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Clement paddle shape

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Hi. I've been looking for some time for a paddle that is shaped like the old Clement paddles that Bill Mason used (see pic attached). When I'm in Canada, I always borrow a paddle from my Father-in-law made by the Upper Canada Paddle Company, a now defunct company, that was based on a Clement shape. There are so many wooden paddles out there now, but most have common shapes; beaver tail, otter tail etc. with a short blade and long shaft, or long but narrow blade. I love the feel of the Clement shape, which gives me a really positive feel that I've not found in other paddles. It's all personal choice I know, but the only paddle I've seen online that looks anything near the Clement is the Bruce Smith Classic, but that's not really what I'm after. I guess I could carve my own, but thought I'd put the question to knowledgable forum members first. Cheers!
 

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There are still old Clement paddles out there, although perhaps more common in Canada and the northeast US. I think they were made in Quebec.

Years ago I bought a used MRC Explorer, a Royalex canoe in great condition other than some busted seat cane. $250; the gentleman and his wife had gone over to rec kayaks.

As I was loading the canoe he asked if I wanted some old paddles, two nice Voyageur paddles, and two Clements, both marked 229T.

56 inch tee grips with 22 x 9 inch blades (229T). Clement WW sticks, laminated from thirteen 3 / 4 inch strips with a veneer across the square tip blades and a large diameter shaft. I almost threw my shoulder out just looking at them.

PC180151 by Mike McCrea, on Flickr

I gave one to a friend who had fond memories of Clements, and one to a friend with WW aspirations but no appropriate paddle.

Clements were made for 30+ years. If you are in Canada or the NE maybe keep an eye out at yard sales and etc.
 
Wow! what a bargain! There are good people out there eh? When I picked up my Nova Craft (nowhere near the bargain you got there though!) the guy threw in an aluminium and plastic paddle. I've never used it, but tried to be pleased for his sake!
I'll be in Canada again at the end of the month with my family, so will certainly keep my eyes peeled. My family live in Peterborough, so a visit to the canoe museum usually fires us up before we get out to the lakes. Can't wait! All the best. Cheers!
 
I've still got one. huge shaft because of the softwood construction shouldn't be hard to make one using the old one as a template.
 
I will probably end up doing that if I don't have any luck. I traced my favourite paddle last year, so have a template. Just needs a bit of cleaning up. Something that'd keep me amused over winter! The first paddle I bought was a really cheap soft wood one, just a cheapo to tie me over until I got a better one. When it arrived mail order though, it could barely be called a paddle - the shaft was flat on the front and back and the blade had square edges. So I spent a few evenings with the spoke shave and paper and now have a great little paddle that my wife uses. Great fun and good practice for the little beaver tail I made my son. You get tremendous satisfaction making something that is actually usable and that you can tike pride in. Cheers!
 
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