Canoe paddle in a kayak

No way…
I couldnt do any better than 3-4 strokes and then switch sides when I tried it a few months ago.

I have a 15 foot touring boat without a rudder,and I was useing a cheap straight shaft paddle my kids out grew.I would have liked it as a light wt. spare but…

Do I try it again with a bent shaft or just work on the j-stroke more(which I thought was good)?

You’re slipping, g2d . . . .

Whats wrong with switching?
On my lakes trip I was paddling a 19-foot, non-rudder kayak that tracks well and turns like a log. I’d lean it away from the paddle side and take five, full, non-corrected strokes, then switch sides, switch lean, for five more strokes. Too much lost momentum trying to correct with a “j”.



If there is a side wind, I might constantly paddle on one side to correct for weather cocking.



You can even yell “hup” when you switch and pretend you are racing in a tandem canoe. :slight_smile:



~~Chip

HUP
Thats what I forgot to do.Yelling a hup would probably make me look cooler as I switch.

I could even tell the little kids and their Grannies sitting on shore to look for me in the next summer games

Wishing you a speedy recovery!
so much to paddle so little time…

Hut/Hup
I read a piece years ago by Gene Jensen where he said that he and Tom Estes settled on “Hut” as the signal to execute the switch, because this sound could be made even during the act of throwing up.

I like it
I used 52" bent in my Tsunami 145 with a rudder and liked it a lot. I’ve been thinking about taking the seat out and seeing if I could kneel in it.

update
Been swapping back and forth between the single and double blade with good luck. I find I can relax and take it easy more with the single blade, where with the double I suddenly find myself going full out even if it’s just meant to be a leisurely paddle. Sure like the feel of the single blade better, and the lighter weight doesn’t hurt.



Did some actual time testing tonight between the two. Paddled a 1.85 mile course with the double blade and did it in 19.5 minutes (5.7 mile average). Rested 5 minutes or so and did the same loop with the single blade. Time was identical, within 3 seconds.



I was surprised to find the time so good with the single blade, I was just hoping for it to be relatively close. Wonder if it would have actually beaten the double blade if I’d done the single first? I was pretty pooped out after my lap with the double. The single blade doesn’t seem to tire me out as fast.



It’s good to have options.



Alan