I'm looking for a solid wood otter tail paddle to use in my solo canoes. What manufacturer/model would you consider?
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What Paddle Otter I Buy?
- Thread starter Black_Fly
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I have several Fishell Paddles in the modified Ottertail model. Solid cherry. I like them very much for paddling lake country solo with a prospector canoe.
https://us.fishellpaddles.com/produc...tail-in-cherry
Badger paddle has some nice tail style paddles. I’m not sure what they are making these days but I have a Badger Digger that is nice for paddling lake country too.
cheers,
Barry
https://us.fishellpaddles.com/produc...tail-in-cherry
Badger paddle has some nice tail style paddles. I’m not sure what they are making these days but I have a Badger Digger that is nice for paddling lake country too.
cheers,
Barry
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Caleb Davis
https://longlakeartisans.com/Davis.html
If you can find his paddle making class, he offers the wood blank and an all day instruction for less money than he charges for a finished paddle.
or just get the video on how to make you own:
https://www.wcha.org/store/making-tr...aleb-davis-dvd
or:
http://www.newfound.com
https://longlakeartisans.com/Davis.html
If you can find his paddle making class, he offers the wood blank and an all day instruction for less money than he charges for a finished paddle.
or just get the video on how to make you own:
https://www.wcha.org/store/making-tr...aleb-davis-dvd
or:
http://www.newfound.com
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Great question!
I am a huge fan of cherry Kettlewell Ottertails- that model is now being made by Fishell as Waterdog pointed too. Badgers are nice too.
I have a new favourite though- its a custom Cherry Hunter and Harris Ottertail in oiled finish.My first oiled paddle versus varnished and it is light and easy on the hands.
Have fun choosing!
Bruce
I am a huge fan of cherry Kettlewell Ottertails- that model is now being made by Fishell as Waterdog pointed too. Badgers are nice too.
I have a new favourite though- its a custom Cherry Hunter and Harris Ottertail in oiled finish.My first oiled paddle versus varnished and it is light and easy on the hands.
Have fun choosing!
Bruce
Those are beautiful. Is the modified otter tail really better for solo work? Do you guys sit or kneel primarily?
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I’m a big fan of making my own, I did make some for others too! kettlewell/Fishell paddles are really nice! Lots of trad paddles now a day have rather thick edges and to me it is really bad craftsmanship and design! Find something that is thin edge with a little bit thicker tip!
Robin have a few ash paddles that he likes a lot that seems relatively affordable and well shaped, but I can’t seems to remember the brand.
Robin have a few ash paddles that he likes a lot that seems relatively affordable and well shaped, but I can’t seems to remember the brand.
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The first 4 paddles are of my favourite design, the last one is the first paddle I made and it is supposed to be of the voyager style but it as noting to do with what the voyageur were using lol and of a really bad design with its “square” shoulders and “square” tip!!
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I primarily sit and am pretty casual about paddling on lake country trips. They are comfortable paddles for all day and move a surprising amount of water. The RK/Fishell paddles are varnished but my Badger paddles are all oiled and I favor the feel of the oil finish over the varnish.
Side note: I got 3 of Ray’s paddles before I got the Fishell paddles. One of them is the Rays Special. That blade is so long that I only used it for 5 minutes. That is one serious lever and I felt that it could turn my 16’ prospector turtle with one errant recovery stroke. It hangs in the man hut next to some antique Adirondack snowshoes.
barry
I am curious about otter tail paddles in general and these comments in particular. Could you guys list blade dimensions for some of those paddles? The numbers I am finding on the Kettelwell and Fishell web sites are vague and confusing, to me at least. I am thinking of carving an otter tail and understanding some semi standard dimensions and some deviations that folks found useful would be nice.
The Fishell site seemed to say that the Ray's Special blade was half of the paddle length and 5" wide. For some paddle lengths that doesn't seem big or even long compared to what I have read other places about otter tails. For example the Ashes Stillwater template is listed as 6x30". Using the seated chair-top to bridge of nose measurement to fit a Ray's Special I'd be using about a 5x30" blade or maybe just a bit shorter if the blade was half of paddle length as the Fishell site implied.
So either I am misunderstanding something here or the Ashes Stillwater is a real monster (at least the same length or slightly longer and an inch wider) if used in my size. The half of blade length thing obviously attempts to adjust to paddler size by scaling the blade with the paddle length while the Ashes is a one size fits all blade pattern that might be effectively huge in a petite size and effectively smaller in a really long one.
Am I looking at things wrong or would the Ray's Special result in a shorter than average blade than many in the shorter paddle lengths using the half paddle length formula.
Blade length (and width for that matter) as a percentage of paddle length seems to make some sense, but I can see why folks wouldn't want to bother with patterns for each length.
I always take a double blade paddle for big water. I'm considering taking only two single blades on my fall trip just to shake it up a bit. Heck, I can always use one in each hand if I need to, right?
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I'm a kneeler- both solo and tandem. Solo, I paddle traditional style, with canoe well heeled over.
The Ottertail is an almost perfect compromise for my paddling style in lakes and rivers. Lots of blade depth for deep lakes, thin blade so it slides through the water on the return and light and maneuverable for windy rivers or hazards.
Pete- I'll try to measure up and post dimensions later. I'm off to paddle the Otonabee River!
Bruce
The Ottertail is an almost perfect compromise for my paddling style in lakes and rivers. Lots of blade depth for deep lakes, thin blade so it slides through the water on the return and light and maneuverable for windy rivers or hazards.
Pete- I'll try to measure up and post dimensions later. I'm off to paddle the Otonabee River!
Bruce
Karen and I are not as experienced as most of you. We have 2 "quality" paddles, Fishell cherry, Ray's Specials with oiled finish. They are exceptionally well crafted and we really like them for our deep water paddling.
Here is an option. Small shop & very experienced canoe builder/restorer in PA. I’ve met Al Bratton, the owner, while I have not paddled with his paddles, I have handled them in the shop. Very traditional and immediately felt just right. The J.B.S. paddle would likely fit the bill.
http://woodstrip.wcha.org/paddle-order-form.pdf
http://woodstrip.wcha.org/paddle-order-form.pdf
Whatever paddle you decide on, or make yourself, it is important that the blade edges have been thinned so that the blade may slice easily through the water without resistance or gurgling as it would with a blunt edge.
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Double dihedral shaping. I have Kettlewells and also a Turtle Algonquin Guide paddle.. Use them for deepwater Canadian solo paddling with a tandem heeled over. The shaft is short and the blade quite long on the Turtle. Its to get way under the boat. The Kettlewells have longer shafts for touring.. Don't care for them in my dedicated solos.
I'm going to wait for my Bob Special to come in to see what kind of shaft length I'll need. My ZRE works well in the solo boats but may be shorter than ideal for the big boat.
Pete,
So either I am misunderstanding something here or the Ashes Stillwater is a real monster (at least the same length or slightly longer and an inch wider) if used in my size. The half of blade length thing obviously attempts to adjust to paddler size by scaling the blade with the paddle length while the Ashes is a one size fits all blade pattern that might be effectively huge in a petite size and effectively smaller in a really long one.
There doesn't seem to a paddle by that name at the Ashes website, maybe it is a canoe...?
Ashes gives general blade surface areas ranging from 120 to 150 sq inches, with the larger blade areas capable of providing more power when needed. And of course, larger blades will be more suitable for larger individuals. Ashes does say that the blade areas are for regular-sized folks IIRC.
https://ashesstillwaterboats.com/mak...-which-design/
IIRC the Ray's Special's blade measured in at about 135 sq inches, although I'd have to check some old notes to be sure. At first I really could not feel much difference between it and a similar-area beaver tail, although after a while the Ray's did feel softer, like it was pushing less water due to the stretched and narrow-tipped otter tail shape. Going back to a wider power blade really feels uncomfortable and clunky after paddling a Ray's for any length of time
At 33 inches shaft length, the Ray's shaft is still about three inches shorter than normal, this does seem to add to the overall comfort and results in less fatigue.
You've probably seen Kettlewell's description here:.. less fatiguing paddle with more control:
http://www.kettlewellpaddles.com/special.html
So either I am misunderstanding something here or the Ashes Stillwater is a real monster (at least the same length or slightly longer and an inch wider) if used in my size. The half of blade length thing obviously attempts to adjust to paddler size by scaling the blade with the paddle length while the Ashes is a one size fits all blade pattern that might be effectively huge in a petite size and effectively smaller in a really long one.
There doesn't seem to a paddle by that name at the Ashes website, maybe it is a canoe...?
Ashes gives general blade surface areas ranging from 120 to 150 sq inches, with the larger blade areas capable of providing more power when needed. And of course, larger blades will be more suitable for larger individuals. Ashes does say that the blade areas are for regular-sized folks IIRC.
https://ashesstillwaterboats.com/mak...-which-design/
IIRC the Ray's Special's blade measured in at about 135 sq inches, although I'd have to check some old notes to be sure. At first I really could not feel much difference between it and a similar-area beaver tail, although after a while the Ray's did feel softer, like it was pushing less water due to the stretched and narrow-tipped otter tail shape. Going back to a wider power blade really feels uncomfortable and clunky after paddling a Ray's for any length of time
At 33 inches shaft length, the Ray's shaft is still about three inches shorter than normal, this does seem to add to the overall comfort and results in less fatigue.
You've probably seen Kettlewell's description here:.. less fatiguing paddle with more control:
http://www.kettlewellpaddles.com/special.html
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Ordered it from Rutabaga.
