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Made my own canoe pole

That was nice, Robin.

I know back in the day they used to carry tips to attach to the tip of their camp made poles. I don't know how much of the reason was for weighting it down and how much was to keep the tip from splitting. Thoughts? Did it feel too floaty?

Alan
 
Nice job Robin! The Cruiser looks particularly good too. I know the Allagash guides have traditionally poled, but what is the advantage.... maybe just to see better in the shallow rapids characteristic of the Allagash? My little 15' w/c round-bottomed canoe is so tender that I don't think I could stand and pole though...
 
That was nice, Robin.

I know back in the day they used to carry tips to attach to the tip of their camp made poles. I don't know how much of the reason was for weighting it down and how much was to keep the tip from splitting. Thoughts? Did it feel too floaty?

Alan

Thanks, I think the tips where for protecting the end and getting good purchase on rocks. It was easy to get the pole down to the gravel bottom, but it showed wear in the short time I used it. Thinking maybe cut some galvanized pipe to act as a ring on each end.
 
Nice job Robin! The Cruiser looks particularly good too. I know the Allagash guides have traditionally poled, but what is the advantage.... maybe just to see better in the shallow rapids characteristic of the Allagash? My little 15' w/c round-bottomed canoe is so tender that I don't think I could stand and pole though...

Thanks, that Cruiser is a nice canoe, I’m really happy with the way it turned out. I think the main advantage was to go upstream where they couldn’t paddle, and same going downstream, kinda hold the canoe back in shallow rapids. What you need now is an 18’ Old Town guide or Chestnut Prospector.:cool:
 
Cool video! Also, cool canoe!

I think the main advantage was to go upstream where they couldn’t paddle, and same going downstream, kinda hold the canoe back in shallow rapids. What you need now is an 18’ Old Town guide or Chestnut Prospector.:cool:

Might have been handy for a day-trip I took last week. Put-in location had a riffle just upstream, and I wanted to do an out-and-back. My paddle partner for the day and I weren't able to coordinate well enough to keep bow-on, and I question whether we would have been able to paddle hard enough. Shallow bottom, though, so perhaps we would have been able to pole over it. Ended up going downstream instead, with all of the uncertainty and guestimation regarding our return strength that that entails.
 
My first pole was a maple liberated from the woods, fallen but still good wood. I did just like you Robin, skinned it and mine had a bend like yours which I ended up liking. Had it for a long spell until I went to aluminum. As far as foots for poles go I have never used one but for muddy/sandy bottoms they work well from what I've been told. Poles are great for going upstream in shallow waters and for snubbing downstream in rapids/fast water. Also using it like a double blade in flat water you can get a decent speed going.
 
This post made my day! Thank You! I enjoyed seeing how you worked a found pole quickly into such an efficient tool to propel your canoe. Graceful, elegant, beautiful.
 
Those heading up to the Allagash might want to bring a pole, I heard tandem canoes are doing a lot of wading.


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I'm glad to hear that you got out there Robin and thanks for posting that video. I had done some flat water poling earlier this season and it was a lot of and fun proved to be practical in a strong wind. That looks like a good pole, I hope you took it home.

Alan, the tips will keep the end of your pole from splitting but you only need the weight to sink it in a strong current.
 
Hi Al, Thanks, yes, I took it home, I want to give it another go, this time with a bathing suit on...haha Hey Snapper, Maine has been a good move, it took 5 trips north but I found a couple of really nice quiet lakes with smaller campsites (not a fan of Maines “group” campsites)
 
I made a "home depole" several years ago and I've been surprised at how well it's held up, stored outside with nothing but BLO (thinned with turp the first time) protecting it from the elements. I don't use it all that often because I'm usually in a skinny boat and tracking/lining/wading, but when then situation is right poling is a real joy.
 
What is "BLO"? Never mind. Just as soon as I typed the question, the answer came to me "Boiled Linseed Oil".
 
I've still got a 16' pole that I haven't used in some time. I had bought a piece of electrical shrink tube that I applied to the end to prevent splitting and wear.

As a kid in northern Minnesota I poled canoes hundreds of miles in picking wild rice. At that time Herter's had a folding duck bill contraption that opened in the soft mud and retracted as we pulled the pole back. I still don't know how I poled all those miles without tipping a canoe over.
 
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