I saw this company's website (http://dri-kiwoodworking.com/id1.html) mentioned over at Solo Canoe @ Facebook. If your into ash paddles in Ottertail, Maine Guide or Beavertail, it would be hard to beat these prices.
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Dri Ki Paddles
- Thread starter Robin
- Start date
Picked up a pair from him last March. I am very pleased with them.
Seeker,
The web site was last updated in march 2009, 5 years ago. Are those prices still in effect? There are no blade lengths mentioned, only widths. For me that makes the choice of an overall length of paddle impossible.
The web site was last updated in march 2009, 5 years ago. Are those prices still in effect? There are no blade lengths mentioned, only widths. For me that makes the choice of an overall length of paddle impossible.
Dave, I seem to recall paying $75 for two paddles. I think shipping was an extra $12, but that might have been "each", so around $48 each, shipped. Not sure why you're not seeing the lengths... both length and width are listed... I just called Rick, told him what I wanted, and he sent them to me. I also told him that the web site is a little quirky... the photos are a little skewed, making the paddles look a little funny, and the phone number only shows in the 'canoe parts' tab, not the 'contact us' tab where you'd expect it... guess he's not gotten it fixed... but the number is (207) 528-2573...
I just noticed that 3 of the paddle styles have lengths listed, while the "marty brown" does not. Just call him... I'm sure he'll make whatever length you want.
I just noticed that 3 of the paddle styles have lengths listed, while the "marty brown" does not. Just call him... I'm sure he'll make whatever length you want.
The paddle in the video looks more like the beavertail from the website than the ottertail.
Ridiculously low prices if they are still in effect. I'd like to know actual weights, as ash paddles can be heavy. I wonder if he'd make paddles out of spruce, basswood or redwood.
According to the website: [FONT=Verdana,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif]We are currently making our paddles out of White ash, but if demand dictates, we will offer them in other types of wood in the future. We only buy premium white ash logs, which are sawed on the premises by me with our portable saw mill. [/FONT]
Seeker,
I see the overall lengths, but what are the lengths of the blades? My paddles vary in overall length but I like a 35" to 36" shaft. I have a 63" Badger ottertail that has a 28" long blade and a 35" shaft, and I have a 56" Bending Branches Expresso with a 20" blade and a 36" shaft. The shaft length is the critical measurement when sizing paddles so knowing the blade length one can determine what the shaft length is.
I see the overall lengths, but what are the lengths of the blades? My paddles vary in overall length but I like a 35" to 36" shaft. I have a 63" Badger ottertail that has a 28" long blade and a 35" shaft, and I have a 56" Bending Branches Expresso with a 20" blade and a 36" shaft. The shaft length is the critical measurement when sizing paddles so knowing the blade length one can determine what the shaft length is.
Whoops! totally blew it... blade length isn't listed. you are correct. still, if you call, I'm sure Rick will help. I'd measure mine for you myself, but they're in NY, not here with me in LA.
My 57" Beavertail is a Porter Paddle, the company the owner of Dri Ki worker for and learned his craft. I had bought my Porter from Schuyler Thomson years ago and then picked up a few more when I realized how much I liked them. Then he had none left, said the company wasn't making them anymore.
Now I'm back down to one Porter, gave some away and sold some with a canoe, but I still have my original 57". I asked Schuyler about buying some more and he had a few new ones up in his rafters. He said he has a new distributor, one of the guys who worked for Porter, (Dri Ki?).
Schuyler also has some used Beavertails from a closed girls camp, cheap. They have #'s painted on the blade like the canoes at the camps do, but otherwise they are Porters for a good price.
Now I'm back down to one Porter, gave some away and sold some with a canoe, but I still have my original 57". I asked Schuyler about buying some more and he had a few new ones up in his rafters. He said he has a new distributor, one of the guys who worked for Porter, (Dri Ki?).
Schuyler also has some used Beavertails from a closed girls camp, cheap. They have #'s painted on the blade like the canoes at the camps do, but otherwise they are Porters for a good price.
Robin,
Have you tried an ottertail shape? I have a badger tripper that is great. I made another one a bit skinnier and like it even more.nThe one in the photo is about 4.5" wide and the blade is 28" in length. The DRI KI ottertail is not an ottertail by my reckoning, just a skinnier beavertail, but what do I know.
Have you tried an ottertail shape? I have a badger tripper that is great. I made another one a bit skinnier and like it even more.nThe one in the photo is about 4.5" wide and the blade is 28" in length. The DRI KI ottertail is not an ottertail by my reckoning, just a skinnier beavertail, but what do I know.
Hi Dave, Yes I have tried the ottertail, and I also have a pair of Chestnut paddles that similar to ottertails, just square at the bottom. I never felt comfortable with how deep the ottertail goes.
While tripping, I often cruise the shorelines trolling fishing lures and sometimes find myself in among the rocks, good for fishing but not for a deep diving paddle. Same goes for paddling in to/away from a portage, I'm leery of going deeper than necessary, and the wide bottom of a beavertail seems stronger too me than the narrow bottom of an ottertail while controlling a loaded canoe in shallow water.
I tried em', just never got used to them, but I'm so comfortable with my old beavetail paddle that my opinion is probably suspect.
While tripping, I often cruise the shorelines trolling fishing lures and sometimes find myself in among the rocks, good for fishing but not for a deep diving paddle. Same goes for paddling in to/away from a portage, I'm leery of going deeper than necessary, and the wide bottom of a beavertail seems stronger too me than the narrow bottom of an ottertail while controlling a loaded canoe in shallow water.
I tried em', just never got used to them, but I'm so comfortable with my old beavetail paddle that my opinion is probably suspect.
Robin,
You are right on about shallow water. I use mine when for deep water and lazy cruising and switch to a wider shorter blade close to shore. Great for underwater, silent recoveries for the next stroke. There are modern paddlers who think the "animal tail" paddles are horrible but they don't sleep in canvas tents or use pack baskets either!! They don't know what they are missing.
You are right on about shallow water. I use mine when for deep water and lazy cruising and switch to a wider shorter blade close to shore. Great for underwater, silent recoveries for the next stroke. There are modern paddlers who think the "animal tail" paddles are horrible but they don't sleep in canvas tents or use pack baskets either!! They don't know what they are missing.
If anyone has either a 60" or 63" length Dri Ki Beavertail paddle I would really appreciate it if you could measure and post the shaft length (or blade length). As dave04 points out, neither shaft nor blade lengths are posted on the site which makes choosing the right paddle size very difficult. I have tried to get this info from the manufacturer, so far without success. I am looking for a paddle with a shaft length of 36-38".
G
Guest
Guest
boy, are they tough to get ahold of. I've tried all week. Tried through their site, and through ebay...nothing! I'd love to give measurements if I can ever get a paddle! I'm looking to get a 60" beavertail, and a 57" ottertail before the first race of the year (end of March) here in Maine.
Try their phone. According to their Facebook Page they are in bed at 8. Like many small businesses, keeping websites up to date and maybe email is a bit of a chore. They're at
(207) 528-2573
"[h=4]About[/h]
We are a company located in Maine that makes wooden Ash canoe paddles and wooden canoe parts. Please bare with us as this is a work in progress still. We will be adding pics and video in the near future.
Description
Please keep in mind, we operate our office out of our home so orders placed during office hours only would be greatly appreciated. Calling after 8pm to leave a message for us to call you back is highly discouraged as we have two young children who are normally in bed by this time. Thank you for your understanding, Rick & Bobbi Keim"
Spell check is sometimes useful.
G
Guest
Guest
Thanks for the number. I don't have facebook, and there is no number listed on their site that I can find.
"Spell check is sometimes useful" pardon?
"Spell check is sometimes useful" pardon?
I don't know, Dave, but you appear rather modernized and almost neon, especially the 21st century petroleum fabric on your hull and those NASA polycarbonate sunglasses. The wooden gunwales and thwarts do enough to preserve tradition, however.
Not you. In their facebook blurb they meant "bear with us". Not go forth nekkid.
G
Guest
Guest
ha! I kept re-reading my post thinking "what the heck am I missing!".
