WHITEWATER KAYAK PADDLES

Now and then I build a whitewater kayak paddle.  I've come to  agree with  Jimi  Synder's philosophy on kayak paddles:  The symmetrical, non curved power face similar in concept to an Inuit paddle is much better for the average paddler.  Particularly if you having any wrist or shoulder aches and pains, which many of us older paddlers have.  The non-curved smaller powerface does not have the  hard catch  which puts a  heavy load on all your shoulders.   The whitewater paddles that I have built the past few years have all been of the small tulip shaped symmetrical blades in either a standard tulip or squirt cut-away configuration.

That standard blade size is about 91 sq inches and I can easily vary that up or down, several have been approximately 95 Sq inches, just by adding a 1/8” perimeter to the 91” size . The standard blade offset is 45 degrees.

Construction is to order; the shaft is normally a hollow core combination of pine or spruce and ash.  The blades can either be made from black willow or cedar.  The willow is tougher and the cedar lighter, it is your choice.  The standard blade edging is dynel with a 30 (3/8”) layer dynel tip.  Blade reinforcing can be either 2 oz fiberglass or 4 oz S-glass.  The S-glass is heavier and  more durable, but the fiberglass seems to be sufficient for most people.  I can also build it with a hollow core shaft that does not significantly change the strength or stiffness, however  itdoes provide about 2 oz weight reduction

Weights for a typical 194 length have been around 34 oz.

Price                            $350 +shipping of $25

I still have the patterns around for both a symmetrical 7-3/4”x17” spoon blade and asymmetric of similar size if that is what you are looking for.  I just built a 198 experimental paddle for a friend and it came out at 36 oz which is about 4-6 ounces lighter than my earlier ones.