I’ve got a 4 year old daughter who I’ll be taking paddling with me this summer. I know she’ll want to help paddle, so I’d like to try and pickup something cheap and preferrably light that she could use to “help”.
Does anyone have any ideas about a specific paddle choice?
Thanks.
-Doug
Werner Paddles Sprite
– Last Updated: Dec-19-07 2:32 PM EST –
More info:
http://www.wernerpaddles.com/touring.html#recreational
See you on the water,
Marshall
The River Connection, Inc.
Hyde Park, NY
www.the-river-connection.com
Thanks, that’s 2…
I’ve gotten 2 recommendations for the Werner Sprite now.
$70-$85 is a bit more than I wanted to pay - I just don’t know how often she and I will get out on the water over the summer.
kids paddles
My first suggestion was going to be a wooden kids paddle that used to be available from Old Town. After checking their site, it is no longer available. Sorry!
Second suggestion: For someone else, I took a $29.95 paddle from Wal Mart. Cut it down by drilling out the rivets, cutting off the shaft and putting in new pop rivets. 10 minute job. Someone else I know didn’t like the shape of the blades and reshaped them with a file.
Good luck!
ONNO Paddles
Pat will make up just about anything. I needed something similar and Pat found a slightly blemished paddle that he is altering for me. A very light carbon fiber paddle. I plan on using it for the use of nieces,nephews and my wife who at 5’2" and 105 lbs, it’ll be a perfect fit.
Andy
Doug-try Bending Branches Minnow
It’s a very light wood paddle for around $60 and made and geared for kids. Warm to the touch on cool days. Should be able to use it for a few years and recoup at least half your money selling it on pnet.
Bending Branches has a Cattail…
I’ve heard that Bending Branches has a Cattail (previously called Minnow from what I gather).
I don’t know - a lot of options.
One person also suggested just getting a kid’s canoe paddle and letting her use that.
Thanks everyone for the input.
OR
get them started right, make a small GP out of a 2x4 
GP! Always with the GP
Just kidding - I was actually wondering when someone would recommend that. I’d read on the Kayak Builder’s Forum about someone who asked the same question I did - he got a few GP recommendations (complete with pics and all).
I would consider it, but my wood working skills are (ahem) less than good.
location?
Where in Maryland are you located? I’m near Westminster and have a kids paddle that we don’t need any more. It’s probably a bit larger than you want (it’s aroud 200cm) but I could cut the blades down and lighten both the blades and the shaft. The price is right - you can have it for free if you want to come pick it up. But I agree with other folks that the Werner Sprite is an excellent choice. Our kids use an earlier version of the Werner kids paddle - I think they called it the Kids Point or something like that - and have been really happy with it.
paddle
I have no idea what these are like but they seem like they would work for what you need
http://tinyurl.com/23rx4p
Thanks all!
I ended up getting the Bending Branches Cattail - Blue Mountain Outfitters in Pennsylvania had scratch & dent ones for $40. Santa brought it for Christmas day and my daughter loves it. She’s already paddled it throughout our living room!
Kids paddles
I may be a bit late to this ‘kids paddle party’, but have a 7 yr old and 11 yr old who now love to paddle their Tsunami 120SP boat. (they share, so have to buy another!!)
They used the Sprite fiberglass paddle as others on this thread mentioned, but I just had two 72 inch GPs made for them, as the Sprite is way too long for kids that size. I haven’t actually measured it, but it looks like somewhere around a 210cm or so, which is the length I use when I rarely use a Euro paddle. The GPs I had made I found on EBAY - the guy that sells them there will make up a nice paddle for $65 and even put white tips on them for my kids. The kids love em!!! Now, if they will only stop using them as light sabers!! (kidding)
I think it is very important to note that if a paddle isn’t sized at least reasonably close to the right length that it will alter their paddling ability, making it difficult to paddle their boat, so rather than focusing on materials, type(GP or Euro) I would concentrate on paddle length and loom/grip thickness - your kids will thank you and will become better paddlers, IMHO.
My $.02 worth.
Scott