Width of Greenland paddles

Hi, If I buy a wood Greenland kayak paddle, how to select its width? Thanks.

You pick the width that is **comfortable **to grip at the very end (by sliding your hand down the paddle near the tip, rather than cupping your hand over the tip). Racers may prefer slightly wider blades than touring paddlers.

Greenland paddles in the days past were split from large trees that drifted down Siberian rivers and landed on the Greenland coast. The big timbers (although rare) were split to make them the size of your hand. In other words, the width of the Greenland paddle was not a material limitation (large blades were used on the paddles for Umiaks), they were sized to fit your hand so that you can extend them as necessary.

Greg Stamer

Thanks Greg.

Jie

From google
The blade width is the maximum width that you can comfortably hold in your hand between the thumb and forefinger. Common blades widths are 3" to 3-1/2".

Thanks @rsevenic .

Jie

Mine is 3.5 inch wide from Superior , carbon fiber ,22 ounces. I was using a 3.25 but prefer the 3.5 inch wide one.

I make mine from 2"x4" so the max width is 3.5" which fits my hand.

FWIW, in Greenland you see a lot more variation in width (and other dimensions) as opposed to here. I 'm not sure why 3.5" is considered almost “standard” here.

Racers often have wide blades – Greenlander Steffen Olsen used (GP) blades 5-6" wide, where Maligiaq Padilla uses a narrow 2 5/8" paddle. In other words, don’t be afraid to use a measurement that fits your hand and purpose, versus what somebody has in stock to sell.

There’s an interesting “paddle poll” on the Qajaq USA website at http://www.qajaqusa.org/Equipment/paddle_poll.html .
You will see a lot of variation among those who make their own paddles.

Greg

The basic dimensions (length, width, blade area) of any paddle (GP, Euro, or Wing) should be chosen for your particular paddling goal (traveling, racing, surf, roll practice, etc.), and your particular body. They can only be determined by trial and error. If you are racing or traveling, then whether you can comfortably grip the end of your GP is irrelevant.

The Greenland Paddle in Greenland , has been slowly evolving since the time of subsistence seal hunting with a Harpoon . The modern use is now based around the Greenland Games {racing and rolling}

The paddle shape changed with the introduction of guns as a hunting tool. Sprinting became a new need and so the more modern paddle was designed to enable better sprinting from off ice to retrieve seals before they sank {after being shot}

One difference with the GP paddle is that you paddle with your hands all over the thing as opposed to locked in position like a beginner at a kayak outfitter for the first time.

@Overstreet said:
One difference with the GP paddle is that you paddle with your hands all over the thing as opposed to locked in position like a beginner at a kayak outfitter for the first time.

Perhaps. If I paddle for 2 or 3 hours to get somewhere in reasonable conditions, then my hands generally remain in place.

“reasonable conditions” … Sure go as fast and as far as you wish . Just remember that reasonable doesn’t always stay that way. Rudders break. Wind and current change. Boat wakes happen. Waves build.

You can own a smart phone and just make telephone calls.

You can paddle a 10 ft Sundog around the boat ramp and be happy…
…if you’ve a mind to.

But you can’t roller skate in a buffalo herd.

@roym said:
The Greenland Paddle in Greenland , has been slowly evolving since the time of subsistence seal hunting with a Harpoon . The modern use is now based around the Greenland Games {racing and rolling}

The paddle shape changed with the introduction of guns as a hunting tool. Sprinting became a new need and so the more modern paddle was designed to enable better sprinting from off ice to retrieve seals before they sank {after being shot}

Good to know some GP history. My kayaking is mainly for regular workout, rolling for safety, and occasional exploring. I kayak on Lake Michigan for fun and workout, but limited to places near canoe launches like harbors or beaches. Being able to roll can give me more freedom on Lake Michigan.

I think the 3.5" “standard” in the US is mostly about convenience. It’s the width of a 2x4, which is what most people use to make GPs. Also, there may be some psychological resistance to going narrower; we’re used to seeing and using much wider Euro blades and even 3.5" is viewed as very narrow here.