Date: Sat, 20 Jan 1996 22:07:34 -0500
Message-Id: <199601210307.WAA29281@io.org>
To: baidarka@imagelan.com
From: io.org!timgitt@imagelan.com (Tim Gittins)
Subject: Re: Aleut paddles?
> Does anyone here have any info, either historical or
>contemporary, on these paddles. Have you ever used one? What were
>your impressions?
>
Wolfgang Brinck includes a short chapter on the aleutian paddle in his book
"The Aleutian Kayak". I use a greenland style carved from just a very
straight grained western red ceder 2X4. There is a little too much flex
causing wobble when putting on the power but I alleviate the problem with a
simultaneous down thrust as I pull back and slice out from the side.
Strength was fine until I struck bottom once. It cracked wery easily not at
the blade but further in toward the middle and running along the grain -
probably because it was a greenland style carved paddle. Had it been an
aleutian it may not have happened. The greenland style carving leaves alot
of grain ending along the length of the paddle so that when the force
against the paddle was not even but only at the tip as in my incident, then
that part of the paddle with the grain touching the rock stayed with the
rock and the rest of the grain flexed beyond its strength and split. The two
piece laminate of the aleutian in Brinck may even be better than the same
paddle carved from one plank. It was extremely light - but since has put on
a little weight. I took it home, syringed some epoxy into the split, clamped
it lightly then wrapped it in 6 oz. carbon weave. Now its much tougher than
it originally was and has seen many more days.
Tim Gittins
Toronto, Ontario
timgitt@io.org