In “This is Canoeing” I see paddlers using long shafted,long bladed paddles for touring and canoe dancing. I looked up paddle types and they sort of look like 'ottertails’only the blade looks longer.
What are they?I think I want to build one.
Yes! Thank you.
When I bought it, it was the most I’d
ever spent for a canoe paddle. It took some getting to know, but I believe it really helped to improve my technique and I now consider the purchase to have been a bargain. Ray’s a super-nice guy to talk to on the phone, too. If you’d like, I can trace the blade profile and send it to you.
I have spent more on my kayak
paddle and canoe paddle(Zav).
Ottertail, or quill
A number of years ago I gave a piece of walnut to a guy who gave it to a p-netter with the understanding that the board be turned into a paddle. This piece of wood had a grain pattern that looked like a paddle.
Said p-netter posted picture of lovely Algonquin Guide Paddle. I was impressed. I went in my shop and found the sister board of the piece I gave away–the next board that was sawed off the walnut log. I scaled the dimensions from the picture onto my board and made my own paddle, which I think may be more of a quill than an ottertail.
The paddle is long and a bit on the heavy side. I learned to paddle it without taking it out of the water, so the length and weight become non factors. I love paddling this paddle in this way. I love the feel of slicing the blade through the water on retrieval, and I can make fine adjustments in course by ruddering the paddle in the retrieval. It’s not as fast as paddling overhand, but very relaxing and easy on the shoulders because you never lift the blade. It is an engaging way to paddle, the blade is always engaged in the water.
~~Chip
During the first season of using mine,
I noticed a distinct chatter, or vibration during the recovery. This bugged me a little for awhile and I’m still not sure exactly what causes it. Trying to push it too hard, I think. The effect mostly, and mysteriously, has just gone away. The only mod I’ve made to the paddle was to ovalize the shaft some from its original round section. Since, the little “buzzing” I still get from time to time reminds me to change to a shorter, wider-bladed paddle and increase cadence if I want to go faster.
I feel the same thing in the GP I made
– Last Updated: Mar-25-10 7:28 AM EST –
from WRC.
Also,I noticed on the video that the paddle shafts looked very thick.