Greenland Paddles?

Anybody ever try a long, low angle paddle for fishing? Seems it would work well for us as we sit kinda high in our boats relative to sit inside kayaks. I've never actually used one, but I understand that they work great for going good distances with less fatigue. The lower paddle position uses your shoulder and arms less and your torso/legs more.
 The greater length could get in the way fishing in the swamps (as I do), but should not be a problem in open water. I also thought that they were kinda heavy, but the typical weight looks like about 24 to 36 oz. and that puts them squarely in the category of many carbon fiber paddles.
Anybody have any experience with these or is this another "give me the helmet, I'll be the stuntman" moments?

Go ahead Wali, here's your helmet... There are a couple guys in NCKA that really like greenland paddles.  A guy known as "Paddles and Flies" in particular comes to mind. From what I understand they're not so great on speed, but shine in long distance paddling because they don't where you out as quickly.

Here's an NCKA thread on the subject..
http://www.norcalkayakanglers.com/index.php/topic,2428.0.html

BTW, did you go sturgeon fishing this weekend?

Brian
Brian

FFTW,
don't kno about the greenland paddles, but i have read about a certain pro staff fla. 'glades guide using a long willow bladed wood canoe paddle for the mangrove channels.. says it is stealthier and easier to control in tight quarters..

honestly, physics and human mechanics being what they are, it sounds right.

kno thats not what you're looking for, but like brian said, there's a helmet over on the table there.....

just..where do we send the flowers??

 

Thanks for the pointer B!

Seems Allen has exactly the opposite opinion of why they should work in that the higher angle inherent to SOTs would work against you. Maybe more of an Aleut style paddle (even longer than greenland) would be more appropriate, or perhaps just a longer shafted sea kayak paddle (narrower, longer blade) to lower the exaggerated paddle angle necessary in an SOT?

Is it just me or does anybody else feel like they are paddling at too high an angle? Maybe my paddles are all too short, but I have actually slipped into what I have now learned is a sort of slide stroke when I'm trying to make time while paddling.

Tracking could be a bit of a problem in a short boat, but it should work fine in my Hobie bigA (what pedals? ) and perhaps in the Malibu Exteme barge. I don't know, I think I need to spend less time thinking and more time fishing! Besides, what does Allen know? He couldn't tell the difference between a paddle and a chicken leg nor where to put it!*

BTW, did you go sturgeon fishing this weekend?

Man, I am officially swearing off naming a group of days that I plan to fish. It seems inevitable that that forces circumstances to appear that prevent me from going. (no, I did not gt out    )

*Please note: The short rant above was just to see if I could make polepole's ears ring since he's out of touch in ALASKA!  (that and I'm jealous ) I'm actually fairly certain he knows where to put his chicken legs.

FFTW,
don't kno about the greenland paddles, but i have read about a certain pro staff fla. 'glades guide using a long willow bladed wood canoe paddle for the mangrove channels.. says it is stealthier and easier to control in tight quarters..

honestly, physics and human mechanics being what they are, it sounds right.

kno thats not what you're looking for, but like brian said, there's a helmet over on the table there.....

just..where do we send the flowers??

 

Actually WR, that's exactly what I'm looking for. Thanks!

I'm going in.....

that being the case, do an online search to find the "kayak fishing school" down there that features the lady "captain" and her fellow teachers... i think the guys name is chris.

i believe i found them thru the pro staff listing on the Ocean Kayak site, but not so sure that that is entirely true.

sorry cant be more helpful.

FFTW,
was surfing tonight over around a certain  magazine and found this;   http://kayakfishingmagazine.net/KFMJULY2008/WatertrailPaddlePole.html    immediately thot of you
Rich

I have used one a couple of times.  I carved it myself out of a clear cedar 2x4.  It's 230 cm.  If you ever see someone walking out of Home Depot in Sherwood with just one clear cedar 2x4 or 2x6, that's probably me.  I pick through the pile everytime I go there and stock up on the good ones. I'm stupid and I like to do everything the hard way (aka cheaper way. $6 versus 239.99).  Anyway's, I tested it one day on the Tualatin River with a gps along with my euro style paddle.  It was a easier (less resistance) to paddle with while at a cruising speed and I was able to keep up about the same pace.  Interestingly, I could get up to my maximum speed with the euro style paddle much quicker, but I was able to go one tenth of a mph faster with the greenland style.   It was also much wetter.  Unfortunately, I have yet to find a cedar tree with drip rings already inside the tree I could carve around.  Maybe if I found a sapling and placed some on it and waited 50 years.  I couldn't find a picture of it.

Welcome craigamesh,

Thanks for the real world paddle comparison results.  I'd love to see a picture of your paddle if you can find it and/or take another.

Nice to see yet another new member from the Portland area.  What kind of kayak do you paddle?  Have you done much kayak fishing out of it?

Brian

,,,, I carved it myself out of a clear cedar 2x4.  ........I like to do everything the hard way (aka cheaper way. $6 versus 239.99).  ...... I tested it one day on the Tualatin River with a gps along with my euro style paddle. ......

Welcome Craigemesh,

DIYer, frugal, and real world testing? You are definitely my kind of people! Thanks and I'll see you at the lumber bin

Wali

Actually, I paddle a cedar strip kayak I built, I haven't done much fishing from it yet.  I started bulding it in 2005 and then had two little boys (ones 3 and the other is almost 2 years old) which have kept me very busy.  The youngest likes to go out in it with me, but the oldest probably saw how many beers I drank during the construction process and seems to be a little scared. Here is a picture of it in my garage. Its a little dusty because I had started construction on a pirogue so I could more easily transport my boys.

Here is the photo of the greenland paddle. I ran out quick and took a photo.

Wow  very nice kayak craiggamesh.   Very impressive piece of craftsmanship.  I'd be interested in hearing how the build went.  Do you have any pictures of it from various stages as you built it?

Brian

dude,
imho; that girl is too pretty to be putting anything fishing related on her..

but i definitely understand pride of ownership of something that you've built for your pleasure and relaxation..

ever think of making those paddles on a custom order basis for private retail?? or would that take the fun out of it?

What a beautiful piece of craftsmanship!     How much does it weigh empty?