My Greenland Paddle | SouthernPaddler.com

My Greenland Paddle

beekeeper

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Mar 4, 2009
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Found a clear 8' WRC 2"X4" that was mostly sap, but clear of knots. Did my best to cut and sand away anything that didn't look like a paddle. Coated the tips with epoxy/grapht for protection and finished the shaft with boild linseed oil.

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beekeeper

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Mar 4, 2009
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Pretty sure I have the wrong kind of boats for all that fancy up righting.
After using it I now know why pirogue paddles are not shaped like this. I was looking for a paddle that was light enough, and offered less effort to make a stroke. When fishing I sometimes make corrective strokes with one hand. Also it takes only light strokes to move the boat forward for the next cast.
It worked "ok" for these task but not so much for the other paddling. Drips way too much. Chatters in the hands with vertical or forceful strokes. It worked better held at a shallow presentation. Easier to pull than my regular kayak paddle but requires a faster cadence.
I am not bashing the design, just saying why it won't work for me.
 

Kayak Jack

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Aug 26, 2003
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Okemos / East Lansing Michigan
Most Greenland paddles are about 5' long. For easier indexing of blades as they enter the water, the hsndle (center portion of the paddle) is oval instead of round. Top and bottom surfaces being a bit flatter. It holds easier that way, and keeps the blades oriented better.

For sculling with one hand, you may want one of those short kind with a hand hole a few inches down? They're about 20" lomg. Of course, in the waters you fish, there are things that bite hands and fingers dangling in the water. You may want a 1 or 2 horse kicker outboard, or an electric trolling motor? Or, come up here and fish. Water's clear; you can read the date on a dime in 20' of water.

And no sharks, gators, or cotton mouths. Lotsa fish, though. And, I'll pour your lemonade!
 

Kayak Jack

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Aug 26, 2003
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Okemos / East Lansing Michigan
I'm not a sculler. If I hsve to go sideways, or move a bit, I use one end of my ksyak paddle. The other end wiggles around up in the air.

But I've always liked the paddle that's a piece of 3/8" plywood, about, say, 2' long, about 8" wide on one end, and 4" wide on the other. Near the narrow end, are two slots. They go across the paddle, and are about 1 1/2" apart. A loose strap is around the narrow end.

Slip your hand through the loose strap with the paddle on the back of your hand. Fingers go out through the top slot, and back in through the bottom slot. That strap should be loose enough so your hand an wrist slide in and out easily, and yet helps on a back stroke. Sand everything smooth so no slivers, ouchies, or boo-boos.
 

beekeeper

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Mar 4, 2009
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I think oldbuffpilot has posted about using two short paddles in his boats. This is/was a common practice around the Lake Bistineau area. When not paddling they could be stored one on each gunnel with in easy reach. One could be chosen for corrective strokes or both used at the same time to move forward. I have a pair I made a couple years ago.
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Have not tried them, mainly because I like the double paddle for my use. Paddles are like boats. Hard to find one design that will perform all expectations well.
 
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oldbuffpilot

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May 13, 2014
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Central Kansas and Central Texas
I think oldbuffpilot has posted about using two short paddles in his boats. This is/was a common practice around the Lake Bistineau area. When not paddling they could be stored one on each gunnel with in easy reach. One could be chosen for corrective strokes or both used at the same time to move forward. I have a pair I made a couple years ago.
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Have not tried them, mainly because I like the double paddle for my use. Paddles are like boats. Hard to find one design that will perform all expectations well.

I didn't know any one used a double paddle in pirogues until about 10 years ago! But I have been converted (partially) I now carry a "kayak" paddle in case I need to go a long way without fishing. I often fish with a 10 foot pole in one hand an a 30" paddle in the other. It really is "different strokes for different folks"
Good fish'n
Andy
 

Kayak Jack

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Aug 26, 2003
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Okemos / East Lansing Michigan
My "fishing boat and paddles" are a seafood store. Right next to a favorite restaurant - well, actually, two doors away - I can "catch" shrimp, smoked salmon, crabs, sole, etc. etc. i suppose, that if I paid a bit extra, they would roll out some string for me, I could hang on to it, and they'ed wiggle in a twitch or two. Just for some realism, of course.

sigh
 

Kayak Jack

Well-Known Member
Aug 26, 2003
13,976
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Okemos / East Lansing Michigan
Silver, plastic, or green - it all spends. I probably live closer to where shrimp grow, than anybody else on here. Just 6 miles awayfrom my home, is a shrimp farm! Firm and sweet - I like them better than most wild-caught shrimp. $9.99 a pound.

Interestingly enough, for here in the corn belt, I'm close to a source of fresh shrimp, very good Mexican food, and a winery. Around us are deer, coyotes, turkeys, and bald eagles. None of those were here when this kid was growing up here. But, then - there were a few bears now and then.

Sorry, Granpa JD, none of this has anything to do with a Greenland paddle. Except, that i have one too.

I hope you all have tail winds.
 

jdupre'

Well-Known Member
Sep 9, 2007
2,327
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South Louisiana
Piper and I went paddling a couple of years ago and he let me use his Greenland paddle. Not impressed. It didn't feel like it was giving any thrust. I know the idea is to take faster strokes, but it just didn't work for me. From what I've read, they were held really close to your lap , which caused the blades to get more purchase on each stroke. I'll stick with my standard kayak paddle.

I used a kayak paddle on all of my pirogues and kept a standard canoe paddle for a spare. One day I just wanted to see how the canoe paddle worked for old time's sake. I took about 12 strokes......which was about 6 too many..... and put it away. To me, a kayak paddle is MUUUUCH more efficient. I've never found myself in amoungst the swamp trees where a kayak paddle was too cumbersome.

Joey
 

Kayak Jack

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Aug 26, 2003
13,976
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Okemos / East Lansing Michigan
My experience exactly matches yours, Joey. The only time my hayak paddle nearly got me into trouble was on a narrow stream in Canada. The tip just barely missed a paper wasp nest to my right. 1-2" more, and I would have been in deep kimpchee.

On Lake Mijinemungshing in Ontario, a buddy, a more experienced paddler than I, was trying to paddle his canoe with a single, beaver tail paddle. But the wind just pushed him around. My boat was under control and making headway in our chosen direction. He simply could not exert sufficient force upon the water to control his boat. We were forced to camp in a different place than planned, just because of it.
 

oldsparkey

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Aug 25, 2003
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Central , Florida
www.southernpaddler.com
On Lake Mijinemungshing in Ontario, a buddy, a more experienced paddler than I, was trying to paddle his canoe with a single, beaver tail paddle. But the wind just pushed him around. My boat was under control and making headway in our chosen direction. He simply could not exert sufficient force upon the water to control his boat. We were forced to camp in a different place than planned, just because of it.

On open water when the weather is that bad the smartest thing to do is to get off the water and wait till things improve. Reminds me of two trips.
1. We had bad weather and strong winds on the Brazos when I was with Ron , Bear and Darren. We let the wind take us down river and when the river changed direction we lined the boats along the shore till we had the wind to our backs. It was impossible to paddle any of the boats against that wind.
According to the weather report the next day the winds at night were 90 mph and during the day after the tornado 40 to 50 mph.
2. Everglades , Watson's place a storm came in and a planned overnight camp on Watson's place turned into two nights , heavy rains and strong winds both days. Then again at New Turkey Key with a bad storm from the Gulf of Mexico . a overnight became a two night due to high winds and heavy seas.
 

beekeeper

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Mar 4, 2009
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Probably should be a different post, but what size blades (width, length) does your kayak paddle have? Most of mine are about 7.25" wide X 16" to 18" long.
Any noticeable differences between paddles with different shaped blades?

beekeeper
 

beekeeper

Well-Known Member
Mar 4, 2009
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JD, are you describing your Inuit paddle? Or, a Euro paddle? 7.5" is a pretty wide blade for an Inuit paddle, and a bit narrow for a Euro paddle.

Sorry for the confusion. The Greenland paddle is only 3.5" wide. I was asking about the other kind of double paddles. "Euro" I guess. Mine came from Academy Sports. Not sure if it was made in "Europe".:rolleyes:
I have several and have checked at the stores, most are close to the 7" to 7.25" width.
 

dawallace45

Well-Known Member
I love the Greenland style paddle , they suit my style of paddling very well , or at least they did until my shoulder screwed up and I went and bought a Hobie Outback with the peddle drive , I think the ones I used to make were around 8 foot or so