Poll: What percent of the time do you use a double blade paddle solo?

[Guest]

Since I have the same two paddles as Mr. McCrea, I broke quarantine and used them in one of my old river boats on my local Housatonic River. I had no problem controlling the canoe in moderate rapids and winds, using either on-side correction strokes, for which the animal tail paddle was better, or sit & switch strokes, for which the pizza paddle was was easier to flip.

Glenn, I do think we should have a single blade paddle-off with those sticks, but it would be unfair to make you use the much heavier, short, squat pizza-paddle. We really should be using near identical single paddles, so for you:

P5070001 by Mike McCrea, on Flickr

 

[yellowcanoe]

Mr MCC those sticks with the variable grip should go to devotees of the Northwoods Stroke. Just Sayin

 

[recped]

Since I have the same two paddles as Mr. McCrea, I broke quarantine and used them in one of my old river boats on my local Housatonic River. I had no problem controlling the canoe in moderate rapids and winds, using either on-side correction strokes, for which the animal tail paddle was better, or sit & switch strokes, for which the pizza paddle was was easier to flip.

Glenn

Question about the Mohawk, I have an XL14 with the same seat hanger, in mine the seat sits on top of the hanger flange while yours is underneath the flange. Did yours come that way or did you adjust it yourself?

 

[Glenn MacGrady]

Glenn

Question about the Mohawk, I have an XL14 with the same seat hanger, in mine the seat sits on top of the hanger flange while yours is underneath the flange. Did yours come that way or did you adjust it yourself?

I don't own a Mohawk. The seat in the picture is, I assume, one of Mike McCrea's canoes.

Nonetheless, I don't see why you couldn't put the seat on top of the flange to make it higher or under the flange to make it lower. You could increase the heightening or lowering by using washers or other shims between the flange and bolts.

 

[Guest]

Mohawk’s seat design on those aluminum hangers came with four 1” tall hard plastic spacers per seat. The (good) concept was that the buyer could put the spacers on top of the flange lip for a higher seat, directly on the flange for 1” lower, directly under the flange lip for ¾” lower or with the spacer under the flange lip for lowest.

Or use two washers for some cant angle in the seat. Easy and effective.

 

[recped]

Thanks Mike, the one I have came from the factory with no spacers and the seat on top of the flange. I was the second owner but my friend who bought it new didn't alter it and only used it for one trip before he had a desperate need for quick cash.

It was bought in 2013 so one of the very last boats they made and it was somewhat customized at the factory (wood thwarts and solo outfitting), probably at that point they were just working with leftover components and some "spare" sheets of Royalex.

I bought another somewhat older one last year, it had the standard aluminum thwarts and came with two pedestals.

Back on the topic, I'm with Glenn, if conditions mean that a DB is a big advantage it's a sign that a layover day is called for!

 

[Idiot Savant]

I checked off 50%, but I'm still working that out and it depends on the trip.
I kind of like a canoe paddle in tight, twisty situations and a kayak paddle in more open water.
A canoe paddle is also better in shallow water when you sometimes get grounded and have to shove off.
I have a ton of experimenting to do next summer.
I'll have two new boats and a slew of new canoe and kayak paddles.
I, usually, only take two paddles on my solo trips, one being a kayak paddle and one being a canoe paddle.
I have to decide which two are the best combination for the trip ahead.
I might end up taking three, but then I have to decide if I take two kayak and one canoe or two canoe and one kayak.

 

[Scott Free]

I clicked "Never" but the real answer is almost never, and definitely never if someone might see me.

 

[Woodpuppy]

Never, because I just don’t own one, but I’d happily try it. I think it would be better in a boat with a lower shear than mine.

 

[billconner]

Soloing, usually on a lake or wide water; not much in a small or winding stream.

 

[yellowcanoe]

I use a double a lot in the Everglades because it avoids me grounding. A canoe paddle properly submerged takes 15-21 inches of water depth. The boat is typically sunk ( due to having to carry fresh water) to six inches. So the canoe paddle will grind out first before the boat. A narrow bladed double typically is only 4 inches wide and is not sunk below the bottom of the hull with a low angle stroke. When the depth of water gets around a foot the double allows you to proceed. I never use my paddles as beaters to shove off. If you want to pole use a pole.

 

[Seeker]

I didn't respond, because it depends on the canoe... In my Hemlock Nessmuk XL, it's a seated solo, and I use the double almost all the time, except for the times I get into a really narrow, brushy channel and break my paddle down, which isn't really so much paddling as it is "getting out of the mess I'm in". In my Chestnut Chum, it's almost entirely single paddle, though I often carry a double as a 'spare', or for when the wind gets really bad.

 

[Glenn MacGrady]

I didn't respond, because it depends on the canoe... In my Hemlock Nessmuk XL, it's a seated solo, and I use the double almost all the time

It's a little late now for this 5+ year old poll, but what I had in mind originally was the percent of time people use a double blade in canoes other than those specifically designed for double blading, such as pack canoes.

 

[Riverguy]

In canoe - never
In kayak - every time.

 

[Black_Fly]

Depends on the water, boat, load. Tripping I use a double more than when day paddling; big loads, big water, big wind. Fishing is a single blade activity. On streams it's rare I even take a double along.