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Well I made one

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I'm new to the forum and canoeing. I started reading the poling articles and thought poling would be the fix to a situation we get in on our trips down the Oconee River in Georgia from below the Millageville dam to Highway 57 near Toomsboro.. We trip from 3-6 days down the river. Our load is heavy (we like comfort and there are no portages) about 200 pounds. That's with two ice chests where we carry a little water, food, and lots of beer. The river is very stumpy, has lots of fallen trees and areas that are deep enough to float the boat but too shallow to paddle so you wind up using the paddle to push the boat along. I made one of the closet rod pole described in this forum. No 12 foot pole were available so I settled for a 10 foot from Lowes. Did the copper cap ends with the bolts and nuts on them. The river bottom is a lot of gravel and sand so I might make a crows foot for one end. For the last 3-4 years I have been using a 15'4" Gheenoe for the trip but its heavy and slow. I picked up a used Mohawk Blazer 16 canoe to see if I like it better. Mounted a padded seat with a back in the stern ( I know, I know but I'm not a purest. I like comfort.) put Gator Glide on the bottom of the hull to help getting over stumps and logs and shallow places. Used the idea of the strap tie downs pop riveted along the gunnel that I got from this forum. I have learned so much from this forum and the experiences that people have shared I would just like to say thank you. Good folks, good info. Until next time, keep up the good work and don't let the gators get ya.
 
Keep us posted on how it works out for you. I do a lot of sand bottom and there's no need for a foot. That's my rivers though, results may vary. A nice firm packed sand is my favorite for poling. The pole sinks enough to get a great push and comes free easily in the recovery. No worries about snags or slips when you put a lot of force into the push.

Mud or muck is the absolute worst. The pole gets stuck and will about pull you out of the canoe when you jerk the pole back up.

I started with a 10-11 ft closet pole. I switched to it from my 12 ft aluminium on my last trip under threat of some lightning. I couldn't get used to the missing length again even though it seems insignificant. Not to say there's anything wrong with the closet pole, it served me fine, just funny how you get accustomed to things.

Are you going to be poling with a passenger or solo?
 
Muskrat I'm glad to hear a foot is not needed. Thanks. We usually all solo. For the last 3-4 years only three of us go but we might pick up a couple more this year. All depends if the others grow a set. I had thought about an aluminum pole but now that you mentioned lightning I'm glad I chose the wooden one. We usually get hit with a storm or 2 on each trip. Just the nature of where we are.
 
While wood poles have been used for centuries, please take pause on the use of closet rods. A good strong, straight grain pole, is usually safe and trustworthy.
Closet rods, however, are not typically hand picked straight grain. They are for hanging weight while supported along their length. End to end compression becomes the issue.
Here in Louisiana, poling in the marsh is common. People have tried the closet pole option, especially for duck hunting, and have been seriously injured. When a closet pole is under linear compression stress, with the user potentially applying serious pressure, many have shattered, and impaled the user. Think long sharp splinters. I have seen two injuries, with one impaling the thigh of a father, when the closet rod shattered and he fell onto the bottom portion of the pole that was stuck into the mud. His 10 year old son screaming bloody murder was what we heard, and came to investigate.

Not saying all closet rods will shatter under pressure. Just don't want to ever again see, or even hear of the resulting effects of a closet rod shattering and splintering again.

Only aluminum or carbon fiber poles for me. I pole a lot while stalking redfish in the marsh, and use a carbon pole for that, and aluminum for hunting work.
Aluminum gets used in the canoes, as my carbon pole is too long to manage.

Please take the time to investigate the grain structure in a wood pole. You wouldn't choose an axe handle without straight grain.

Ok, stepping off the soapbox now.
 
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The only time sand gives me trouble is where it piles up under an eddy. It tends to not be packed enough there to support a weighted pole. Just be aware in those eddies that your pole may sink deep and quick.

Also be aware that a wet wood pole also will conduct electricity. Maybe not as well as aluminum, but.....

I have a closet rod pole that is several years old and has done some pretty intensive work without any failure. The key to safety with such a pole is to select one with straight and tight grain structure. I picked through many rods at HD to find the one with almost perfectly straight grain, with no grain runout to the side. It can take several or even many trips to HD to find the right rod. Quite often, their entire stock is unacceptable, but if you find one with good straight grain, it can be quite safe to use. The last time I looked, they were using hemlock instead of fir. Hemlock is not very good for canoe poles because the slightest grain runout tends to peel loose in dangerous slivers when water intrudes. Try to find fir.

If you have a table saw and other tools that are up to it, you can find better lumber for poles. Spruce is supposed to be the best wood for canoe poles, but it isn't available everywhere (not here). I get good service from ash poles. Heavy and dense - but easy to find good grain structure, and good strength & wear.
 
I don't really consider wood poles anymore. If I was pushing around a cedar canvas canoe that would be a different story. I make aluminum poles for about $30 a piece. More or less depending on the quantity you order. Texas towers sells 6063-T832 at reasonable prices that telescope together. Two six ft sections joined with an 8 inch section of the next size smaller. Epoxy, copper pipe caps, a couple bolts and you're done.

http://www.texastowers.com/aluminum-6.htm

I dream of finding Easton 7075-T9 tubing. Maybe someday.
 
Thanks Muskrat. What diameter pole do you get? I looked on the website and did not see any other diameter tube to join them together. Did you get them some other place? How heavy is the finished product?
 
Thanks Muskrat. What diameter pole do you get? I looked on the website and did not see any other diameter tube to join them together. Did you get them some other place? How heavy is the finished product?

I used 1.125", but others like a little bigger, and I might too, but copper pipe caps fit 1.125" perfectly and I haven't started making Delrin plugs yet. If you get 1.125" then just get a section of 1.00" to cut down and use for the center joint. Basically the next size down in all of those tubes will fit inside the one that is 0.125" larger.

Weight comes out at just a hair over 3 lbs. 48.85 oz. My 11' closet pole is a little heaver with no end caps, it's just wood, and it is much weaker. So, since you guys got me back on the subject, I know a guy who's brother is in the metal business, he's out of the office until Wednesday, but when he gets back he's going to look into sourcing me some 7075-T651 super aluminum.

Quick compare of tensile strength
Texas Towers 6063-T832: 42,000 psi
6061-T6: 45,000 psi
7075-T651: 83,000 psi

More detail here...

http://asm.matweb.com/search/SpecificMaterial.asp?bassnum=MA6063T832

http://asm.matweb.com/search/SpecificMaterial.asp?bassnum=MA6061T6

http://asm.matweb.com/search/SpecificMaterial.asp?bassnum=MA7075T6

What's it all mean, we could have incredibly strong aluminum poles of the same dimension and weight or with thinner wall thickness and similar strength we could have very lightweight poles. 1.125" and .035" wall thickness in 7075-T651 would come out to 28ish oz. for a 12 ft pole. So, don't buy any tubing until I get back with my guy, I may be ordering some bulk and shipping tubing to fellow polers or I can find rides for full length poles at the Fall Ozark Rendezvous.
 
Muskrat thank you very much for the info. I'm going to try and get out this week and test the canoe and the pole I made. It might come to me not liking to pole all the time or I might love it. A lot depends on my ability to pole as I am somewhat handicapped with COPD. Tell me more or give me a current link to the Fall Ozark Rendezvous. Again thanks. This is a great website with some Fine people in it.
 
Bullfrog - don't lose hope if poling wipes you out the first few times. When I started, I could only manage about 1/4 miles upstream before I was done for the day. And that was after doing some easy practice on the lake. It took several times on the river, gradually increasing my distance, before I felt comfortable and my muscles were used to the new kind of work.

Starting on a lake or a pond is a good idea, I think. You can begin easily by kayak-stroking with the pole while your legs get tuned in to balancing in the canoe. IME, it was my legs that tired before anything else at first, so starting with conditioning them should help. Early on, the temptation was to make powerful pushes. That just gets you sore and tired. It's better to take your time and concentrate on technique. You'll get farther that way.
 
What's it all mean, we could have incredibly strong aluminum poles of the same dimension and weight or with thinner wall thickness and similar strength we could have very lightweight poles. 1.125" and .035" wall thickness in 7075-T651 would come out to 28ish oz. for a 12 ft pole. So, don't buy any tubing until I get back with my guy, I may be ordering some bulk and shipping tubing to fellow polers or I can find rides for full length poles at the Fall Ozark Rendezvous.

Hi Muskrat, were you able to find a way to source the 7075-T651 at a reasonable price? I'd like to start learning to pole as summer winds down and the water levels are still fairly low. Not many places to do it out here, and fewer folks to learn from. Thank goodness for books and videos!

Best - Kathy
 
Kathy, I did but only from New Jersey and Florida. I'm trying to avoid truck freight so I've left it on the back burner. Some day I'll get a call when the guy I mentioned in the first post orders from one of those suppliers and I'll piggy back the freight. They mainly deal in steel and those suppliers in aluminum, so I don't know how long I'll have to wait.

Edit: I think the best bet for you is to start with a wood pole. You live in prime forestry country. You should be able to source excellent wood. I live on the plains. Trees are hard to come by. Then if you like poling then Texas Towers is good source for aluminum. If you can find two other people who want one they can be made for $30 a piece with shipping. You might also try to find an amateur radio shop near you. Someplace that deals with Hamm radios. They might have the aluminum tubing you need.

Bullfrog, sorry forgot to get you the link for the Ozark rendezvous...

https://forums.paddling.com/discussi...ous-2017-dates
 
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Thanks Muskrat.

I just ordered a 12 foot pole aluminum pole from Rob over at Hayden CanoePole.com and its like it should be here in a couple of weeks.

In the mean time, I was considering getting a wood pole from Home Depot, but I think the type of wood matters? From the information I have gathered from other threads, it sounds like I should look for something with a tight grain that runs straight the length of the pole. If I find that, but don't know what kind of wood is used (they describe as 'hardwood'), is that enough information? Also, I looked at some the other day and it seemed like most of them had a slight bend (from being stored upright but with other pole leaning against them) already, is that also okay?

Sorry for all the newbie questions - but that's what I am! :)

A couple of friends also want to learn poling, so they both will be used as time goes on as well.

Thanks again! Kathy
 
Yep, what you're looking for in grain is correct. Try to get one where the grain doesn't run out, basically stays parallel with the length of the pole. For a couple weeks while you wait for the aluminum pole any "hardwood" pole from Homeless Despot should be fine. Since you're in the Northwest it might be Doug Fir anyway which is a good thing. Don't worry about a little bend. It's not a big deal. I store mine on the rack next to the canoe. You could clamp it on the rack so the bend is up and hang some weight on it. That should slowly pull it back in line. The wood pole I use doesn't have end caps either and it works fine if you want to take it out right away, although some sandpaper and thinned boiled linseed oil makes it nicer in the hands.
 
Yep, what you're looking for in grain is correct. Try to get one where the grain doesn't run out, basically stays parallel with the length of the pole.

I have made a couple of closet rod poles per Raven Jester’s instructions, and a Texas Tower’s aluminum version. I’m not a poler; I made them for friends and family.

One thing I think Raven Jester mentions in his DIY instructionals, and which I found true in selecting a closet rod, is to take the best couple straight grained selections, hold them at a 45 against the store floor and try to bend them with one hand in the middle and one at top.

dang but there can be a helluva flex difference between two seemingly identical straight grained closet rods. I don’t know if some flex is advantageous, but I chose the stiffest ones.
 
I'd like to start learning to pole as summer winds down and the water levels are still fairly low.

Well, you need two poles. Just like a spare paddle is handy when paddling, you need a spare pole. There will be times when the pole hangs up in the river bottom or in overhanging trees, and if you don't want to bend the pole or get yanked out of the boat, or both, the best thing to do is let go of the pole. Sometimes, after you let it go, the pole frees itself and comes floating down to you. But, other times, the pole just sticks there, vibrating in the current, and you need to pole back to it and yank it out.

So, since you will eventually want a second pole, I suggest you get a pole now so you can get going, then build a super pole when Muskrat scores his aluminum stock. JoeO already provided you the link to Hayden's canoe poles. I have two Hayden, 2-piece poles and love them. The shipping is expensive, but it will still end up costing you less than you'd pay for a decent paddle.

Another place to try is a arborist supply store. They will usually sell 12' pruning poles at a reasonable price and they make pretty decent canoe poles. The store near me used to sell basswood pruning poles which were very light, but also bent a lot and I eventually broke the one I had. Then they had ash and fiberglass poles. I still use the ash pole in the winter because it is warmer than the aluminum poles. I never tried the fiberglass pruning pole, and now that store is out of business, so I don't know where I'll buy my next pruning pole. My pruning poles are 1.25" diameter and they come shaped octagonally. I took a plane and smoothed the points of the octagon shape so the pole feels a little better in my hands. I also needed to taper the ends of the pole enough to fit a copper end cap and dowel bolt.

Good luck and have fun!
 
Nice! I'm looking forward to getting the Hayden Pole.

I picked up a Home Depot Special last night and just took it out today, nothing done to it yet. I'll add the end caps and some tape to help me know where my hands are on the pole. Balance points, etc.

Poling is interesting, I have a lot to learn there. The lake we were at was shallow, but not enough to use it properly to push off the bottom very much. So, I used it to 'paddle', to turn the boat and basically just to get used to handling something 12 feet long while standing. Not that easy, not that hard... just something to get accustomed too.

Life should calm down in the next few weeks, and when that happens I will try to find some decent poling videos to watch so I can start to get some ideas of what is normal and what isn't.

Thank you and cheers!
Kathy
 
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