exposure to water. I usually go through 2 or 3 pairs of gloves everytime I fish. My dermatologist recently prescribed Salitop Cream which I think is helping but I’m not sure.

In support of your desire to get a Hobie, I will say this: peddling does keep your hands dry.

I also want to make this very clear to everyone reading this: I do not suffer from monkey-buttus exfoliativa.

Right on the money! However, I told my wife it is paddler's manus exfoliativa.....only cured by pedaling.........she seems to be buying it and it sure seems better than Monkey Butt