C-Forum

so as not to threadjack cheajack...

there are several pics in NC Rivers and creeks (elk river falls is one for sure) of canoers with norse paddles. as mentioned in the above thread, several folks on here, did or do use a Norse paddle.

i know folks used to cut out the top portion of the blade, but even then isn't the blade still 20" long and 8" wide? i used a 72" Norse with a standard blade (24") raft guiding on the New for a season or two and can't imagine using one in a canoe.

for folks that used them, did you actually get the whole blade in the water? i'm clumsy enough with a smaller paddle!

I've got the bigger Norse paddle (1 1/2 inch shaft, 22 in blade length) and the other Norse paddle (1 1/4 inch shaft, 18 inch blade length). They both have 7 1/2 inch blade width. The bigger one worked best when everyone was paddling bigger open canoes (think Blue Hole OCA). The boats were bigger and the saddles were higher so it was not an issue to get the whole blade in the water. As you suspect, they are much less than ideal for canooeists nowadays, but the smaller size does just fine for me whenever I don't want to beat on my Mitchell or Viking. I got mine when the price was $80.

I had one of the small bladed ones for a while. Mostly ended up using it as a guide stick. Certainly durable, but not exactly subtle and delicate. I recall digging my truck out of a snowbank with it a time or two. Quite handy for that...

I bought one if the New Norse paddles last year. My experience with it has been mixed. Mine is a bit differnt than the original in that it has a skypole (fiberglass) shaft instead of the traditional dynel covered alluminum. He (Don) can make several different blade sizes and shapes, mine is a slolom type 18" 7.5" wide and the blade is not much different size wise than say a mitchel. The fiberglass shaft has some flex to it also. It is no dobt stout but has the general feeling of a club with most of the 32oz weight in the blade.

It feels good but heavy to pick up with no ballance what so ever. It is a VERY stout feeling paddle. I really want to like this paddle but it does not work well for me in anything smaller than a 15' Prospctor. The blade feels large in the water and it takes a lot of energy to use. It feels very clunky compared to modern offerings in composite paddles not just because of the total weight but also because of the lack of ballance.

Overall, stout Paddle but outdated as a canoe paddle compared to modern offerings. I think that they are still a great guide stick but for the price not the best option for a canoe paddle today.

I cut down the blade length on three Norse paddles, and quickly learned that the cut-down zone had to be reinforced with FG to prevent shaft collapse.

Then maybe 20 years ago, I discovered slalom paddles.

Three slightly worn Norse paddles available, shafts reinforced.

I bought one of the "Bob Foote" editions - smaller shaft and blade - not bad, but it is relegated mainly to tandeming, raft guiding, and loaning. Bomber, but not oversized.

I bought my first Norse in '74. Rich Brown would cut the blade to any size you specified...and, if you sent him a tracing, he would give you the exact shape you were after. That said, I and my friends, cut down the blades on any number of Norse paddles (cutting the shoulder) w/o any strength difficulties.

When my Norse blades broke, they always broke within 3" of the tip.

I, too, can't imagine using a maximum-size Norse blade for anything water-related.

Rich would also lay up blades with any fabric you sent him. I had a couple 100% Kevlar blades which were, obviously, much lighter than his glass blades.

Roy

arhdc wrote:
It feels good but heavy to pick up with no ballance what so ever. It is a VERY stout feeling paddle.

. . . yes, but it's good for breaking rocks, chopping troublesome sweepers, and killing fish. And kayakers learn not to crowd you in eddies.

Yes, my Norse would be my paddle of choice for digging fire pits, shoveling snow or charging into battle with William Wallace. My Norse also has a role in the emergency bear-in-the-camp contingency plan (after trying to act natural and move away from the bear but before trying to outrun it).

It also makes a decent canoe paddle, especially if you like to hit rocks. Just be aware that they do sacrifice finess to reach the level of brutal indestructibility

Bottom line, I like my Norse paddle for some things but I am not sure I would spend the $$$ again if I had a do over (they start at $140).

As a side note, I chased a black bear once with a Mountian bike and they are FAST. I was going 37 mph and he was pulling away from me quickly. There is no way I am outrunning that.