I found this company a while ago that makes canoe paddles. They were based in Canada and were a small company. They made paddles designed for flatwater paddling, and had 5 or 6 different blade shapes ranging from short and wide to narrow and thin . I however cannot find the company and do not remember its name. I think it started with an R but I am not 100% sure. If you know this company please help.
However if you do not know I have found these three paddles as something I would be interested in. They will be used for 10-25 day trips and price is not really an object. I want a paddle that is high quality, easy to paddle and that is well made. My possible picks are http://www.turtlepaddle.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=19&Itemid=
or http://www.badgerpaddles.com/paddles/TRIPPER.html
or http://www.edenwoodpaddles.co.uk/The-Voyageur%282383654%29.htm
I paddle tandem and switch between bow and stern. I am interested in a long, think bladed paddle such as the options above. I paddle seated and do not paddle Canadian style. I have always heard that long thin paddles were better for long flatwater days but people have said that light carbon paddles make them much less tired. What do you guys think?
Your last question:
“what do you guys think”
I think you shoud forget the long skinny blade and get a super light weight ZRE bent shaft.
I am older than dirt and have paddled with every type blade that you can imagine, and I would never go back to any of them.
I just got back from a nineteen mile flat water paddle, and my arms and upper bod are in as good a shape as when I started this morning (averaged 4.7MPH)
jack L
Ottertail is Good
I've used one now for about 10 years, and it suits me just fine. Light, easy to handle - I usually paddled bow - great blade for various in-water maneuvers. The slender blade seems to get a smoother bite on the water - much the same feel as GP vs. euro in kayak paddles. Can't imagine going back to the square-tipped barn-door-sized paddle I'd previously used...
De ja vous all over again
I feel like we responded to this poster’s questions last week. He didn’t reply at all to any of our questions!
Sorry Wenonahrider
I didn’t see your post the last time I asked this. I just wanted to ask it again so that it didn’t get lost in the large number of new questions since then. To answer your questions, I will be paddling flatwater on 10-19 day trips that will range from 200-600km. I am a fairly advanced paddler as I have been paddling at about 1000km each year for the past 7 years. I unfortunately do not know what to call my technique of paddling. I have no idea what the north American Touring Technique is but I know that I don’t paddle Canadian style, and that I paddle tandem, with the stern man paddling/J-stroking and the bowman just paddling, switching sides every 3 hours or so. One other question, is it difficult to J-stroke with a bent shaft paddle, and do ZRE paddles give you as much control as a long, thin paddle blade?
North American Touring Technique
...just a fancy name for sit n'switch. No steering strokes, just the stern paddler yells "hut" every few strokes and both paddlers switch sides to keep the canoe going straight. Best way to use a bent shaft. But I think a bent shaft would work fine for "normal" bow paddling too. From the stern - maybe not so much because its harder to j-stroke with. Though I'm sure people do it.
ZRE is just a brand name. They make carbon fiber paddles with both bent and straight shafts. I don't think they make any traditional shapes like an ottertail.
Everyone has different opinions on what kind of paddle they like, so this is one of those things you'll just have to figure out for yourself. I'd recommend getting yourself a cheap ottertail or beavertail or whatever traditional paddle looks nice to you and try it out. And if you like it, spring for one of those fancy Canadian ones. And if you hate it - it'll look real nice hung up over the fireplace. I just recieved my Dri Ki ottertail and, I'm tellin' you, for $38 shipped, I doubt you'll find a better value anywhere on a hand-carved, one-piece ash paddle.
On the otherhand, if you want to try out bent shaft paddles, Mohawk makes one that's like $40. Same idea - if you hate it, no biggy. It was only $40. If you find you prefer the bent shaft, well then spring for the $300 ZRE at some point.
vote for zre
I love my ZRE bent shaft. I have what was called the whitewater model. Its a big blade. I use it for extended wilderness tripping. I can paddle hour after hour with it in comfort and feel good at the end of the day. It is quite rugged. Yes you can J stroke just fine with a bent shaft.
try bumping
A better way to make sure your question doesn’t fall too far down the list is to reply to your own post with a message that just says “bump.” That reply will make your topic the most recently posted-to, hence at the top of the list.
As to the substance of your question: I love my ZRE for long days on flat water. Before I had the ZRE, I used a wooden bent-shaft (Grey Owl Marathon). I preferred that to any straight-shaft I have ever used, as long as no tight or powerful maneuvering is required.
Mark