I want to try poling out. Any suggestions on where I could order a good pole from? I’m leaning towards a collapsible aluminum one. I don’t think anyone makes them around where I live in MN.
my buddies site has plans
– Last Updated: Jun-20-12 1:19 PM EST –
http://ravensjester.smugmug.com/Boats/How-To/Building-a-Two-piece-Aluminum/517955_3hsz3Q#!i=21319710&k=t7NQP
RJ is in a few of my photo albums, including the one on the discussion forum "got what ya' want (poling pix)".
I was lucky enough to also be friends with Ed Hayden and bought several one piece poles from him. I believe his son is still making poles, though probably one piece primarily.Edit; found this site, got the Hayden one and 2 piece info. Thanks to Mena (small world :-)) http://canoepoling.org/equipment.html
You can easily get started with RJ's other design, the home depot closet rod canoe pole, but it's also a one piece.
http://www.brockeng.com/AmusingRaven/pole.htm
I'm lucky to have a metal supply house (Yarde metals) close by. I bought some tubing from them and made my own poles as well. Used copper end caps on them instead of the bolt. Easier, a better snubbing design imo, and the copper grips rock quite well. They're 1.5" dia. x 12', no flex...my "mongo-pole" ;-)
A tip...if you're poling whitewater or anything you can't attain paddling, make sure to get 2 poles. They "stick" into rocks on occasion and you'll need a second to get back to the first. I usually pack 3, 2 of the Ed Hayden poles, and 1 mongo-pole for the class 2 granite infested stuff I'm generally on. Bending and breakage, though infrequent, can happen as well.
Hey Matt…
…thanks for posting that link! Never seen it before.
To the OP - prices listed for those aluminum poles look really reasonable.
If you want to make the Home Depole to start, try to find a store that stocks closet rod in fir. The last time I went looking at HD, all they had was hemlock. Hemlock is strong enough and it tends to run straighter, but it’s a real pain in the neck to work with. The grain wants to pull loose, so it’s real hard to get it snag-free and keep it that way. I made one pole out of hemlock and won’t do it again.
Hayden poles
Ive been using 2-piece poles I got from Ed and soon will need to order replacements. When the time comes, I’ll try to get them from Ed’s son. They were well thought out. Do, I endorse Matt’s recommendation.
~~Chip
Lendel
I use a 3 pc take apart pole made by Lendel. It cost me $139.00. You will have to order it through a paddle shop. It is 12ft and breaks down to 3 -4ft sections.
gander mtn
Gander mtn, Cabellas, Redhead used to carry collapsable al poles. I fitted one end with a piece of wood and iron pipe for weight. Very durable.
Poling innovations… & poles for sale!
– Last Updated: Aug-23-12 11:11 AM EST –
Poling is great! There's really no better way -- or even no other way at all -- to enjoy our local rivers come late summer and autumn. The water levels are too low for paddling. But poling makes it easy, fast, fun and so manueverable. Poling gives us our river back at this time of year!
Standing in a canoe is so much fun! The SUP craze has taken over most of the buzz for paddle fun these days. Poling is the shallow water way to SUP! I don't know why the regular canoe media haven't really mentioned poling or this SUP connection. --Especially as regards FLATWATER poling. It's still usually relegated to whitewater action.
I've also been promoting Canoe-SUP. Standup isn't just for poling, ya know, if you've noticed any of the thousands of folks standing on surfboards. But millions more people have canoes than surfboards. Canoes are faster, dryer and more capacious (for people and stuff) than flat boards.
I've been promoting both poling and Canoe-SUP for the past few years. I've also been writing to all the canoe and SUP mags with story pitches -- not one reply yet. Thankfully, both "Silent Sports" and "Backwoodsman" prominently ran my article last year -- ironic how they are "catching the boat" quicker than the canoe and SUP mags!
Another neat technique we've developed is Scootering -- one foot in, one out, kick off shallow bottom and GLIDE! It's great for transitions. Along with poling it's part of our local fun shallow water action. There are now lots of obstacles exposed in our local river so we've given such canoeing a new name: boatocross! Poling and Canoe-SUP makes dealing with obstacles a breeze -- it's so much easier stepping in and out of a canoe, also moving fore and aft. (Boatocross is another cool part of the poling/SUP article that all the canoe/SUP mags ignored.)
I've also been selling canoe poles since last March. I don't see this mentioned here so I thought I would do it myself! :) (It comes up high when googling.)
These are 1.125" T6061 aluminum, mailed in 2 6-foot pieces with a 12" 6061 plug. They weigh 3 lbs. $70 mailed in the US.
http://outyourbackdoor.com/article.php?id=1874
Enjoy!