There are a couple of Inuit paddle designs that resemble the "Euro paddle": Copper Inuit (#7 below) and Siberian Chucki (#1). These all date back to the early 20th century, however, so its just as likely the paddles were influenced by non-Inuit paddles, not the other way around. Number 13 could be considered Euro-ish in design, from Greenland ca. 17th century. Some Alaskan paddle designs resemble small-bladed Euro paddles (#5). To tie this back to the original post, #9 very much resembles a broom stick, so narrower might work when lengthened to maintain similar blade surface area. There are precious few (if any?) paddles that pre-date western contact, so I don't know that anyone has a definitive answer as to weather or not any arctic paddlers tried a wide-blade paddle in their quest to put food in their bellies.

Let's not forget that not all arctic people who built skin boats used "Greenland" paddles, nor did all their watercraft look like what we call "Greenland" kayaks. Greenland kayaks and paddles get a lot of press, with Aleut equipment coming in a distant second, but there are other distinct hull forms and paddle shapes to be found throughout the arctic.

: Well I can explain the name "Euro Paddle." It was developed by
: Europeans, as opposed to traditional paddles developed by the Inuit.

: But I am curious when and how it evolved. Checking my own library, I can find
: photos of recreational kayakers from as far back as the 1930's using
: distinctly Euro paddles. I also found that kayak sprint racing was an
: Olympic sport as far back at 1936. It seems obvious to me that people
: racing in a 1,000 meter sprint would quickly adopt the widest blade the
: rules allowed.

: On the other hand, I would expect that all the early kayaks collected by
: Artic explorers would have returned to museums with Greenland-style
: paddles.

: On the third hand, I find that Heath and Arima show Gino Watkins paddling his
: White Kayak in 1931 with a Greenland paddle.

: So when and how did the Euro paddle evolve? Anyone have any early evidence?

: Mike