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Sea Kayaks Techniques Bulletin Board
Re: Paddle Weight
Posted By: Rich Weise In Response To: Paddle Weight (Rich Weise)
Date: Sunday, 21 January 2001, at 3:18 p.m.
: Can anyone tell me if a 8' long 2"x4" made of Western Red Cedar
: (WRC) should weigh 8 lbs ? Is that about right ? I mean that when it's
: whittled it down into a Greenland Style Paddle will it be on the heavy or
: light side for it's size?
: The reason I ask is that I made two paddles of the same size from different
: pieces of WRC and one weighs 4 oz more than the other. I do not want to
: spend the time making this one and ending up with another heavy paddle.: Also , does the color of WRC effect the weight ? Any Weigh, Rich
I neglected to say earlier that the 2x4 came out of a bundle that was apparently just brought in out of the weather and was wet. It has already given up 12 oz of weight. I've decided to wait a couple weeks and then start. This way I can let it dry out further a check for any warpage.
Three points I like to make in response to input:
1. It seems to me that the finished size of a Greenland paddle is about 1/4 the volume of an 8' 2x4. This would make the paddle about 2 lbs. Any agreement ?
2. Four ounces of extra paddle weight translates into 1 1/2 tons of extra lifting in 4 hours of paddling at 50 strokes per minute! Paul Caffyn once estimated the paddle weight savings on his Australia circumnavigation. It was enormous !
3. I admire Derek Hutchinson but I do not know what his or anyones logic is in defence of heavier paddles. Are they saying that paddling is like a flywheel in motion and its weight is a compromise? Are they really saying that lower weight with all else equal is 'not' desireable ???
Thanks, Rich Weise
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