From: dldecker@mediaone.net
Message-Id: <3.0.3.32.19980125145859.006cc918@pop.jacksonville.net>
Date: Sun, 25 Jan 1998 14:58:59 -0500
To: baidarka@lists.intelenet.net
Subject: Re: Composites Source
In-Reply-To: <34CB6569.7AFA@agora.stm.it>
At 05:16 PM 1/25/98 +0100, Stefano Moretti wrote:
>R. Murray wrote:
>>
>> How light do you think your paddle will be? I think I can make a 20 oz
>> (perhaps 570 gm) paddle from wood, but I'm not sure it'd be strong enough
>> to paddle with. I'll probably build it within the next month.
>>
>> How light are other peoples paddles?
>
>Built three, hollow and only wood. The three are 235 cm . One is white
>fir, flat blades about 2 ft long, 4 inches wide, wighs 950 grams, but
>the shaft is an overkill, so I built the second one: blades are two
>layers of 3 mm okume with a spoon-like shape along the length of the
>blade, width max 6 inches. The blades were glued while curved and retain
>the shape quite well. The shaft is oval measured on my hand, and tapered
>towards the ends, section 38 by 30 millimeters in widest point; shaft
>is wood composite: 4 layers okume plywood + 2 fir spacers and then
>rounded with a rasp. Weighs 900 grams (50 grams less than a 200$ carbon
>equivalent) and performs beautifully. Make sure that weight is not in
>the extremities.
>
>The last one is a true greenland style paddle: shaft 80 cm, blades 80
>cm, max width 3 inches. Result: flexible, 750 grams but just not enough
>to my tast for paddling, bracing and sculling. Excellent choice when a
>newcomer tries paddling: it will not tire anybody.
>
>Summary: I would go for flat blades (simmetric) non crossed blades
>(miracles on your wrist tendons) and a 4 inch wide blade tapered to the
>ends for about 3 ft length, weight of 800-900 grams, length according to
>your size.I strojgly reccommend oval shafts.
>
>Much lighter paddles are also more vulnerable when launching.
>
> Stefano
>
I saw a guy once that had a paddle so light he had a paddle leash tied to
it to keep it from floating away <GRIN>
Dana