My wife has agreed to buy me a S & T Maine Guide paddle for my birthday. I’m kind of overwhelmed with the options ( which material and varnished/unvarnished ). Any insight would be helpful.
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New Shaw & Tenney paddle
- Thread starter JD Corry
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My choice for all around use would be the Penobscot in either Sassafras or Curly Maple. I have paddles in both and like them immensely.
Hey... I wonder if we're related?
Hey... I wonder if we're related?
Mine is sassafras. Bought it unfinished, sanded and only use hemp oil on it. End of each season, I lightly sand deep scratches, oil … good to go. Have paddled rivers, boreal lakes, brackish and salt water … paddle is awesome. Fresh oil makes her look new again.
Good luck with your choice.
Good luck with your choice.
Oops, forgot to mention …
Sassafras has a nice flex without being “noodlelly”. After a long day of paddling my joints are not as sore, my body feels better than I do from a stiffer ash paddle. The Sassafras is plenty robust, but softer on the power part of the stroke. This is by far my favorite paddle and paddle material.
Also, the wood is bright yellow … but within a year mellows to a rich warm brown color. It is a rot resistant wood. Sassafras does except oil, but it takes a bit soak in. That said, it does keep its oil finish through lots of use. I personally prefer oil as a finish because it is easier on my hands - I feel like I have better grip and less blisters. I also find it easier to touch up scratches, gouges etc with an oil finish.
Utilizing the handle to change hand placement makes it easier to paddle long distances for me and paddling deep and shallow on the same body of water is effortless by changing hand positions on the top.
Good luck with your choice, I love my paddle from them.
Sassafras has a nice flex without being “noodlelly”. After a long day of paddling my joints are not as sore, my body feels better than I do from a stiffer ash paddle. The Sassafras is plenty robust, but softer on the power part of the stroke. This is by far my favorite paddle and paddle material.
Also, the wood is bright yellow … but within a year mellows to a rich warm brown color. It is a rot resistant wood. Sassafras does except oil, but it takes a bit soak in. That said, it does keep its oil finish through lots of use. I personally prefer oil as a finish because it is easier on my hands - I feel like I have better grip and less blisters. I also find it easier to touch up scratches, gouges etc with an oil finish.
Utilizing the handle to change hand placement makes it easier to paddle long distances for me and paddling deep and shallow on the same body of water is effortless by changing hand positions on the top.
Good luck with your choice, I love my paddle from them.
A buddy of mine has a S&T Guide in Ash and, it’s sooo much paddle. It’s quite nice but I don’t think I could use it for any extended period. A little unfairly, we sat around the campfire joking about how “Even Paul Bunyan couldn’t paddle this thing.”
In that model, I’d lean towards a lighter and more flexible species.
In that model, I’d lean towards a lighter and more flexible species.
