Jet Blue checked bag size cannot exceed 62 inches (height,width,length=total). Oversized baggage cannot exceed 81 inches. All paddle bags I have seen exceed the oversize requirements. Kayak paddles do not seem to be included as sports equipment (such as bikes)which are exempt from oversize rules. A bag would be more convenient under the traveling conditions. Short of having a bag made, any suggestions?

3-piece break down paddle
Is there a particular reason you are trying to travel with a one piece paddle? Is this for whitewater?



I only travel with touring paddles that are 84" to 90", so maybe my response is irrelevant to your situation. Short of some kind of titanium military grade sheath, I would NEVER entrust a valued paddle in its own container to airline baggage handling. Even most 2-piece paddles are still too long for standard luggage.



Though my favorite paddle is an 84" one piece long cedar Greenland, I’ve adapted to the airline restrictions by getting 3-piece breakdown paddles, a Northern Light carbon and a carbon Cannon Euro blade. I travel with folding kayaks packed, plus gear, in large rolling duffels, and the 3 piece paddles fit safely within those bags.

Maybe ship it?
If you’re going somewhere you can send it to yourself, and re-ship on the way back?

I used to put a break down 210 in a large duffle bag with the rest of my stuff. Would wrap it with my sleeping bag, never had an issue.

Maybe get a fishing rod or some other sort of case, skiis or hockey stick, and just don’t tell anyone.

Travel case for golf bag
Will hold lots of your other gear too and is recognized as sports equipment by airlines.

2 piece paddle
I am 5’ so I had to have a set of carbon paddles made for me. They are 2 piece paddles. I could jerry rig a carrying bag (using an extra long dry bag and using foam sheets to protect the paddles), but I was hoping to find a paddle bag which would fit the jet blue check in length of 62 inches (ht+width+length). A bag would make for easier transporting from one paddling venue to the other. The outfitters only have 210cm paddles – much too long for me on long paddles. The bags I have seen are too big (using ht+width+length) and would not even be accepted as oversized checked baggage.

No longer…
I don’t think golf bags are acceptable as oversized baggage anymore. At least not on Jet Blue.

Shipping out of the question…
For 11 days in Cuba.

3 piece paddles
Thanks for the suggestion on paddles. Will look into this if they have one for height-challenged paddlers.

8" Diameter PVC Tube
Assuming two piece paddle, would likely make it about 48" long. Cardboard/duct tape the ends. Pad the paddles inside when shipping. Want a tube, I still have one that SeaDog Sails sent me on the last shipment. It’s just standing around in the Shipping Dept. at The River Connection.



See you on the water,

Marshall

The River Connection, Inc.

Hyde Park, NY

www.the-river-connection.com

fb.me/theriverconnection

PVC pipe super shipping solution.
That’s how my 84" Lumpy paddle arrived - in a PVC pipe marked “sewer pipe” on the side, complete with PVC end caps.



Most fun packaging I’ve ever received.

length
I admit I am still a little confused. If you are using a 2-piece paddle that is about 2 meters long then isn’t the overall length only around 40"? An NRS hardshell paddle case is 53" which is well within the 62" restrictions on JetBlue. I admit that $90 is costly for this, as is $80 for a Seals soft bag. There are cheaper wide diameter hard shell document cases that could fit if you have 2-piece Greenland paddles – I have narrower versions that I have always used to carry rolls of construction and engineering drawings. Like this one that is 5 1/2" diameter and expands from 31" to 50":



http://www.ebay.com/itm/Nozlen-Jumbo-Document-Storage-Tube-Black-Expandable-From-31-5-Up-To-53-And-/291869449056?hash=item43f4c65b60:g:~QkAAOSwFdtX0qyQ

A Gun Case…
Might get their attention…



http://www.globalindustrial.com/p/storage/storage_cases/sporting_weapon_cases/plano-all-weather-8482-storage-rifle-case-w-foam-o-ring-seal-box-54-5-8-lx15-1-2-wx6-h-black?infoParam.campaignId=T9F&gclid=CjwKEAjw19vABRCY2YmkpO2OzTsSJAAzEt8s6qT-dztl_fEjPDaN-vJfhgGdN2CpJTSROM26wI4PPRoC_-Lw_wcB

How short?

I know it is hard to find shorter paddles, especially in carbon.

How long are your preferred paddles?

The reason I am asking is that I have a 4-piece carbon breakdown Cannon paddle that is 27" long disassembled. Though it is 230 cm with all 4 sections put together, I can leave out one of the two shaft sections and create a 185 cm paddle with just three segments. If that would be short for you I believe it could be modifled to virtually any length.

I'm looking at the parts of it right now, and I see no reason why someone could not carefully saw some length off one of the shaft sections at the "female" end (which is just a hollow tube) and drill a new set of 3 (or more) feathering holes aligned for the spring-loaded locking button in the adjoining "male" end. This would create the exact length you wanted. There are folks on here who have built or modified carbon paddles that might give experienced advice on that.

This link below shows the paddle I have, the Cannon Wave carbon shaft 4-piece. I lucked out getting a factory blemished one for $79 last year, but even at $159 it's a nice paddle. Even though GP's are my "go to" I really don't mind using this one at all and have taken to carrying it as my deck spare, either to trade off for using different muscles on long days or when I want a Euro blade for a little more "push" in paddling or to preserve my cedar GP in rocky waters :

http://www.airkayaks.com/products/Cannon-Wave-Carbon-4pc-Breakdown-Paddle-230cm.html

I see the fiberglass version is on Ebay for $119:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Cannon-Wave-4pc-Fiberglass-Breakdown-Kayak-Paddle-230cm-longest-shaft-27-/141941250873?hash=item210c5b9b39:m:me9egVGx0fhgxVheNPhQF8A

Not just length
One must calculate length and height and width.

Close

This one would get you very close, depending on what sticklers they are for details (you may be an inch over in the height). http://www.nrs.com/product/50021.02/nrs-two-piece-kayak-paddle-bag

BUT, that being said, I wouldn't trust it as checked luggage as another poster already mentioned. I'm heading to Mexico for three weeks in a few days and I'm just borrowing one there - no way I'm packing my Cyprus for them to launch around and crush underneath a bunch of bags.

Thanks for the offer
Sounds like a good solution except I’ll have to carry it around while kayaking/camping/traveling. But the PVC would protect the shaft. I would think the blades would be the most likely to be damaged in the cargo hold, if not sitting flat. Wonder if there is such a thing as a sturdy synthetic sleeve the size of the blade. This sleeve would fit in my hatch when not in use.

Checked that bag
and it won’t make it. Worst than the plane baggage compartment would be trying to store it for 11 days at a midpoint airport.

I used to travel a lot

With my paddles when I was a guide, flew to Alaska, Baja, and Chile with break down paddles in my luggage, which was just a big duffle bag. Have flown over a dozen times and never had an issue. Knew many others who did the same and never had an issue. Just use some of your clothing, or a sleeping bag, or if you really want to pad it out cut up a closed cell foam pad and use duct tape to make a mini case. Make sure you pack the paddles in the middle of your bag, you could tape them end to end to make sure they don't shift but I never bothered, and pack everything else around them. I did this with a large duffle bag and it worked fine, and if traveling or kayak camping the duffle bag can doesn't take up any space and can be used for a beach bag in camp. So that is the way I would go. I'm sure if you had a large piece of rolling luggage you could probably fit your paddles kitty corner in them. Unless you are really paranoid about baggage handlers, then I would use a golf bag like many others have already suggested.
Jetblue does still accept golf bags, ski bags, and many other types of equipment which get you around the 62 inch rule...

help.jetblue.com/SRVS/CGI-BIN/webisapi.dll?New,Kb=askBlue,case=obj(381167)

Thanks checking it out
To see if they have it in narrow shaft (small hands, too)and can be adjusted for length.

Breakdown paddles
may be the best option. And won’t need a special bag. Looking into that now.