i am looking for a wood kayak paddle for duck hunting, i had a plastic one once and broke it, something that wont break the bank, any suggestions?
kayak paddle?
Paddles don’t work so good for hunting… shotguns work better…
Try looking ay a Mitchell paddle, or a Remington… maybe a Mossberg?
Try a Mossberg
their stocks are generally cheaper wood, and if you are going to be dunking it in water, you don’t want to wreck some fancy Spanish Walnut burl that no doubt graces your Purdy shotgun.
But really. I think making your own might be a pretty good option. A nice straight grained cedar 2 x 6 might work well to work with. There is lots of people better informed on paddle making on here that could probably chime in and help you out.
Foxworx seems inexpensive
Mitchell makes a great wooden paddle. Foxworx may be priced lowest - I haven’t tried one of their paddles yet. But the last I looked, it seemed like a good way to go to keep your price down.
I’ve got years of use and hundreds of miles on a couple Mitchell Sea Blades, so if you can find one in your price range, that’s a good way to go. Actually, now that I think about it, I’ve got thousands of miles on a couple of sea blades.
Bending Branches and Sawyer make wood
kayak paddles.
Maybe something else?
I know you asked about wood. But a glass reinforced polypropylene paddle with an aluminum shaft will cost less than $50. It will be somewhat heavy but it won’t easily break and won’t break the bank either. Wood paddles are nice but strength is not their strongest feature.
Make your own
Make a Greenland paddle for about $20.
You can get strength, but at the expense
of wieght. I have a Keith Backlund “New World” wood whitewater kayak paddle. It is massively strong, but it’s also my heaviest kayak paddle.
Make your own
Exactly what I was thinking.
Do they make kayak paddles?
Their website shows only canoe paddles.
Use a single blade.
A single blade helps keep your hands dry. It is better in the wind. A leash can be easily rigged so you drop it in the water quietly and pick up your gun without making a sound. It doesn’t have another half waving over your head to alert the tasty ducks; this allows you to get much closer.
Just try it. The Aleutians used single blades in their kayaks for good reasons.
For Hunting I like the aluminum and plastic paddles made by Cannon.
Grey Owl Wooden Paddles
I have a very nice looking Grey Owl wooden kayak paddle. I should hang it over the fireplaces, its so pretty.
But just to bang around, an Aluminum shaft with an ABS Plastic blade is the toughest. Aquabound makes one that is a real war club.
I guess they haven’t made kayak
paddles for a while. Plus Mr. Backlund has had a serious stroke, and I haven’t heard whether he wants to resume paddle building.
single blade length?
what would be a typical short length canoe paddle to try out with a kayak?