: Has anyone paddled the wooden and/or composite native paddles built by Betsie
: Bay and Superior? How did they handle in comparison? Any comments on their
: quality of construction? I love the feel, smell, look of wood. Is there
: any reason other than weight (an important reason) to consider the
: composite paddles?

Bob,

Of the commercial paddles, I prefer the Superior Kayaks product. Their loom dimensions and shoulder shape are very close to the West Greenland style paddles that I make. The Betsie Bay is well-made, and I used one for many years, but I don't like the long paddle shaft that forces all your fingers to be placed on the shaft. The Superior paddle has a very well-designed shoulder, in the proper location, that allows you to place only your thumb and forefinger on the shaft, with your remaining fingers draped over the blades. I prefer this grip as it automatically causes the top edge of the paddle to tilt forward, making the "canted blade" stroke (that is popular in Greenland) very natural. Holding the paddle in this manner also provides a sure grip requiring little pressure, and provides very good blade orientation.

My commercial paddles include a Betsie Bay Greenlander, a wood Superior paddle and a carbon Superior paddle. The wood Superior paddle is slightly too heavy for my taste, but it is strong and excellent for surfing and other harsh use. The carbon paddle is sinfully light and does give a very clean, powerful bite in the water, as Chris Cunningham mentioned in his review in the current issue of Sea Kayaker. Being a traditionalist, I didn't expect to like the carbon paddle but I am reaching for it more often than I expected. It has wonderful buoyancy and is very stiff. The downside, other than cost, is that it is very noisy if you bump the hull, or just set it down on rocks on shore (sounds like pebbles hitting a tin roof).

Homemade Greenland paddles made of solid cedar or other softwoods are still my favorite, as you can easily customize them, and they are still quite light, often under 30 oz. They will dent easily, but they only cost about $15.00 and a weekend of your time. For directions, check out Chuck Holst's instructions on the Greenland Kayak Club website, below.

Greg Stamer