C-Forum

so i got a fluid technologies paddle for christmas, and i am pretty sure it wont make it through the summer. that will make the second paddle i have broken this year. all in all this isnt to bad for me, considering i have broken seven in a year before(my average tends to be about 3 a year). i have broken every paddle you can think of(silver creek, clinch river, fluid, perception, etc...) lately i have been buying cheaper paddles, and they seem to last the same amount of time as the expensive ones.

so here is my question. does anyone know of a paddle that will last me a while. if i could get longer than i year out of it, i would be happy. i have also been thinking of asking a custom builder to make me the strongest paddle they could make(ie clinch river, pot hole etc...). i dont care how heavy it is, or what it looks like, i just want it to last. ideally i would like a composite paddle cause i like the feel, and i think they are a little stronger. anyway if anybody has any suggestions let me know. --- joey

I've been VERY impressed with my Rough Stuff paddle so far. NOT cheap (esp. with current exchange rate) though. Link from the home page....

Don't know if they're still in business, but Norse Paddles are pretty tough. I used one to push rubber for a couple years. They're really heavy. They get their strength from many layers of glass and a heavy, metal shaft. They're kinda cheap too.

I don't think I would ever consider one for OC1 or C1 but you sound like someone who needs a stick that won't break over something lightweight.

From Paddler's website:

Norse Paddle Co.
Rt. 45 Rd. 1, Spring Mills, PA 16875; (814) 422-8844
Norse Paddle Company builds high-performance synthetic whitewater canoe and kayak paddles. Through a dealer or directly, Norse will custom craft your paddle for a reasonable price.

I have abused my Mitchell Premier. I got the carbon covered spoon blade & wood shaft. Their carbon shaft is round, so I opted for wood. I'd love a lighter stick, but I'm rough on gear. Mitchell puts an alluminum tip in the blade (which has not mushroomed yet) & fiberglass rope along the edges of the blade. I'm super impressed with it.

I had a white kevlar/aluminum raft-guide paddle. I cut the blade smaller and it ruined 2 saw blades from the process. It is a heavy paddle and lasted for ever. My friend accidently ran over it with his car, and I got a nice little curved shaft. I used mainly for down river and when I was a very poor university student.

The paddle is stiff and you will feel the shock in your bones when you hit rocks.


n

how do you break so many paddles??

try Ainsworth My oc,c1,condoom guide stick.Pritty much indistructable.Reasenable apx $65?

i really dont know why i break so many paddles. i am really hard on gear in general. i do tend to keep paddling through rocks when i hit them. when i am paddling up eddies i also tend to use my paddle more as a pole to push myself over rocks and things. i dont take to much care in trying to avoid abuse on it.

anyway, the idea of cutting down an old raft paddle might be a cool thing. i would much rather have some thing nicer, but i dont know that anyone can make me a beefy enough paddle. the thing is that i would really like to get a spoon blade. i sort of need it when i am creeking. has anyone tried getting a paddle maker to build then a heavy lay up? i was thinkinig about a clinch river paddle. are there any racers out there that build custom paddles who might do a really heavy paddle? thanks --- joey

Have you considered making your own paddles? Use a piece of vaulting pole or aircraft-grade aluminum tubing for the shaft and layup a composite blade. Whittle your own wood T-grip, or buy a plastic one.

Using care during construction of the mold (from a paddle you like or have beaten near-to-death but can still Bondo into the right size and shape), you will be able to build plenty of sturdy weapons with which to attack those rocks.

When "rolling your own" paddles you can make them as heavy and durable as you want.

Norse no longer makes paddles, having gone into another product line in the last year or so (auto parts, I heard.) They might have some of their colorful plastic T-grips left over from their paddle-making days, so give them a call. They can be epoxied or pop-riveted into the end of the paddle shaft.

Or, ask Muskrat paddles about a custom canoe paddle to meet your special needs. He has the fabricating experience that you may not, and he is quite the craftsman. He may even give you a discount if you are willing to order in bulk.

His website displays kayak paddles, but he does single-blades, too. Those that own his paddles are loyal customers.

http://muskratpaddles.home.mindspring.com/

But frankly, until your paddling style changes, I think you should just use those rent-a-raft paddles with the black, poly blade and a vinyl-clad aluminum shaft. I think the grow in the wild, and are native to the eddies below Dimple Rapid on the Lower Yough. Harvest a few the next time you at Swimmers.

Hi Joey,

I know, I break paddles as well. I am hard on gear. Normally it is alright when playboating even though I also push off rocks to get upstream sometimes. Most of the wear comes while running steeper low volume stuff. Going down rock slides and stuff I just bash them into rocks. Sometimes I boof stroke into rocks or while prying they hit rocks and that wears away the sides...

This season I broke a Mitchell and an Echo. I am now using a Robson C1 Rodeo and a Waterstick. Both seem to be pretty tough. I will be able to tell you more later.

Cheers, Jan

In a rock vs. paddle contest, the outcome is inevitable, as your personal experience is more than enough to demonstrate.

You can extend a paddle’s useful life (depending upon construction) with prompt repair to damage and by using care during transport (if not on the river.)

But like whitewater boats, regardless of construction, no single paddle is going to have more than two of the following characteristics:

1. durable,
2. cheap,
3. light.

After several years experience, and more than a few quality paddles, your "cheap paddle" solution seems quite reasonable to me.

Here is information about a durable $22 paddle from:

Mohawk Canoes
Longwood Fl 32750
Phone: 407-834-3233
Fax: 407-834-0292
mohawk@mohawkcanoes.com
https://mohawkcanoes.com/paddles.htm

Since paddle appearance and weight do not concern you (congrats on your independent thinking!) this type of paddle just may meet your "hard-wear" needs.

Not only is the Mohawk made from tough materials and is quite affordable, but more than a few creekers have one hidden in the bowels of their boat as a backup for isolated runs.

If you buy in bulk, I think you will be able to get a supply that will last several years for about $100. Just make one of them a breakdown model to be your on-river backup. Compared to $300+ for a single custom-made blade, it seems like a no-brainer!

For expert advice on custom paddles, contact Jim Snyder.

http://www.jimisnyder.com/index.html

Good luck!

WATER STICK zen dragon or the karma-
Great paddles tuff as nails I beat the large steaming pile of dog doo out of paddles as well and havent seen too much damage to mine, not cheep 180$
maybe give it a try

I'm probably tempting fate but the only paddles I haven't broken are Werner Bandits. The blades do wear away from rock-bashing but I've never had a shaft break or a blade come off.

I would tend to disagree a bit with Martyn, I am not really happy with the Werner Bandits from a durability point of view.
I like the feel of the paddle, but the edges wear like crazy, if you hit rocks outside the reinforced bottom area it tends to chip and lately mine is starting to delaminate in the chipped area. I think not having a reinforced edge is a serious flaw of those paddles.
I also had my T-grip come off twice and have decided to replace it with the T-grip from a broken Grey Owl wooden paddle.
I love the feel of the paddle, but I pretty much stopped using it in shallow water and only use it on big water rivers like the Ottawa.
In shallow water I use Aquabound paddles, they do break at times, but the blade wears way less than the Werners, and they cost only about half as much.

I've been having the same problem. Canoe paddles aren't designed for creeking or being near rocks. I'd say on most of the creeks I run, there are at least a few rock braces which are pretty much necessary. Anyways, i'm going to give the waterstick a shot I think...I'll let you know what happenes,
will