The Ray Special is our number one seller. It is more than just a beautiful paddle. It combines a well-proportioned blade with an appealing ratio between the blade and shaft lengths. Ray Specials pair a shaft and blade of equal length. This results in a paddle with a longer than normal blade that is mechanically superior to other paddles. The Ray Special is a great paddle for canoe tripping, lake paddling as well as paddling solo. The long blade provides the canoeist with greater reach and responsiveness. Although not for whitewater the Special is great for all other paddling needs.