Thread: Paddle Plans quick question

Probably not.
Unless you wanted to do those manoeuvres fast, or in strong wind.
It's about control of the paddle. And the boat.

Originally Posted by Flatdog

Thanks Dave.

I'd imagine you would need really strong wrists and arms to do that.

Kev.

Seems to me that it's more about the precision of technique and the advanced planning for the next maneuver. Clearly, there is some amount of athleticism but the two videos I watched were both elderly paddlers, and one wearing a suit and bow tie!

That said, I suppose if one were trying to perform ballet with a GIS, strong wrists and arms would be a must.

I love this guys work.

New paddle

He seems to be able to chop things up, re-build, re-design, have a bit of a think, and there ya go.

Is there a way of determining what size or shape to make a paddle blade ? Or is it a case of personal choice and experience. I notice yours AJ is has quite a bit more surface area as your daughters. Mik's blades seem a bit big to me, but then again I'm only a little bloke. It's been about two years since I've paddled a canoe so I think I'll have to find a paddle to give me an idea.

Kev.

Darn ... just lost a longer and more elegant reply.

I did quite a bit of research to find the standard sizes used by experienced canoeists and allied the design with classic ones from Pete Culler and Francis Herreshoff.

Blade sizes are something that cycle from a bit smaller to a bit bigger every few years. People are adamant that the current trend is right of course. But the cycling proves that there is no optimum solution and both work very well.

The impetus for the design was a whole bunch of good info crossing my desk when I worked at Duckflat a couple of decades ago. So I compiled it to make the free paddle plans which originally sold for $30 I think - post and general messing around!

My contribution was the plywood blades. The biggest criticism of wooden paddles at that time was the fragility of the blades. The plywood made curved blades possible and also made them terrifically strong.

Alloying them with classic shafts and blade shapes from Culler and Herreshoff made them look nice in the flesh ... so that people who might instinctively scowl "plywood" are forced into silence.

Something of one of my main design motives

With the single blades the size could be reduced a bit ... or built original size and trimmed down a bit. Main functions of a blade are not to move too much when pulled through the water, not to be heavy and unwieldy and also to be stable when moved at odd angles through the water.

These ones are pretty nice on all counts.

The double paddle is perhaps better for double paddle canoes. Low freeboard kayaks could have the shaft shortened by compressing up the tapered part of the shaft at the ends.

Hope this helps
Michael

I had a bit of a play today with a couple of paddles. I want to make something just to get us up and running, well paddling. I'll build the paddles from Michaels plans when I have the time and I can find some nice wood.

I bought two beech hoe handles at a bargain sale that I thought would make good shafts. I've cut a slot down the shaft to take the tounge of the handles I'm going to make. The handles will be made from ply glued together and I'll shape them with an angle grinder and a small drum sander.

The rest I'll make up as I go along.

Kev.

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That's what we did with the two canoes we built in France.

Fast building two plywood Quick Canoes in one week to paddle touring the Loire River in France – Part 1 | Michael Storer Wooden Boat Plans

What was that ? You made it up as you went along.

What an adventure. With French cuisine thrown in. I'm envious. Those black quick canoes look great. Do they still exist ?

You could have made a great television documentary from that trip Michael.

I see that you had the same size gabun ply sheets that I had. I have since found that the ones I bought were imported to Germany through France.

Kev.

Brian, our host decided to buy one of the Quick Canoes. The other one went to a boy scout troupe in Brittany.

MIK

This is something I've made up as I've gone along. I think they look OK. I took the thick stuff off with an angle grinder and then I used the air- tool for a bit of fine tuning. It's a great tool.

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Those handles look like they'll be very nice to use indeed.
aregards
Alan J

Thanks Alan,

They feel good in the hand. I made one slightly smaller which my wife liked the feel of. When the Eureka's finished we plan on going camping for a week on the Boden Sea here in South Germany. The canoe will get christened and we can test the paddles out. I made the handles a bit on the big side so that if they don't work for us I've got enough material to change them.

In the end they are just a variation of Michaels paddel plans.

Cheers, Kev.

The plans are here and are free (I know it was said in the beginning!)

Free Plans for Download - Michael Storer Boat Design