A wooden Greenland-style paddle is heavy, but it has a couple of differences over other paddles. On mine, the shaft is about an eighth of an inch thicker where I grip it than is the shaft on my Werner paddles. For me the larger diameter is comfortable. All three of my paddles--one Greenland and two Werners--are well balanced. Most of the weight is in the shaft, close to my hands, so I don't notice it too much. However, I have a cut-down plastic and aluminum paddle that I carry as a reserve. I learned the hard way that it will get me home. However, it's a bummer to use. Most of the weight is out in the blade and it doesn't balance. It's the only one of my paddles that is unbalanced. My wooden canoe paddles are fairly light and well balanced. Some time back I corresponded with Hank Hayes about replacing that clunky reserve paddle with a good one, but I took his advice--he said the cost would be more than the benefit that I'd derive. So, I'm still carrying the clunker. I got the Greenland paddle because I was having problems with a very sore right arm back in the late winter. I didn't know whether the problem was the feathering (45 degrees), the size of the blades, or both. I've concluded that a combination of overstressing my arm on a weekend in January, blade size, and feathering produced the problem. Once my arm got sore, it just didn't get well again. Now it's better. Two weeks ago I paddled a couple of hours with my big paddle, a W. Wenatchee. That afternoon my arm was a little sore, but it was fine the next day. I like my Greenland paddle but I'm not convinced that it's the only way to go. An unfeathered 220 cm Werner Little Dipper would work as well or nearly as well. When I get ready to replace the Greenlander, I'll rethink the whole issue. Bob -------------------------------------------------- Robert C. Perkins, Ph.D. Associate Dean for Research and Planning Methodist College, Fayetteville, NC 28311 910-630-7037 rperkins_at_methodist.edu *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List Submissions: paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net Subscriptions: paddlewise-request_at_lists.intelenet.net Website: http://www.gasp-seakayak.net/paddlewise/ ***************************************************************************
I have a 7"6" Greenland by Superior as well as 2 Little Dippers of 7'6" and 6'. I also have an Eddyline Windswift of 7'6". All unfeathered. In the Little Dipper I prefer the 8' to the 7'6". The higher cadence is just not enjoyable to me. I tried a shorter Greenland but it also feels to fast in cadence. The Windswift has about the same pulling power as the Greenland and more than the Little Dipper. It is a very nice narrow bladed paddle. After numerous time trials over 8 nautical miles, at my touring speed which is slightly more than 4 knots, I find hardly any difference in speed or how tired I am, between all these paddles. I choose one depending on my mood. If it is very rough and windy, however, I prefer the long Little Dipper. It gives me more turning power and each stroke acts as a stabilizing outrigger. Also the slow cadence allows me to relax more in the conditions. Jerry -----Original Message----- From: Robert C. Perkins <rperkins_at_fayettevillenc.com> To: paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net <paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net> Date: Sunday, July 19, 1998 12:51 PM Subject: [Paddlewise] Re throw-weight >A wooden Greenland-style paddle is heavy, but it has a couple of >differences over other paddles. On mine, the shaft is about an eighth of >an inch thicker where I grip it than is the shaft on my Werner paddles. >For me the larger diameter is comfortable. All three of my paddles--one >Greenland and two Werners--are well balanced. Most of the weight is in the >shaft, close to my hands, so I don't notice it too much. However, I have a >cut-down plastic and aluminum paddle that I carry as a reserve. I learned >the hard way that it will get me home. However, it's a bummer to use. >Most of the weight is out in the blade and it doesn't balance. It's the >only one of my paddles that is unbalanced. My wooden canoe paddles are >fairly light and well balanced. > >Some time back I corresponded with Hank Hayes about replacing that clunky >reserve paddle with a good one, but I took his advice--he said the cost >would be more than the benefit that I'd derive. So, I'm still carrying the >clunker. > >I got the Greenland paddle because I was having problems with a very sore >right arm back in the late winter. I didn't know whether the problem was >the feathering (45 degrees), the size of the blades, or both. I've >concluded that a combination of overstressing my arm on a weekend in >January, blade size, and feathering produced the problem. Once my arm got >sore, it just didn't get well again. Now it's better. Two weeks ago I >paddled a couple of hours with my big paddle, a W. Wenatchee. That >afternoon my arm was a little sore, but it was fine the next day. > >I like my Greenland paddle but I'm not convinced that it's the only way to >go. An unfeathered 220 cm Werner Little Dipper would work as well or >nearly as well. When I get ready to replace the Greenlander, I'll rethink >the whole issue. > >Bob > >-------------------------------------------------- >Robert C. Perkins, Ph.D. >Associate Dean for Research and Planning >Methodist College, Fayetteville, NC 28311 >910-630-7037 rperkins_at_methodist.edu > > >*************************************************************************** >PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List >Submissions: paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net >Subscriptions: paddlewise-request_at_lists.intelenet.net >Website: http://www.gasp-seakayak.net/paddlewise/ >*************************************************************************** > *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List Submissions: paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net Subscriptions: paddlewise-request_at_lists.intelenet.net Website: http://www.gasp-seakayak.net/paddlewise/ ***************************************************************************
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