Late Season Canoe Poling on the Union River

[lowangle al]

I'll throw this out there in case someone is looking to get started poling this year. I have two poles, one is from Don Merchant at Pole and Paddle in Hollis Maine. He has them in spruce, cypress and ash for between 100.00 to 150.00, according to his web page. The problem is it is expensive to ship one, but Don had a deal with the Fastenal company to ship one to your local Fastenal store at a reasonable cost.

My other pole was made by Jerry Stelmok of Island Falls Canoe. I'm not sure if he still makes them or has any good shipping options.

The Pole and Paddle pole is beefy with a heavy shoe and Jerry's is lighter with a minimal shoe.

 

[Pseudonym]

Another resource: I've gotten a couple of poles from Peavy Manufacturing in Eddington, Maine, in recent years. They make them to order in ash and spruce at least.

Same issue: shipping would be cost prohibitive.

 

[Riffle-Raff]

Another resource: I've gotten a couple of poles from Peavy Manufacturing in Eddington, Maine, in recent years. They make them to order in ash and spruce at least.

Same issue: shipping would be cost prohibitive.

I didn't know they made spruce poles! I started with a great spruce pole gifted to me by a retired Maine guide named Jared. It snapped due to some grain runout unfortunately, but I never forgot the quickness and stiffness of it compared to the ash pole I put together afterwards.

I got my ash pole from Peavey and may get an aluminum pole through them at some point in the future.

Of note for anyone who has the chance to buy from Peavey: one end of the pole is tapered down a bit for attaching socket tools like picks and the other end is shaped like a shovel handle with a round taper and bulb end. It wasn't perfectly straight and the grain was a bit wonky but it works fine.

I squared, then octagonalized 4' sections on either end of the pole and tapered them from 1 3/8" to around 1" and then capped the ends with some pipe sections and large screws for grip. I painted rings for the center and 1/3 marks on either end and finished it with danish oil. It's held up well so far.