Best value/performance in a kayak paddle?

Heading to Lowes to get a 2x4 to try my hand at building a Greenland Paddle. Now if I can just clean up my workshop to find the tools and space to work. Got my Dad's Craftsman band saw but need to fix it up first. Suddenly lots of projects.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

This is probably a bit off topic, but regarding Greenland paddles, are they effective at bracing?  I imagine that a slap brace isn't going to work so well, but maybe a sculling brace still work.

Now you've done it. You've woken the cheapest man alive from his slumber. 

I've collected a few nice paddles over the years.Two in carbon fiber (Lendal 750 kinetic and a Accent Sprint wing)
 But the best VALUE paddle I've found is a Marine Raider from Academy Sports. Aluminum and plastic with a foam grip and tough as nails. Weighs 35 ounces, its a two-piece and comes in 244 cm and 213 cm. (or you can get one of each and have two 228 cm's)

$25 in the store and $30 shipped :shock:

 Best paddle on the planet? Heavens no! But it'll get the job done till you can part with a c-note or two to upgrade. Then you can stow it in the hull to get you home when you've  pushed off a sand bottom a tad too hard and your Lendal parts at neck. 

Again, not the greatest paddle ever, but its definitely not a toy either. At that price, nobody should leave home without a spare paddle.

http://www.academy.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/Product_10151_10051_11027_-1__?N=581132415+10001&Ntt=paddle&Ntk=All

This is probably a bit off topic, but regarding Greenland paddles, are they effective at bracing?  I imagine that a slap brace isn't going to work so well, but maybe a sculling brace still work.

Good question.  I hadn't really messed with it much.  I finished making it about the time you guys got me completely addicted to kayak fishing.  I was just talking to Jake at NA about how I have not been out for just a paddle trip for a long time.  Anyways, I Googled "bracing with a Greenland paddle" and there was a lot of videos.  In every one of the videos I watched, the people all seemed to be wearing nose plugs and focused on rolling.   So, due to the abundance of nose plugs, I would say that the bracing is not as effective as one would like.   Also, they seem to skip the bracing and go right to the roll.

Craig, want to teach me how to carve a cedar paddle? Seems like a nice way to fit myself and grandkids. My dad was a master woodcarver but I haven't done anything since making a few cypress decoys with him when I was a kid. I still have several of his in various states of completion. I've got most of his tools.

Sure miss my dad.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Hoppa,

I am not a carver by any means.  I used a table saw, band saw, sander and a router to carve mine, following those plans.  I also grabbed a 2 inch radius round-over router bit for the loom.   Made things real easy.  At one time, after seeing how much they cost to buy,  I was going to make a jig where I could crank these things out fast using a router, but life got in the way.   I can let you borrow the router bit.  I think it may be a 1/2 inch shank, but I am not sure.

  In every one of the videos I watched, the people all seemed to be wearing nose plugs and focused on rolling.   So, due to the abundance of nose plugs, I would say that the bracing is not as effective as one would like.   Also, they seem to skip the bracing and go right to the roll.but I am not sure.

They brace just fine, but rolling from bizarre positions , sculling on they're sides,  rope tricks, and tuilits are just greenland things, and nobody uunderstands.

This is probably a bit off topic, but regarding Greenland paddles, are they effective at bracing?  I imagine that a slap brace isn't going to work so well, but maybe a sculling brace still work.

Good question.  I hadn't really messed with it much.  I finished making it about the time you guys got me completely addicted to kayak fishing.  I was just talking to Jake at NA about how I have not been out for just a paddle trip for a long time.  Anyways, I Googled "bracing with a Greenland paddle" and there was a lot of videos.  In every one of the videos I watched, the people all seemed to be wearing nose plugs and focused on rolling.   So, due to the abundance of nose plugs, I would say that the bracing is not as effective as one would like.   Also, they seem to skip the bracing and go right to the roll.

Craig, want to teach me how to carve a cedar paddle? Seems like a nice way to fit myself and grandkids. My dad was a master woodcarver but I haven't done anything since making a few cypress decoys with him when I was a kid. I still have several of his in various states of completion. I've got most of his tools.

Sure miss my dad.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Hoppa,

I am not a carver by any means.  I used a table saw, band saw, sander and a router to carve mine, following those plans.  I also grabbed a 2 inch radius round-over router bit for the loom.   Made things real easy.  At one time, after seeing how much they cost to buy,  I was going to make a jig where I could crank these things out fast using a router, but life got in the way.   I can let you borrow the router bit.  I think it may be a 1/2 inch shank, but I am not sure.

I have a template router board/jig. Whatever is on one side, the router will create on the other. Would that help?

Wobbler

Want to make a couple of paddles, Steve?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Want to make a couple of paddles, Steve?

Don't forget the Natty Ice and gamecube

Oh my...

Carved from a $2.49 Cedar 2 x 4. Only 26 oz.  Paddle all day without getting tired or sore shoulders. Upside- custom fit to the paddler. Downside- white water kayakers need not apply.    Interestingly, I was able to sustain a higher rate of speed with this paddle in my cedar strip SINK than with the Euro-style, according to a gps.

I'll second this approach.  I have made 5 or 6 like this one, but sometimes the material cost goes up to $10-20 per paddle if you don't want to sort through cheap boards.  Usually last 3-5 years

Lots of info online WRT carving instructions.  http://www.qajaqusa.org/QK/makegreen2.pdf

If you want a more structured approach, take Don Beale's paddle-making workshop next June 14-16 at SSTIKS. http://www.qajaqpnw.org/registration.html

They work very very well.  Thousands of years of experience behind this design...


Bracing works very well, but it is not quite the same as a modern plastic paddle.

The link below has photos of some of the variations found in wooden paddles
http://www.traditionalkayaks.com/Kayakreplicas/Paddles.html