I found all the input very helpful
buoyancy is related to what type of
– Last Updated: Jun-11-15 9:58 AM EST –
water you're poling. My experience, the faster the flow, the harder to plant the pole. Calm water,I wouldn't worry about the bamboo buoyancy, though diameter will affect this. Fast moving water I'd want a brass shoe on the end. Wrapping that bamboo in electrical tape would help the hands and prevent shards in case of fracture. Never used one, I use aluminum, and occasionally wood in the winter for it's warmth. Got to disagree with EZ on bendability, though perhaps this is related to type of water poled. I have 9 aluminum poles (well, just sold 2 to my "student" so I'm down to 7). Of these, two are trashed, ran them over with my canoe when they got stuck before they got revenge and flipped me. The rest of my 1.125" Hayden poles are tweaked at the ends. The 2 1.5" "mega-poles" I made are straight, and they were my first. Fine line between desired characteristics, and you can't have it all. Poling cl.2 granite infested rivers primarily.
I think it'd help for poling topics if we described what type of water we're poling. Kind of like "creeking" which is the polar opposite on this site compared to the ww sites I frequent.
Flatwater/mud bottom is soooo different than whitewater, rocky bottom.
gloves a great idea
I wear rubber palmed thin work gloves sometimes when poling, and neoprene gloves when it’s winter. The work gloves help with the grip on the aluminum poles I use. I’m sure it’ll help your hands, just use thin ones so you can grip the pole easily.
I poled class 1-2 “granite” ledged
streams. Got the pole stuck in a crack occasionally, but let go in time to avoid having the boat run back over the pole. Pole has one noteworthy bend. I believe Beletz poles are similar in specs to Hayden poles.
Although I did quite a bit of poling in my day, including some small river exploration, I may have been less active than you, or I may have lacked interested spectators. My one Beletz pole is still usable, though I may treat myself to a Hayden soon.
we always carry 2 poles
– Last Updated: Jun-11-15 11:07 PM EST –
at least, around here, in case one gets stuck or tweaked.
The carnage happens when the pole gets stuck and the canoe attempts to run it over. The dreaded self-pin lol.The canoe usually wins. Fortunately it's been a while. Aluminum ain't cheap.