>I also think that if many of the proponents of Greenland paddles would spend as much >time and effort in becoming proficient with a good (non-fiberglass) euro paddle they >would find the differences far less compelling.

>To try to give the "euro" paddle another advantage: it is an "open" system. Where the >Greenland paddle is held by tradition regarding what is "right" and "wrong", the "euro" >paddle is open to constant innovation. It is free to incorporate what is good from the >Greenland tradition and add new ideas as they come along.

>As such this does not give me much grounds to criticize Greenland paddles, and you >should note that I don't. Instead I am trying to point out that modern paddles can very >good in the ways Greenland paddlers find important, but only if they are well designed.

I do find your quotes above to be critical of native paddles (you call them Greenland, but there is also the similar Aleut style I use) because you appear to be unaware of the major design and use differences from the sport (euro) style you favor.

You said you built and used a native paddle for one season. I can understand why you did not choose to continue to use a native paddle. Simple. You were happy with your sport (euro) paddle. That’s the bottom line for the use of any boat, paddle or tool. If you’re happy with it, why change?

You and I spent quite a few years paddling whitewater before we switched to sea kayaking. I also was proficient with a feathered sport (euro) paddle. There are quite a few paddlers out there, like us, who have moved from whitewater to sea kayaking.

I’m about fifteen years older than you. In the decades I’ve paddled I’ve seen “correct” paddle length go up and down and back again. To put it most simply, short paddles give you more power and long paddles give you more speed. Here, I’m speaking only of sport (euro) paddles.

In the very dynamic currents of whitewater it is easier to feel the impact of differing paddle length and blade width. When I started building my own whitewater paddles in “86” I made very large blade, short length paddles. I soon found through this extreme design that my shoulders felt like they were being pulled out of joint by the end of a whitewater trip. While I had tons of power it was exhausting.

I know all about paddle technique. I studed the ACA (American Canoe Association) manuals when I taught whitewater paddling on a volunteer basis for the Berkshire Chapter of the Appalachian Mountain Club.

When I started sea kayaking I of course used the familiar sport (euro) feathered paddle. I found that when I used my sport paddle for more than a couple hours I felt sore in my shoulders and my elbow bothered me from doing the feathering wrist twist all day. I felt tired also. I didn’t really think about this much until I met John Heath.

I had the good fortune to hear John Heath speak at a demonstration of native paddles at the Great Lakes Kayak Symposium on Lake Superior in 1993. John has studied and lived with Eskimos for years and is a leading authority on native paddles and paddling style.

There were a lot of people at this kayak symposium with with skin on frame boats and native paddles. I had not seen a native paddle before. My first impression of the narrow blades was “Where’s the Beef!” (for those of you too young to remember , this was a slogan from a Wendy’s hamburger TV ad).

John explained that the sport (euro) paddle was designed for racing and excelled at short bursts of speed and quick powerful maneuvers.

He explained that the native paddle design focused on distance and endurance. Paddling for hour after hour day after day. The narrow blades offer many options of use. Once a kayak reaches cruising speed much less energy is needed to maintain speed, so a short quick stroke using the narrow ends of the blades are efficient for long distance paddling. For quick starts and more power the whole blade is dipped into the water. Hands can be placed wherever needed and spaced as needed. Native blade width is narrow for cruising speed AND unlimited hand placement . It becomes second nature to slide your hand to the end of the blade and do a VERY powerful sweep or Very easy roll. Flexibility of the solid wood blades and loom are very easy on the joins (shock absorber) and allows power to be loaded into acceleration strokes AND rolls.

The sport paddle grip is wide, described to newbees as put the paddle on your head and your elbows at 90 degrees to find the right hand placement. This keeps the center of the paddle shaft chest high for correct stroke right next to the hull. It is important to stroke next to the hull with the powerful wide sport blade since it will tend to turn the boat if the stroke strays to far from the hull center.

The native paddle grip for cruising is shoulder wide. This is way the loom is short. Once up to cruising speed the shoulder wide grip has less power but less is needed to maintain speed. The stroke is short (extend arm and shoulder forward and stop when the paddle reaches your side) and the paddle is held and shuttled across the coaming.

I found the wide grip, slow stroke with the sport paddle held high, tiring after paddling all day. The rigid paddle shaft (even most wooden paddles have a hollow core to make them stiff) harder on the joints.

If I had someone “tell” me I should try a native paddle I probably would have rebelled against the suggestion. But since I was building kayaks along native lines, I gave a native paddle a try and I will never go back!

When I built my first native Aleut style paddle I did not have the guts to make the blade narrower than 4”. Now my blade is 3.25” at the widest point.

I seldom paddle with other people who use a native paddle. I do often paddle with people who have never seen a native paddle. More than a few times with guys who are recent or current whitewater paddlers. I’ve seen this “LOOK” on their faces when they see my paddle. They have a different “LOOK” after four hours of paddling when they find I’m usually in the front of the pack.

So in terms of efficiency, I value my real world experience that shows native paddlers have no trouble keeping up with sport paddlers.

Take a look at the painting on the bottom of page 60 of the latest “WoodenBoat” magazine you just got in the mail Nick, and you’ll see a good example of guys (voyagers) who made a living paddling all day long with a deadline to meet. They choose a narrow paddle blade.

Just like there are some native paddling advocates who really get into all the one hand rolling techniques and chewing whale blubber, there are also a small segment of sport (euro) paddlers, perhaps mostly from whitewater backgrounds, who get ballistic macho on making their kayak hulls plane using their wide blade sport paddles.

Native paddle design is just as “open” as euro paddle design. I‘ve seen quite a variety of paddle widths lengths and shapes. You’ll meet a few of the blubber chewers above who will tell you what is “right” and “wrong” just like their are sport (euro) paddlers who know they have the “corner” on the ultra new “high tech” best paddle on earth. Just smile and take what works for you.

As I said before, the bottom line is are you having fun? Sure, love your tools and defend them! But I think in the context of this BB it’s important to let people know there are a number of different options. One is not better than the other. They are just different. And different people will find they like one better than the other for there own reasons.

Just because you did not find a compelling reason to like a different tool does not mean someone else will not.

Sorry, Nick. the message I got from your comments is my paddle is better.

For you, I’m sure it is. Please think about how your same comments would sound to you if we switched:

>I also think that if many of the proponents of Euro paddles would spend as much
>time and effort in becoming proficient with a good (non-fiberglass) native paddle they >would find the differences far less compelling .

>To try to give the "native" paddle another advantage: it is an "open" system. Where the >Euro paddle is held by tradition regarding what is "right" and "wrong", the "native" >paddle is open to constant innovation. It is free to incorporate what is good from the >Euro tradition and add new ideas as they come along.

>As such this does not give me much grounds to criticize Euro paddles, and you
>should note that I don't. Instead I am trying to point out that modern paddles can very
>good in the ways Euro paddlers find important, but only if they are well designed.

Sorry I’m so long winded but there is a lot here to consider.

Bottom line. Have fun. If not, know there are other options to get there.

All the best,
Rob