At 1:15 AM -0700 7/21/98, Geo. Bergeron wrote: <snip> >I use the paddle as an out-rigger to brace against sand/rock beaches and >concrete boat ramps when I get into the cockpit. Light fiberglass seems >like a good idea on the ends of the blades. Maybe just epoxy on the upper >blades and loom. If I'm going to cover the blade with epoxy and some light >glass, then a light wood seems like a good choice. There's a lot of Alder >available in Oregon. Technically, it's a hardwood with a closed grain, but >it's not "hard" to shape. > <snip> OOoo, I cringe whenever I see that. People put the paddle perpendicular to the boat behind the seat sticking out to one side, put one hand in the middle of the paddle and the other behind the seat, then put all their weight on the middle of the paddle. Eventually the paddle breaks (surprise, surprise) and the guys at Lightening, Mitchell and Werner get them back with people claiming they were faulty. I know Dave Mitchell does not cover this under warrantee, how about Hank? Most of the time the paddle does not break, but that is because they tend to be over built. They do not need to be strong enough to support 250 lb man to be strong enough to propel that man through the water. But even if the shaft were built to support the weight, the blades are not designed to be ground into the rocks and concrete at the boat ramp. A paddle should only be used as a shovel when your buddy's body is starting to stink. There is no need to lean on the paddle to make the outrigger method helpful. Just holding it there while you put your weight on the boat will help stablize you. Nick Nick Schade Guillemot Kayaks c/o Newfound Woodworks, 67 Danforth Brook Rd, Bristol, NH 03222 (603) 744-6872 Schade_at_guillemot-kayaks.com http://www.guillemot-kayaks.com/ >>>>"It's not just Art, It's a Craft!"<<<< *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List Submissions: paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net Subscriptions: paddlewise-request_at_lists.intelenet.net Website: http://www.gasp-seakayak.net/paddlewise/ ***************************************************************************Received on Tue Jul 21 1998 - 11:09:08 PDT
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