Hi 'Wisers, I got a nice cedar 2by4 last week and carved out a Greenland paddle as per Chuck Holst's instructions from his website. It was a beautiful day in Portland today so I went over to Smith Lake (nice n quiet, no powerboaters) to try it out. It's definitely paddling in low gear. Lotsa strokes ... ah but so easy on the joints. A real distance cruising paddle. At first I entered the blades at 90 degrees to the water, but then I tried angling the blades forward a bit a la Maligiaq and I definitely noticed a nice bite into the water with a surge in power. Turning my Arctic Tern with its (that word again) Greenland style hard chine hull is easy with a lean anyway, but when you can grip the top of the blade with one hand and the loom with the other it's even more sharper and easier. If you need more power you can switch to a sliding stroke. I really like the way you can maneuver your hands up and down the paddle. I haven't rolled with it yet but with the quick extension you can get out of it, it should be easy. Yeah I could definitely become a convert.... I think I'll build a storm paddle as a spare. Later, Walt Levins Portland, Or. *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - All postings copyright the author and not to be reproduced outside PaddleWise without author's permission Submissions: paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net Subscriptions: paddlewise-request_at_lists.intelenet.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
On Mon, 1 May 2000 00:02:03 Walt342 wrote: >I got a nice cedar 2by4 last week and carved out a Greenland paddle...[snip]. It was a beautiful day in Portland today so I went over to Smith Lake (nice n quiet, no powerboaters) to try it out...[snip]. I think I'll build a storm paddle as a spare. That makes two of us. I spent about an hour on Lake Washington (Seattle) today, mostly playing, using my newly made Greenland stick (touring length), though I spent a large portion of my time half or more submerged (rolling, sculling or balance braced); you'd need to know me to understand :o). The storm paddle is all but complete, but today I just needed to get wet. Spencer A. Smith aka SNAGGLETOOTH HotBot - Search smarter. http://www.hotbot.com *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - All postings copyright the author and not to be reproduced outside PaddleWise without author's permission Submissions: paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net Subscriptions: paddlewise-request_at_lists.intelenet.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
In a message dated 5/1/00 4:45:03 AM, spencerarthur_at_hotbot.com writes: << though I spent a large portion of my time half or more submerged (rolling, sculling or balance braced); you'd need to know me to understand :o). >> I've been searching for a way to explain my own lack of commitment to the verticality of the kayaking experience. If you ever find a socially acceptable way to explain this obviously dangerous deviation, please let me know. Good luck with the storm paddle. Jed *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - All postings copyright the author and not to be reproduced outside PaddleWise without author's permission Submissions: paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net Subscriptions: paddlewise-request_at_lists.intelenet.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
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