Paddle repaired thanks to CanotRouge

[Murat V]

Wanted to thank CanotRouge for the idea of fixing an old paddle project. His successful outcome of repairing a busted shaft (posted on this earlier thread) motivated me to try a similar repair on a paddle broken while carving.

After mulling around for ideas to re-use the blade, it ended up being relegated to a garden ornament - a kind of paddle tombstone for a failed project. It sat untreated in the backyard for a couple years but when it was pulled out, there was no rot. Sassafras apparently has decent weathering properties. The surface had just developed an aged patina and the underlying wood aged to nice golden color. Following CanotRouge's photos, I cut a steep scarf joint and glued up another piece of sassafras.

A new centre line was drawn on the upper portion and a squarish grip similar to a paddle on display at U of Maine's Hudson Museum was sketched out.

University of Maine - Hudson Museum Paddle

Here is the result. The two sides of the paddle weathered to different tones as one side was against the fence and the other more exposed to the elements. The upper area of the throat naturally aged to a golden color and the new sassafras is pretty light.

I've been flexing it pretty harshly and the joint is holding up well.Time will tell, but this will be the first paddle dipped into water when the season starts again.

 

[Canotrouge]

Thank you Murat!

You did a great job as usual!!

 

[dogbrain]

Murat, since you're a historian on the topic, Is there a practical purpose to that handle design being so wide and flat? and with the humps further down the shaft? I do like the look of it and nice repair. Mark

 

[latremorej]

Nice work Murat, I like how the contrast pops.. it's as if you put those two pieces together intentionally from the start!

 

[Murat V]

Thanks guys. Wouldn't have tried repairing if CanotRouge hadn't posted his photos. If it's good enough for his wife's favourite paddle and has held up over some wild Yukon waters, then it should be good for my tame paddling excursions.

Murat, since you're a historian on the topic, Is there a practical purpose to that handle design being so wide and flat? and with the humps further down the shaft? I do like the look of it and nice repair. Mark

Those long, flat grips were predominantly seen in Northeastern native paddles and were carved for both decorative + functional purposes. Later they were adopted by some Guides in the region. The main functional part is that the wide grip allows for multiple holding positions along the edge which is useful if the paddle is being used for kneeling, sitting, and stand up paddling in the canoe.

Before the advent of seats in canoes, paddlers would be in a full kneeling position on their heels. Being that low in the canoe made it extremely stable, but required a shorter length paddle with a more horizontal stroke which meant the paddle was sort of held in a "push up style" grip like this:

Field and Stream (April 1927, Vol. 32 No. 12 p. 21)

Pinkerton, RE. Canoe: Its Selection, Care and Use (1916)

While not completely necessary, the elongated flat grip is more comfortable when paddling this style letting you loosely drape your top wrist over the wide, flat areas.

If standing up was needed (a "lost" tripping skill for many today), then a longer paddle was required to reach the water So this style was adaptable to be used kneeling in one moment and then standing up the next.

There's a quick video by Tim Smith of Jack Mountain Bushcraft explaining this reasoning behind tall, traditional Maine Guide paddles. The paddle talk starts around the 1:47 mark if you want to skip the beginning section...

Another practical reason is that if the paddle is very long, then a traditional blade with tiny pear grip becomes unbalanced and very blade heavy. This can be clumsy to use in the water.The long tapering grips add a counterbalancing weight to the design. Today's modern tripping usually involves paddling from a more elevated seated position with a more vertical paddle stroke. Fully kneeling or standing is pretty rare so the versatility with the long traditional paddles is no longer needed by most folks.

As for the grip bumps on the original paddle, they could be just some artistic flair, but also kind of serve like predetermined hand stations. As your grip hand slides up or down, you can feel where you are on the grip.

 

[dogbrain]

Thanks for the in-depth history Murat, that was way above the call of duty. I'm really into paddles now. After watching the video, it looks like I'll be having to make one of those 70+ inch paddles for myself. Now to find the right board.............

 

[Canotrouge]

My preferred grip and paddling style for long trip with loaded canoe!

Great explanation Murat!

 

[forest runes]

Murat , I am always amazed at the depth of your research , it makes sense out of a myriad of paddling topics & better informs our choices of gear & outfits . Thanks for sharing this all but lost knowledge.