Paddle making extravaganza

[ScottS]

Four sassafras paddles—I'm jealous. And a very interesting variety of historical shapes.

I've never paddled with a voyageur shape blade and never understood the hydrodynamic purpose of the pointed wings high up on the blade. It would seem to raise the center of pressure higher up on the blade, which might be preferable for short, high cadence strokes. Maybe someone here knows more. That short beavertail would probably end up too blade heavy for my balance preferences.

Looking forward to following this project.

I've made close to a hundred paddles. The ottertail is one of my favorite deepwater paddles for tandem canoeing - it goes in silently and the power comes on gradually. A really nice paddle to use. I've always thought that the voyager, if it truly was based on voyageur's paddles, was a quick cheap way to mass produce paddles for the fur trade - it's all straight edges with a quick and dirty origin. The voyager paddles I've made never really did it for me. The ottertail is better, hands down, it's elegant

 

[memaquay]

My 9yo would be more excited about a blocky paddle in Minecraft. He’d probably go whack sheep with it.

Lol, forgot to post this one........I told the kid he was pushing the boundaries of good taste by mixing ancient traditions with modern tomfoolery.

For those of you who don't hang around teenage kids, this is some kind of character from the video game mine craft.

The voyager paddles I've made never really did it for me.

I got out for my first paddle of the year yesterday. I took the sassafras beaver tail, the voyageur and my carbon fiber sugar island thing. I ended up paddling most of the time with the beavertail, it felt just about perfect, even with it's multiple imperfections. It was my first time using the voyageur style, and I really didn't like it much. It was deadly quiet though, and I was really able to get a vertical stroke with it. I think if I had made it about three inches shorter I might have liked it more. Going to try out the new ottertail today.

 

[ScottS]

Lol, forgot to post this one........I told the kid he was pushing the boundaries of good taste by mixing ancient traditions with modern tomfoolery.
View attachment 140601
For those of you who don't hang around teenage kids, this is some kind of character from the video game mine craft.

I got out for my first paddle of the year yesterday. I took the sassafras beaver tail, the voyageur and my carbon fiber sugar island thing. I ended up paddling most of the time with the beavertail, it felt just about perfect, even with it's multiple imperfections. It was my first time using the voyageur style, and I really didn't like it much. It was deadly quiet though, and I was really able to get a vertical stroke with it. I think if I had made it about three inches shorter I might have liked it more. Going to try out the new ottertail today.

That is a pretty cool paint job. Well done!

 

[Woodpuppy]

Lol, forgot to post this one........I told the kid he was pushing the boundaries of good taste by mixing ancient traditions with modern tomfoolery.
View attachment 140601
For those of you who don't hang around teenage kids, this is some kind of character from the video game mine craft.

I got out for my first paddle of the year yesterday. I took the sassafras beaver tail, the voyageur and my carbon fiber sugar island thing. I ended up paddling most of the time with the beavertail, it felt just about perfect, even with it's multiple imperfections. It was my first time using the voyageur style, and I really didn't like it much. It was deadly quiet though, and I was really able to get a vertical stroke with it. I think if I had made it about three inches shorter I might have liked it more. Going to try out the new ottertail today.

That’s perfect! My kid loves it, he wants it I told him he’d have to make one himself.

 

[memaquay]

Well, my escape from working has not been complete. They needed a wood working teacher again, so I signed up for the year. Have had the grade nines making decorative paddles, some nice ones too. Other classes are making a variety of things, only one real paddle amongst them. I really liked the sassafrass beavertail last year, but was unhappy with my shaft shaping, it was too square.
Gamma brought me a bunch of wood again, when he went up and did the Marshall, I'm slowly getting to it. Decided that I needed a beavertail that was actually nice to hold and paddle with, so took some of Gamma's cherry and a piece of maple I had and through it together.

Here is the grip, with the new name, wondering if any of you astute linguists out there can figure it out.

 

[Boreal Birch]

I took a class in college, don’t remember the exact name of the course, of course. It was taught by a native speaker of the Anishinaabe language, I remember some of the words, one being “Amik”, so I will go with “BEAVER TAIL” as opposed to some other non-political correctness that my juvenile brain came up with.

 

[memaquay]

LOL, you are correct, you win a prize of unbelievable value, to be shipped to you at an unknown date, not just because Canada Post is on strike, but because I don't know what the prize is yet.

 

[Boreal Birch]

I already got the prize a couple of years ago, remember the Woods Pack? I have not forgotten that magnanimous gift, nor will I ever forget another large envelope you sent that contained a trip report and other document's about a canoe route that I may never travel, except in my mind. I can hear the singing of the falls from here, 2900 +/-miles away.

 

[ppine]

Everyone that is a serious paddler should consider making a couple of paddles. Then you get to make them the way you want. Wonderful to get kids involved. Great paddles on this thread. Very impressive.

 

[Gamma1214]

I really like the Maple shaft; it looks great w/ the Cherry. How's the flex? Seems like it would be similar to Cherry & less than Sassafras (?)

Hopefully, this year's Sassafras won't be riddled with worm holes (they seem really common these days).

Either way, I guess I'll have to keep heading your way in the summers (to resupply your wood pile, of course... not like you've got an awesome area to paddle up there...).

Actually, it looks like you're not far from Armstrong if I go through with the current plans... Will the Ogoki road come out somewhere near there it I go North of Nipigon?

 

[memaquay]

At the moment, there are rumours of the Ogoki Road connecting with Armstrong, but we have always been told that it is a forbidden thing, that there will never be a connection. Only a bit of flex in the paddle, jus enough to make it comfortable.