Feathered kayak paddle with a twist

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Bryan Hansel
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Feathered kayak paddle with a twist

Post by Bryan Hansel »

I've finsihed the shaft on my new kayak paddle. It's cedar/ash and has been twisted into a 60 degree feather using a set of forms and a strongback.

Here's a link to the article that shows how I did it: http://www.nessmuking.com/twist.htm

It actually was a pretty easy project and the shaft is moderately stiff to stiff. I haven't finished the blades yet, because of temperatures, but today looks warm enough to layup the blades as soon as the shop warms up.

I expect the paddle to weigh in around 32 ounces. Not bad.
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Doug
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Post by Doug »

Hi Bryan, looks good.
Great write up.

What do you find the advantages are for a one piece paddle?

Ever thought of building this type?
(eg., Bending Branches -Sun Shadow Crank)
Engineered to ergonomically align the wrists during the power stroke
http://www.bendingbranches.com/woodkaya ... crank.html
-I'd like to find the bend measurements

I built a Viper ( http://www.bendingbranches.com/bentcanoe/bc_viper.html ) style paddle last year. Cedar, ash & Cherry.
Used on several trips this year.
The shaft was made of cedar & ash, which in hind sight was a mistake. The softer, lighter cedar fractured / cracked making it a "B" paddle.
In the process of making a Cherry & Ash one.

The quest for the balance between weight & strength in paddle making.

All the best,
Doug


.
"Some people hear the song in the quiet mist of a cold morning..... But for other people the song is loudest in the evening when they are sitting in front of a tent, basking in the camp fire's warmth. This is when I hear it loudest ...." BM
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Bryan Hansel
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Post by Bryan Hansel »

Thanks, Doug.

The main advantage of a one piece paddle is that there is no slop in the ferrule. Although some of the new commercial ferrules are outstanding. Like those from Werner. My next commercial paddle with be a Werner Shuna.

I've tried a Crank from Bending Branches when they first came out and I wasn't that impressed, and I had a chance to use the prototype of the Viper. I liked the Viper in some ways and in others I didn't. So many people are using bent shaft paddles that I'm going to give them a try again before I buy a new Werner.

I'm curious: did your cedar/ash paddle fracture at the bends or elsewhere? I have a Greenland Paddle of WRC/ash that has over 700 miles on it now and I've had no problems with it.

I laid up my carbon fiber blades yesterday and am going to put them on the paddle today. They look very cool, but some masking tape stuck to them in places, so I have to figure out how to get that off. Learning...
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Doug
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Post by Doug »

Yes, it cracked right at the bend to the blade.
It cracked right in the cedar (laminate) and migrated into the (feathered) ash.
I only noticed it after my buddy had carried it over a portage.
I did not notice it crack while paddling.

Doug


.
"Some people hear the song in the quiet mist of a cold morning..... But for other people the song is loudest in the evening when they are sitting in front of a tent, basking in the camp fire's warmth. This is when I hear it loudest ...." BM
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Bryan Hansel
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Post by Bryan Hansel »

Finished my paddle. Some pictures below. I had it out yesterday. It took about a second for water to freeze to the deck of my kayak or the spray to freeze to my drysuit. But there was a touch of swell and the paddle did great. I really like the feel of it. It's less stiff than my whitewater paddle and the big blade has a lot of power to it. The blade shape favors a vertical high angle stroke. The shaft seems to have the exact flex that I like. And it's strong. It can support all my weight (200#).

Image
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canoeblderinmt
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Post by canoeblderinmt »

Bryan,
Outstanding job on your paddle. Looks like a commercial job, only better. How did you lay up the blades with the concave shape, and how did you attach them to the paddle? I couldn't see any bolt holes or heads, are they just epoxied on? Why didn't you split the shaft and slide them into the groove? Love to hear your thoughts....

Greg
" Choose to chance the rapids, Dare to dance the tide..."
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Bryan Hansel
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Post by Bryan Hansel »

Thanks for the kind remarks!

I did the blades in a couple of steps:

First, I cut the concave shape into the paddle shaft (The last 18" of each end). I used a 1" deep curve, but if I had glued some extra wood onto the backside, I could have gone an 1.5". I sanded the face and cleaned it up.
Then, I laid up two layers of carbon fiber on a flat surface laying on saran wrap and a layer of saran wrap over the top. I put a flat piece of wood over the layup and then weighed it down and allowed the layup to cure overnight.
In the morning, before the layup stiffened completely, I glued it to the curve I cut with epoxy glue and clamps and screws. I saved the top of the curve cut out and screwed that to the paddle. I added a little fillet along the woods edge on the backside. (If I had rounded the edge, I'm sure I would have saved weight and it would have been just as strong, and I wouldn't have had to fillet. Next time. This would have probably saved 3 ounces on the paddle.)
After the glue hardened, I sanded and then layed up a layer of carbon over the whole backside of the blade. I also laminated a three inch piece of carbon at the tip. This small layer was sandwiched.
The next step was to sand everything smooth, and because I had some masking tape stick to the my initial layup and the sanding wasn't making the face look nice, I decided to go ahead and add an additional layer of carbon for appearance reasons on the face of the paddle. I saran wrapped the top of this.
After that set up, I sanded everything, and let it sit for a week. Then I varnished it.

I'll document the next paddle blade I do with pictures.
Why didn't you split the shaft and slide them into the groove?
I didn't want a bump on the powerface of my blade. The bump could have caused flutter of which the paddle now has none. Or it could cause a sapping of power from the blade and I wanted an powerfully full blade for high angle paddling and surf. Plus, I was sure that by laying up a layer of carbon on the back of the paddle, it would end up strong and secure enough.

I'm pleased with the results. I'm going to make a few more in the spring when it warms up around here, but I've managed to get this paddle out a few times and I really like it. It's suppose to warm up this afternoon (20F), so I may go out for an hour today with it.
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