double paddle sources

[Dennis Rioux]

Good evening,

I am in sticker shock having just visited a certain manufacturer of wooden double paddles -- I swear the price is up $60 since I visited the site last week (maybe they've got a cookie on my computer hard drive and know I lust after their product :eek:). I really had hoped to treat myself to one for my birthday rather than making one, but I *know* I am not worth that much. Hell's bells, I could get a really nice set of plans for the next boat for that kind of money (and for that purpose, of course, I *am* worth it). I've done the Google thing and come up empty on decent quality alternatives. This paddle is for an Oughtred MacGregor canoe (31" beam, 11-3/4" depth) that I am trying desperately to finish this spring. Plans call for 8' length. Any other sources out there that I am missing? I sense quality time with my bandsaw and spokeshaves in my near future... Thanks for your help.

Dennis

[Brian Palmer]

I made my own, and it is very similar to the Herreshoff pattern that is sold by Shaw and Tenney. They do not really take that long if you have the right tools lined up for all the carving.

Brian

[James McMullen]

Making your own will be as rewarding as making your own boat. Time spent with a spokeshave in your hands doesn't count against your earthly allotment.

[JimConlin]

I have a Sawyer 'Sea feather' paddle which I like. I recollect that it was not expensive. I haven't priced 'em recently.

[Dennis Rioux]

grumble... grumble...

I suppose...

James, is this some new religion of which I am unaware? If I walk around with a spokeshave in my hand I will have eternal life? :rolleyes: Oh, and since you had one of these canoes at some point in your past, what overall length was your paddle? Gotta clear that beam and the coaming...

Dennis

[Todd Bradshaw]

Home Depot cedar 2x6x8' -under $10. About three hours with bandsaw, spokeshave and random orbit. Oil or varnish as desired.

http://webpages.charter.net/tbradshaw/paddles%20002.jpg

Plan PDF here. After building that boat, these would be a snap - and they're probably better paddles than the fancy ones you were looking at.

http://webpages.charter.net/tbradshaw/!GREENLA.PDF

[James McMullen]

Time spent holding a spokeshave or a plane or a sharpety-sharp-sharp chisel is definitely a religious experience for me. On the other hand, the longboard sanding block is undeniably one of the tortures of hell.

I used a 240cm paddle on my MacGregor. Personally, I don't like the traditional Inuit kayak paddles Todd mentions unless I'm paddling a low profile decked kayak like a traditional greenland kayak. For the height of the decks of your sailing canoe, you're going to use a much steeper shaft angle during your stroke than is optimum for a Greendland style paddle and I think you'll be much happier with something more like the common blade shape for this boat. I find matching the paddle to the boat is so important for me that I have several different paddles that I use with my several different types of kayaks: Aleut paddles for my baidarkas, a Greenland style for my Greenland kayak, a carbon-fiber Big Spoons for go-fast, longer paddles for my Klepper and for the wee lassie canoes, a single blade for fishing amongst the kelp beds. . .

I found that a break-down paddle was super useful to get the damn thing stowed out of my way while sailing. I think you can buy a ferrule to make your own break-down paddle from CLC.

[rbgarr]

The ferrule on mine has seized up hard. Any suggestions for getting it loosened up? The paddle works great and it's not crucial to take it apart... but I just like things to work the way they are supposed to.

[P.I. Stazzer-Newt]

The ferrule on mine has seized up hard. Any suggestions for getting it loosened up? The paddle works great and it's not crucial to take it apart... but I just like things to work the way they are supposed to.

Two part or one part ferrule, with or without locking pin, what material?
Is it still straight?

The simplest ferrule is a single metal tube (often brass though I've seen Stainless and Aluminium) fixed to one half of the paddle - with the other half a snug sliding fit.

These seize by either deformation of the tube, or by the moisture content of the sliding part changing so that the timber swells...

The next is a two part aluminium ferrule (Schlegel used to sell them) which has an additional and spectacular failure mode - corrosion between the two parts where the alumina (oxide) needs nearly four times the volume of the original metal. Put away wet, assembled, and salty!
This is terminal, you have to destroy the ferrule to split the paddle.

[rbgarr]

... a two part aluminium ferrule (Schlegel used to sell them) which has an additional and spectacular failure mode - corrosion between the two parts where the alumina (oxide) needs nearly four times the volume of the original metal. Put away wet, assembled, and salty!
This is terminal, you have to destroy the ferrule to split the paddle.

If anything I'll have to do that then.

[Dennis Rioux]

Okay, I will stop my whining (or whingeing, as the case may be) and make my own. I have made a Greenland style paddle and a set of oars in the past, and even at the slow rate I work it'd be like paying myself more than I make at my real job. I just have too many boat-related irons in the fire right now and was looking for a short-cut, foolish person that I am.

Todd, I did a little driveway sailing with the mizzen last weekend and it looked great (my spouse said it was "cute"). I have lost track of the years that have ticked by since you made the sails, but the momentum is building for a launch and some photos on the water, I promise. It's just a matter of finishing some rigging bits, slapping some varnish on the deck, and melting some lead for the leeboard. Oh, and making a paddle or just grabbing my kayak blade on the way down to the beach. (Was your paddle photo taken in the BWCA? It has that look and feel to it, but I know there are bits of Wisconsin that haven't been paved over down there by you. We just got permits to go into the Quetico from the US side :) -- haven't been there in years. New passport? Check. Remote Area Border Crossing Permit? Check. Kids off with Grandma? Check. Woo-hoo!)

Thanks everyone for the feedback.

Dennis

[johngsandusky]

Try ebay, I bought a really nice paddle there cheaply.
Then my Dad made one from a spruce 2x4, smaller blades, more spring, less shoulder pain.

[skuthorp]

Great to hear about another Macgreggor, I've been sailing a 15'7" model for nearly 10 years. I use a pine shafted, ply bladed paddle with a 'traditional' spoon shape. I lengthened my cockpit by about 13" to accomodate 2 people better and my paddle and spars stow inside. But one day I'll build a break down padle, but I've not been happy with any I've tried. I fitted row locks too, in spite of the freeboard she rows well and is quite fast. A little narrow for complete comfort though, you have to develop a 'cross over' style with your hands.

[Canoez]

Careful removal of the ferrule would allow for replacement with a carbon fiber or stainless one...

Quite a few places carry just the ferrules. Duckworks, Chesapeake Light Craft, Pygmy, etc...