Kayak paddle

Post questions & answers about; paddle selection, building and maintenance; paddling techniques; boat transportation, storage & maintenance.
Post Reply
User avatar
Doug
Posts: 476
Joined: Mon Nov 15, 2004 7:59 am
Location: London, Ontario, Canada

Kayak paddle

Post by Doug »

Greetings,
I made a (2 pc.) walnut paddle to go with my Endeavour last year. It works very nicely.
I'd like to make a second one. Another two piece one, for trips.
I was thinking of a lighter wood this time, such as Cedar.
Not sure if I want a laminate one.
Any thoughts on what is the strongest and lightest wood out there, for a paddle?
Does anyone know of any sites with plans? Paddles in general?
Any alternatives to the $60 carbon ferrule (?).
"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
User avatar
Glen Smith
Posts: 3719
Joined: Sat May 08, 2004 9:08 am
Location: Baie-St-Paul, Quebec, Canada

Post by Glen Smith »

Noah's Marine sell a stainless ferrule for $22. I made a paddle following instructions in Mac McCarthy's book Featherweight Boatbuilding using spruce and cedar. After two seasons I decided to glass the blade for more durability and I really like this paddle.

This is a link to a few notes on paddle building: http://www.guillemot-kayaks.com/Buildin ... addle.html
And here is another link: http://jbchitty.8bit.co.uk/paddle.htm

I forgot to mention one thing: have you thought about a "Greenland" paddle?
User avatar
Todd Bradshaw
Posts: 92
Joined: Tue May 11, 2004 8:16 pm

Post by Todd Bradshaw »

I've been building my Greenland-style paddles from cedar 2x4's for a couple years now. Granted, you can't pound them on rocks and you need to be careful about gouging the shafts with the cockpit rim while getting in and out, but they're extremely light and wonderful to use. I more or less followed the instructions on this website to get started:
http://seacanoe.org/grnpadle.htm

I rough out the shape with the band saw and then do all the carving with a spokeshave, followed by sanding with the random orbit machine. It takes the better part of an afternoon to go from 2x4 to ready to varnish. I really thin the blades out (you can see and feel them flex in use) but by comparison, my Werner carbon paddles feel stiff and lifeless and aren't much lighter if at all (they now ride the aft deck as spares). Sticking a ferrule in the middle of one wouldn't be a big deal.

I've spent a couple thousand dollars on kayak paddles in the last 30 years, most of them very high-end and now I'm using paddles made from $8 2x4's and loving every minute of it. It might be worth a few bucks and a few hours of work to see if you like them.


Image
User avatar
Juneaudave
Posts: 522
Joined: Sat May 08, 2004 12:42 pm
Location: Juneau, Alaska
Contact:

Post by Juneaudave »

I really like your paddles Todd...Nice work! I think I'll make one for my kayak!
User avatar
Bud
Posts: 107
Joined: Sun Oct 17, 2004 10:20 pm
Location: Clayton, Georgia
Contact:

Post by Bud »

How well do Greenland paddles work paddling canoes? I'm trying to decide what kind of paddle to make for the Wee Lassie. I'll probably end up making several designs anyway, but which one first?
Bud
Guest

Post by Guest »

I've started using my Greenland paddle in our Current Designs Libra double kayak as well as my singles. The Libra is about 27" wide and probably about as deep as a Wee Lassie and it works just fine. About the only place where they don't work well is thin water, like shallow streams and/or whitewater. If you can only get eight inches of blade in the water before bottoming out, you would do better with something wider than 3 5/8".

I must say that I used to think the folks with Greenland paddles were kind of a curiosity as I paddled along with my $360 Werner Carbon Camano - kind of like paddling hippies or something. Then I grabbed one off the rack at a local canoe expo and it had a really interesting balance. It wasn't exceptionally light, but it's weight seemed to be centered and the blade swing weight was very light. This peaked my curiosity, but not enough to blow $250 on an experiment, so I hunted around on the web until I found some plans and then spent about an hour pawing through the stacks of 2x4's and 2x6's at Home Depot until I found a couple really good ones.

I was really wondering whether I could tolerate using a zero-degree, non-feathered paddle. I've been using feathered euro-style paddles since 1971, 90 degree feathers for most of that time while paddling whitewater and teaching basic kayaking, whitewater kayaking and eskimo-rolling and the past six or seven years, 60 degree feathers on touring paddles. I now firmly believe that though a less than 90 degree feather (50 degrees-85 degrees) may be a bit easier on the wrists, it's a mistake. It drastically limits the number of bracing and rolling maneuvers that you can do with a paddle and thus limits your arsenal of butt-saving manuevers. I also can't stand the way they want to twist in high winds. Ninety degree feathers and Greenland-style unfeathered paddles are much more comfortable and stable in bad winds. If I could un-glue the blades on the four Werners we own and reposition them at 90 degrees, I'd do it in a heartbeat.

Anyway, what I found was that by making my Greenland shafts nicely oval. using them and getting the power face pointed the proper direction just comes naturally. It's a much more natural motion than using a feathered blade. The long, narrow blade behaves much better in the wind than a non-feathered, euro-paddle and by comparison, even a really good euro-paddle feels like two heavy blades stuck on a stick. It makes you wonder who's bright idea it was to start paddling with euro-paddles in the first place?

My first Greenland paddle was terrifying to use. I made the blades too small and it felt like a broom-stick. You wouldn't believe how much stability you get from just having a decent amount of blade in the water and how much you miss it when you don't. So, it took a couple trys to nail down blade sizing for a combination of easy paddling and power to roll or brace when you need it. At this point, I'm totally sold on them and for me, it's the first truly exciting kayaking development I've experienced since sea kayaks started showing up around 1980. This old dog has learned a new trick!

If I get time tomorrow I'll measure some blade-size and shaft-length offsets and post the numbers. It might save potential builders a round or two of experimentation trying to find sizes they like.
User avatar
Erik, Belgium
Posts: 344
Joined: Fri May 14, 2004 5:31 am
Location: Gierle, Belgium
Contact:

Post by Erik, Belgium »

I was interested to experience what the Greenland Paddle fuss was all about, so I made myself one. Here is the best info on how to make a GP: http://www.qajaqusa.org/QK/makegreen2.pdf.

I'm paddling since 1974 and have switched to GP 2 months ago. To me this is the best experience in a kayak I have had.

The resaon why paddles were made feathered in the first place, was becuase of it's use on white water. Later all paddles were based on this, once everyone got accustomed to feathered blades.

I'm not so sure however if a GP is suitable to be used in a canoe. IMO a canoe needs a single bladed paddle, not a double.

Erik, Belgium.




The dimensions of the greenland paddle are based on your individual size. Look here for more information http://www.bealepaddles.com/dimensions.htm
User avatar
Doug
Posts: 476
Joined: Mon Nov 15, 2004 7:59 am
Location: London, Ontario, Canada

Post by Doug »

Thanks, to all.

I forgot to mention that I made a (2x4) cedar greenland paddle as well. However I have not used it, as of yet, that will change. I find the problem with it is that it is physically big / long. Transportation or fitting it in my car is snug. I like the idea of two pieces.

The main reason I want a third paddle is for a spare paddle, for future trips. Something to use in an emergency. I had to rent one for my Massasuaga Provincial Park trip this year. I could have bought a cedar 2x4 for the rental cost.

I've made about 10 canoe paddles now and three more on the way. I now want to make (try to make) a paddle like the "Viper" from Bending Branches ( www.bendingbranches.com ).

A good book that I have used is "Canoe Paddles" by Graham Warren & David Gidmark.

But "wood types", any thoughts?

Light, strong and durable. I have good access to cedar, ash, bass, cherry, oak, maple, willow etc. Domestic Southern Ontario woods. Oh, I picked up a piece of cherry in the summer for my up coming solo (Osprey) canoe gunnels. 7x18 one inch thick, two small knots. Did not know there was such a thing.
"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
Post Reply