Greg Barton designed one .
Push pull paddle shifters. Thats the problem with forums.
1 Like
I went shopping for a fuel canister for a camping trip and bought a kayak.
7 Likes
Canoecopia has been my downfall, the first year i spent several hun dred dollars on guidebooks. This past year 2,500 dollars: dagger vanguard kayak, leandel adjustable feather and length carbon fiber paddle, msr ceramic water filter and of course more guidebooks!
3 Likes
Carbon fiber or titanium? 
I do not know how to initiate something on this site, so am cheating. The post above mentions “learning about equipment”. I have mentioned my salvage Tripper here previously. It was around rock in the Millers, its former owner said if I could get it I could keep it, so, Idid. My questions are:
It is 17’ 9", Trippers were advertised at 17’ 2".
The only molded in identity says " OlLD TOWN", no digits. It is just beneath the rear port gunnel behind the rear seat.
So, is there an Old Town guru out there who can tell me what I have been paddling for 40 years? It is definitely Royalex, it is not brittle (I have several coats of brushed on Rustoleum on it, I like the color.
The Worcester AMC group had several, all this length, most paddling whatever white water we found, as singles, we loved those boats. Knew the prof from UMaine who told Lew Gilman it was an excellent white water boat, he was correct.
Sorry, perhaps I should have posted this under Electric Bikes. Just reminiscing with kdogg788; he might be a youngster, but he appreciates old technology. I’m now using old school 27 spd XT (24 spd was XTR). Unbutted Chromoly frame/solid fork. Its all I need.
It’s a lot like my Tupperware kayak. If you look at the bottom from open water, not sure what it would look like if I went where some forum members go, or if I had a Gucci boat. Some things are just enduring.
The gear has long ago conformed my body to the contours of the equipment. I can’t change now, because it might break up fat deposits that could clog my circulatory system. I just wish they could come uo with shifters for a kayak. Carbon touring paddle fir the boat.
Ain’t technology great.
1 Like
XT was the sweet spot. XTR was a little lighter but the increase in performance was tiny compared to how much more it cost. When I got my next mountain bike, I paid for the XT rear derailleur upgrade and it was worth it.
1 Like
Agree. Clearance price rules, and XT was available with 142mm hub. XTR 8 spd set up was easy - cassettes fit the old 7 spd hub. Still like the thumb/finger push/pull shifters, which easily change even under load.
Does anyone have a theory on why so many paddlers are also cycling enthusiasts?
If there isn’t a forum for biyakers, there should be…
2 Likes
People who enjoy being outside, seeing different places , and using their bodies in healthy ways .
3 Likes
Shuttle
1 Like
@Buffalo_Alice I often thought the same thing. I would think it’s empowering. It’s not how fast or far, but that it’s accomplished by force of will. We typically go places because we have to be somewhere. These things allows us at times to power away from everything, for no other reason than because we can.
I just read it in another post about waterfalls: “. . . just as anyone . . . in another type of boat. And it’s ability not age.”
Then there’s the question - why not walk? Huh, babies walk! I’m too busted up for that; I need a force multiplier.
If you paddle a lotand for long periods of time and you had the opportunity to use a higher end paddle, you would find a big difference when you are out all day. I have a Werner double 2 piece paddle that I paid $600 for. It is so well made and so light that fatigue from the paddle is not an issue. Compared to cheaper paddles it was worth every penny.
1 Like
No doubt. A $600 paddle was way over my price range, but I wanted to make sure I upgraded to the best paddle package I could. From what other people have said, the entry level AB30 aluminum paddle from Sea Eagle is pretty much junk. The AB40 paddles are ok, but if I’m making the investment, I figured I might as well drop another $100 to upgrade both paddles to the carbon AB50s. At my level, I’m not sure I would notice a big difference going to a god level paddle especially since in my opinion at least I still kind of suck, but maybe years down the road I’ll pull together some extra money to get something better.
1 Like
So paddles are kind of like boats, some work better in some situations better than others, traveling around i have 2 boats and 4 paddles with me, the carbon fiber leandel is for covering distance, the plastic werner rio is the beater paddle for shallow stuff and attaining and using as a crutch, the fiberglass AT is my middle ground ww paddle. And i also take a canoe paddle just in case i get the bug and decide to rent a canoe or jump in a raft
2 Likes
I believe that. Nobody can tell you what paddle you need. That’s up to you. As your skill improves, it might be advantageous to upgrade.
I too have a glass AT paddle. Seems like the parent company has shut them down. Website is still up but unchanged for a long time and only a few odds and ends available from online sellers.
Can anyone confirm?
Had an ex-beau who was an astronomy buff and optics nerd. He got himself a pair of 50 power binocs, massive things that I could only hold steady with a tripod. But you could see the moons of Jupiter and the rings of Saturn with the thing. Probably could see the eyelashes on a hummingbird with it but I never tried it for bird watching.
2 Likes
Have you called Old Town? They keep a database of old boats. If you can find the serial number it’d be even better; here’s a sheet showing where the serial numbers are ot_serial_number_location.pdf
P.S. to start a new post, on the home page https://forums.paddling.com/ at the top right you can click the gray button “new topic”