What Paddles do you guys use!

[TrailBlaser]

I paddle solo (a Sawyer Autumn Mist and a Hornbeck New Trick). I use a Bending Branches bent shaft, especially on narrow rivers or streams. My current double-blade is an inexpensive Bending Branches aluminum model. It works fine, but when I retire in a few years and have more time to paddle, I will upgrade to a nice carbon-fiber model. I also have an Advanced Elements ultralight paddle that I use with my pack raft. I am planning to try that out with Hornbeck to see how it works. It breaks down really small, so if it can power the boat, it would be good match with the Hornbeck on the small ponds I paddle in the ADKs.

 

[PaddlingPitt]

When it comes to paddles, Kathleen and I are not nearly as sophisticated as most of you on this site. These are the paddles we have been using for more than 20 years. We use the two on the left for challenging whitewater and shallow, rocky rapids. If I remember correctly, they are Harmony Perception paddles that I cut the shaft to length myself. For other conditions, we use the two wooden Grey Owl paddles on the right. I like to call them otter tails, but I am happy to be corrected.

We do have other paddles, including some wooden bent shafts, and our original Mohawk paddles, among others. But we use only the four in this picture. We are happy. We are content. We are beyond the stage where we want to upgrade and/or accumulate more gear, including paddles. If we were younger, maybe. But we are not younger. You might even calls us "old" and a bit stodgy.

 

[Boatman53]

Here is what I use.
The one on the right I bought back in ‘71 from Shaw and Tenny. The other to where unbelievable finds. The one on the left is Birdseye Maple and the middle one is curly maple. The one on the right is ash.
Jim

 

[lowangle al]

Shaw & Tenney, six foot, ash, Maine Guide. I do a lot of fishing, where I am the only one paddling and maneuvering the canoe. The big paddle does everthing I need it to do, provides just the right speed for trolling.

I also take a six foot paddle, mostly for standing, but it's also good when you need more leverage in the wind and I bet you could do a bomb proof low brace in WW with one. I was turned on to using them by one of your neighbors, Buck Brown from Gakona Junction. He built some strip boats and used to do shuttles on the Gulkana River. Have you ever run across him?

 

[lowangle al]

Here is what I use.
The one on the right I bought back in ‘71 from Shaw and Tenny. The other to where unbelievable finds. The one on the left is Birdseye Maple and the middle one is curly maple. The one on the right is ash.
Jim

Nice paddles Jim, the ones I use back East are real similar.

One general thing about paddles that I discovered this year is how much better an oiled paddle feels compared to a varnished one. Thanks to Canotrouge and his method of oiling them.

 

[yknpdlr]

Caleb Davis taught me to use 90% varnish thinned with 10% oil on the blade, reverse that formula for the grip and shaft. Feels great on the hands.

 

[Odyssey]

So would many of you recommend stripping the polyurethane off new paddles and varnishing-oiling? Is the feel that much improved?

 

[lowangle al]

So would many of you recommend stripping the polyurethane off new paddles and varnishing-oiling? Is the feel that much improved?

I would try it first on a paddle that already needs some attention to see how much it matters to you. It also would be real helpful to find the thread where Canotrouge describes his technique to get the right results. I like the way the oiled shaft slips through my fingers when switching sides.

 

[Guest]

For me-varnished or carbon paddles give me blisters. Yes, I always remove the varnish from my paddle shaft and grip oil it.

 

[yellowcanoe]

Oil does not penetrate far or last long for water protection. It feels nice. I varnish the paddle save for two sections: the grip and the area where I usually place my shaft hand. Then I oil those areas only.. Those do fine as the oils from my hand repeatedly reapply oil to them

 

[Alan Gage]

For me-varnished or carbon paddles give me blisters. Yes, I always remove the varnish from my paddle shaft and grip oil it.

Glossy varnish/resin gives me blisters but a sanded finish doesn't. The carbon blades (ZRE) I use aren't glossy and have a soft feel either dry or wet. Back in my kayaking days I used an ONNO that had the same feel, which were touted as being wet sanded. Later I bought an EPIC wing paddle and it was glossy. Hated the feel of it. It gave me blisters and alternated between too sticky and too slippery when dry or wet. I ended up sanding the shaft with 600 or 1000 grit (don't remember which) and that made all the difference.

Just another option.

Alan

 

[OCDave]

I have a Fishell Modified Special which is varnished, a Fishell Ray Special- oiled and two Badgers, a Tripper and a Sliver, both oiled. I also have a couple Bending Branches paddles but they rarely get chosen.

Oill vs Varnish: What I prefer most about the oiled finish is the ease of up-keep. I have a squeeze bottle of hemp seed oil. Once a month I squirt a bit of oil on each paddle and rub it in then, wipe down with a cotton cloth. My oiled paddles look nearly new. My varnished paddle showns a bit of wear and is in need of a varnish refresh. One day, I might even get around to doing that. As far as feel or performance, I really don't notice a difference worth sanding off the varnish of my Modified Special.

If I lost all my paddles The Modified Special would be the first I would replace...Oiled of course.

 

[Pook]

This thread has taken an interesting turn.

To this point I have ALWAYS paddled varnished wooden paddles. I hated the feel- actually lack of "feel"- of a carbon fibre bent shaft I was loaned. I re-varnish my paddles on a regular basis- shellac 2 coats, sanded with minimum 360 grit then thinned varnish. And never had an issue with blisters. Calluses, yes; blisters, no.

That said I am about to pick up my first oiled paddle, A Hunter and Harris Norseman and I'm very interested to compare the finishes on a couple of trips.

Thanks for all the info.
Bruce

 

[DeniseO30]

I'd like to toss this question into the mix...

What length paddle do you use?

Over the years I found shorter is better for me I'm 5' 6" - 54" seems work best for me (I'll check)

 

[Holmes375]

I prefer a shaft length of 35-36". A couple inches longer for the rivers. I'm 6'-2", simian arms & legs. Solo boats.

 

[gumpus]

All 3 of my "go to" paddles are 56 inch straight shaft with stubby "river" blades. I'm a bit over six feet and in many paddle designs I'd take a 58 (a 58 inch Grey Owl Freestyle is a perfect fit) and my 63 inch Grey Owl Chieftain is also a perfect fit. The 56's feel so much handier, lighter and faster. I kneel and switch sides to paddle upstream or cover miles quickly. Normally a 34-35 inch shaft length fits me but with the short straight shaft paddles like the Zav a little bit longer shaft feels just right.

Regarding surface finish I strongly agree that varnish chews up your hands and doesn't feel nearly as soft as an oil finish. I also agree that the Zavs feel pretty soft too. I had to sand and polish the Black Bart Troublemaker (far left) since the gel coat had small bumps in it like dust or dirt and the shaft on the Sunburst XL in the center strangely comes with a ribbed surface like little closely spaced ridged rings...and those have been worn smooth from use in the middle where you grab the shaft. I typically wear fingerless gloves to further reduce friction and for me the padding also helps reduce numbness in the hands on long paddles. Yesterday I used the Sunburst on a long upstream paddle on a twisty stream that required one to jump out and get wet to pull over trees and I did get mild blisters on my thumbs from the wet/dry cycles and the varnished grip so this thread is a good reminder to sand that grip!

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[yellowcanoe]

I am 5'5" and a 33.5 inch shaft works well but I can go 34.5 for river where cross draws need more reach.

 

[Guest]

Eric, it depends so much on the canoe, seat height, conditions and the paddler’s preference that any individual sizing or blade style recommendation is near useless.

We have a decade’s long collection of paddles. I wouldn’t select one of the old extra-long guide sticks other than for historic memories or sail ruddering, but they go out sometimes. Not a big fan of bents or of double bents, but again. . . . .

Nor some of the old “heavy weights with history”; it is so hard to go back once you’ve gone carbon fiber black, but I still sometimes pick one of those as a back-up, depending on the travails of travel.

To the oiled/varnished discussion, I absolutely want an oiled grip, enough to strip/sand off varnish on the grips and below and lay on multiple coats of oil. The off-hand shaft doesn’t bother me as much if varnished.

So would many of you recommend stripping the polyurethane off new paddles and varnishing-oiling? Is the feel that much improved?

I would try it first on a paddle that already needs some attention to see how much it matters to you. It also would be real helpful to find the thread where Canotrouge describes his technique to get the right results. I like the way the oiled shaft slips through my fingers when switching sides.

Brad, absolutely. An oiled grip is so much nicer under hand. Good opportunity to sand/rehape anything you don’t like about the grip

The carbon blades (ZRE) I use aren't glossy and have a soft feel either dry or wet. Back in my kayaking days I used an ONNO that had the same feel, which were touted as being wet sanded. Later I bought an EPIC wing paddle and it was glossy. Hated the feel of it. It gave me blisters and alternated between too sticky and too slippery when dry or wet. I ended up sanding the shaft with 600 or 1000 grit (don't remember which) and that made all the difference.

On carbon paddles the texture (or lack thereof) makes a huge personal difference, and I kinda agree about glossy carbon. I like the tri-axial weave carbon for grip and orientation, but after a daylong paddle that ridged/ribbed texture can leave me

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SWY1iuPAkyM

If recommending a canoe for someone’s use is difficult, recommending a paddle is near impossible.