The long paddle!!

[Canotrouge]

I started working in a long paddle for when I paddle standing, I didn’t want to buy a SUP paddle because I’m not a fan of bent shaft paddles( yes I own some and yes I’ve used them extensively in the past, just not my style of paddling anymore). So for many years I was thinking of making one for use mostly when on hunting trips where standing while moving along in sloughs to have a better view of the surroundings. After seeing them in Murats blogs a few time in the past and more recently in a thread here, I thought it is time to make one!!
so pick some wood I had, western red cedar, Alaskan yellow cedar and white ash bits and pieces... maybe I call this one the frankenpaddle lol....
the shaft is western red with a strip of white ash in the middle to stiffened it up a little and mostly to straitened the cedar pieces.... the blade and grip will be Alaskan yellow cause that is what I had of the “right“ thickness.... total length will be 75”! The blade edge will be cover by a steam bended strip of white ash or mane white oak(not sure yet) and the blade covered on both faces with 4oz S-glass!!

 

[Bob B.]

Wow, cool post. Funny, I was thinking almost the exact same thing for basically the exact same reason!. I have been a little stuck on how long the blade should be as well as how long over all to make the paddle. How tall are you? I am 6'2".

Bob.

 

[Canotrouge]

I’m the same I calculated the overall length in a super scientific way, so I don’t know if you will be an le to achieve the same, cause you know I’m kind of a special smart..... so what i did, and you need to be really care full and listen real well here, I stood up, and then I took a measuring tape, so while standing, I measured from my top hand at about my nose hight and all the way down to around between my foot and the mid section of my lower leg... stay focus here... then I added the length of the blade to that measurement then I look at the wood I had and decided that the paddle would be 75” cause that is what I had.... make sense right????

 

[Bob B.]

Well, sounds kinda scientific...maybe I will just wing it??. I was thinking of using a board and making a crude paddle ... if that worked I would know exactly what I need in the way of measurements and then make something proper.

I look forward of to seeing a pic or two of your paddle ... maybe with you standing in a canoe eh??. Good luck with your project.

Bob.

 

[Canotrouge]

Yeah I was in the shop tonight just doing a bit more work on it and 75” is definitely on the short side of things... unless I have a loaded canoe! I think 80” would be perfect but I didn’t have that kind of wood in the scrap bin... time will tell!!

 

[lowangle al]

75" should work fine for you Canot. I'm 5'10" and 72" works for me. Like I mentioned in the other thread it may be short for optimal power but it works for everything else without being too long for anything.

Bob, the blade on mine is 30". Although I like the idea of an even longer blade I think it would make it tough for hit and switch paddling while seated. I often use mine while seated to get my bow back into the wind or just for the fun of trying different strokes. I have taken a six foot paddle as my spare on trips for thirty years and yesterday was the first time I had to rely on it as I broke
my shorter one, so if you plan on it being your spare on trips it has to be practical for that.

 

[saltandsky]

I live near the ocean in Southern MA and paddle those really thin decked canoes about half the time (some would call them SUPs). I may even several in my fleet and a half dozen long paddles to boot. I am 5' 10" and have settled on 79.5" as my ideal "long paddle length" with about 16" to 17" of that being blade. Given that on those thin decked canoes you stand a bit above the waterline and in an open canoe you stand a couple inches below the waterline, 75" sounds about right. And I agree with Al, slighter shorter though not optimal for power would be better than too long.

I am looking forward to some pictures of the paddle a report on what you think of the length.

Tom

 

[Bob B.]

Thanks for the 30 inches comment Al. I appreciate that. i have a green land paddle, I think it is 96 inches long. I may try that to get a good feel for blade and shaft length. salltandsky makes a god point about feet being below the water line in an open canoe like my prospector.

Dang-it Canot, it just rained 5 inches last night ( rivers going nuts right now ) it is like 38 degrees (F) here and we have some snow on the way ... your post got me excited to try something new and it looks like I am out of time until spring. Bummer. Still hoping for a pic or two of your paddle when complete.

Bob.

 

[Canotrouge]

The blade on mine is something like 34”... I’ll have to look again and confirm that

 

[lowangle al]

I think the long paddle is indispensable for anyone soloing a large tandem canoe. Yesterday I spent 4 hours fishing in a wind with a friend who was not paddling. It would have been much more physically demanding without the extra leverage of my 6 footer. Even though I remained seated and did not stand I still needed the long paddle.

 

[Canotrouge]

So measured the blade and it is 810mm so around 32”

 

[Canotrouge]

Here is an update on the long paddle build!! For things all glued up and shaped up and the latest is steam bending some white oak for the blade edge guard.... it went quite smooth..... to be continued!!

 

[Bob B.]

Wow ... you are tougher than woodpecker lips!! After hours of shoveling and working all day you found time/energy to work on your paddle ... that is dedication buddy!

Great pics, that paddle is coming along nicely, I am enjoying being taken along on this project.

Bob.

 

[Canotrouge]

Wow ... you are tougher than woodpecker lips!! After hours of shoveling and working all day you found time/energy to work on your paddle ... that is dedication buddy!

Great pics, that paddle is coming along nicely, I am enjoying being taken along on this project.

Bob.

Hahaha working all day he said... that is my work!! Taking care of the house(laundry, meals, firewood, ok sometimes I work construction on job site but crap hit the fan and I don’t know when I will be back there... so today I went snowshoeing for 2hrs!)
anyhow, I could be a lot busier if I wasn’t lazier....

 

[Jim Dodd]

If I can ever get my printer to copy, I want to make a Beaver tail paddle.

I have a slab of Ash staring at me at the shop !

Something about working wood by hand is rewarding ! I may use the paddle, or I may just look at it, hanging on the wall.

Thanks for the inspiration Canotrouge !

 

[lowangle al]

One other thing, my blades are beefier than those on my shorter paddles. I keep them thicker, especially along the center line, all the way to the bottom. I switch to this paddle when there is a chance I may abuse a paddle by contacting the bottom.

 

[Bob B.]

Al,

I like the idea of a more robust blade thickness, especially in rough bottom areas. So with your thicker blade, can you still have a decent underwater recovery stroke, does the paddle still glide through the water quietly - no gurgles?

I can see standing in my canoe, paddling quietly along a shore for quiet recon in back country hunting situations.

Bob.

 

[lowangle al]

No gurgling Bob but it doesn't cut through the water like a fine edged paddle. There is a little more resistance but not much difference in sound that I noticed. If I didn't have a fine edged paddle to compare it to I would have never noticed.

My blades are thicker along the center line right to the tip. I use them like a pole, mostly on narrow streams sometimes pushing off the bank. I have done this to make headway going into the wind, which seemed to more efficient than paddling.

 

[Canotrouge]

WIP.... epoxying the white oak strips to the edge of the blade!! Finger crossed that it turn out good!!

 

[Bob B.]

Al, good info, thanks.

Canot, great pics buddy, gonna be a sweet looking paddle!