New wallyworld paddle

[savannahkelly]

After reading about others who made up their own double paddle, I decided to do the same. I had taken my boat out a couple of times using only a single paddle and found that I was tacking more like a sail boat instead of tracking in a straight line. Below you will see my two paddles I used to make my ww2.

Next is a picture after using the belt sander and scarfing the end in prepping them for resin.

Next is a picture after I had applied the resin to the handles and then wrapped a layer of fiberglass around the splice. Holding everything together with a few clamps.

Not liking how the first coat of resin turned out, I sanded most of the fiberglass and resin off the handle and rounded the edges more and cleaned up the look of the new handle.

Once the resin was hardened I was able to smooth up the surface and without looking closely it is hard to tell that it is even glued together. When I took it out to try out last Friday the boat seemed to handle much better and I was able to speed up quite a bit. Now to just get in paddling shape so I dont have so many aches and pains from using muscles I havent used in such a long time!!!

 

[jdupre']

Welcome to the world of the kayak paddle. No corrective strokes to rob speed. It's going to be hard to go back to the canoe paddle after gliding along with the double paddle. Try to use the rotation of your body to power the stroke instead of your arms. Much less tiring.

Joey

 

[Kayak Jack]

What Joey says is true. Keep the paddle parallel to your shoulders - don't crank your arms. The forward stroke is what you'll be doing over 99% of the time. Hold the paddle loosely in your hands, let your elbows bend to a slight and comfortable angle, and keep them at that angle. Turn your body from side to side using your back muscles and rock the paddle left and right to engage the water.

Those large, back muscles are both more effective (stronger) and more efficient (will last longer) than you arm muscles. Practice this new technique slowly, not trying for speed at all. Use it for an hour and own it for Life.

 

[jdupre']

With the addition of some kind of foot brace to push off of, you will have a craft that will cover surprising distances with little effort.

 

[gbinga]

Nice work!!

I've been debating how to go about trying a kayak paddle. Whether to build one and take a chance on making the wrong size, or buy a cheap plastic and aluminum one to experiment on.

?

George

 

[Kayak Jack]

A situation you have to watch out for when converting two single sticks into a double one, is the handle, called the loom. On a kayak paddle, you want an oval shaped handle; it is more comfortable to use than a round one.

Problem is, you need that oval to be at right angles to the width of the blades. IE: As the blades are positioned up and down, for normal paddling, you want the oval to lay flat. As held in the hands, it wants to be longer than it is thick.

Many canoe paddles are constructed the exact opposite, because they are meant to be used differently. So, while it's possible to achieve an inexpensive double paddle, it sometimes ends up being an exercise in futility, because the paddle hurts your hands in actual use. Just be aware wen buying those single blade paddles.

 

[oldsparkey]

I just checked the Grey Owl ( Canadian made) kayak paddles I have and the shaft on them are round. They can be adjusted as feathered or non feathered depending on how I want them. That might be why they are round, no off angles to worry about when set up in either configuration. Call me old fashion but the round shafts have worked really well for the lifetime that this ole fart has been paddling. :lol:

I have found that when paddling it is best ( For Me ) to not have a death grip on them but a light grip when paddling , the same with the canoe paddles. It is less tiring and poses no strain on the hands or wrists which are the 1st sign of trouble when paddling incorrectly. About the same as when shooting a bow , the bow fits in your hand and you don't try to choke it but to only caress/support it and let the pressure of the bow rest in your hand up to the release of the arrow.

A choking grip or death grip on any of them causes more problems then cures when using them. I am talking about normal paddling , not running rapids or fighting a strong wind when you want to leave your finger impressions in the wood , just normal everyday down river or across a body of water type of paddling.

Chuck.
Heck , with a canoe paddle I have been known to just paddle with one hand in long stretches of rivers. One hand for the paddle and the other for the camera.

 

[Kayak Jack]

Right, Chuck, a relaxed grip is what you want. Round is OK, some paddlers like that. Once they have experienced the difference, most prefer an oval grip because it fits their hands more comfortably, and that relaxed grip is easier to maintain. It also will automatically index to the correct alignment, with the blades in an upright position and not cocked at an angle. Chuck, continue to use your round grip and you will serve it well.

 

[oldsparkey]

It also will automatically index to the correct alignment, with the blades in an upright position and not cocked at an angle. Chuck, continue to use your round grip and you will serve it well.

Right ... But not feathered , that is a royal pain , as you know. :lol:

 

[Kayak Jack]

]Right, Chuck. A feathered paddle offers a possible advantage in one out of six situations, and a disadvantage in the other five. Even while offering a possible advantage, it also offers to injure the paddler. It is one of the myths foisted upon new paddlers who don't understand the realities of the procedure.

Situation# 1 Paddling upwind - possible advantage because of very slightly reduced air resistance
Situation# 2 Paddling crosswind left - real disadvantage of wind grabbing a flat blade from your grasp
Situation# 3 Paddling crosswind right - real disadvantage of wind grabbing a flat blade from your grasp
Situation# 4 Paddling downwind - real disadvantage from slightly decreased wind catching area
Situation# 5 Bracing right - real disadvantage because you have to stop to think, "In what position is that blade right now?" In this situation, you must react automatically without thinking. IE: DANGEROUS
Situation# 6 Bracing left - real disadvantage because you have to stop to think, "In what position is that blade right now?" In this situation, you must react automatically without thinking. IE: DANGEROUS
ALL SITUATIONS - real disadvantage of tendinitis

Yeah, a feathered paddle is really great. Use it for a campfire.

 

[oldsparkey]

:lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: Well Put.

 

[savannahkelly]

The way my seat is positioned against the back brace, my feet rest upon the forward brace so I have already a built in foot brace to push off, so as of right now I dont have to add any other type of foot brace.

 

[dawallace45]

So it's not just me who hates feathered paddles , I thought it was just because I've spent the last 30 years using a un-feathered paddle and couldn't get used to the other , having done some significant tendon damage to most of me over the last 50 or so years I found if I paddled a couple of KM with a feathered paddle my wrist was so bad I couldn't hold a beer

David

 

[bearridge]

I have used both....different feathered angles too. Once upon a time I paddled a ducky on the Ocoee with a left handed, feathered paddle. I like feathered best. Feels better on my arms 'n wrists. I move faster too.
http://www.touringkayaks.com/paddle_feather.htm

I never tried a double blade in a canoe. Never seen the point. I kin paddle slow enuff with a single blade. If I paddled faster, I reckon I mite miss too much.

regards
bearridge

Testicle (n.), a humorous question on an exam.

 

[jdupre']

I put my trust in the people that INVENTED the kayak and the double paddle. Several thousand years of evolution weeded out that which did not work well and came down to the unfeathered paddle. Good enough for me. As with most of the unfeathered folk, knowing where your paddle blade is in relation to the water INSTANTLY is the best thing in it's favor.

 

[bearridge]

I put my trust in what feels good when I paddle. It took evolution ta git ta the feathered paddle. [chuckle]

 

[dawallace45]

Speaking of the people who invented the kayak , any one seen the movie Nanook of the north , love that scene where the sh$t load of people get out of the kayak

David

 

[gbinga]

...knowing where your paddle blade is in relation to the water INSTANTLY is the best thing in it's favor.

That makes sense. It also sounds like a good reason to have an oval shaft, so you don't have to wonder about or check on whether the shaft has rotated in your hands, or whether you grabbed it properly... you'd know exactly what you had just by feel.

George

 

[gbinga]

Speaking of kayak paddles, I read somewhere that the overall length is supposed to be the distance from your the ground to you knuckles when standing with your arms extended over your head.

This is obviously important if you are about to think about making a paddle.

Anybody want to share an opinion on this?

GBinGA

 

[Jimmy W]

The width of your boat and the height that you sit will also make a difference in needed length as will whether you use a low or high angle stroke.