Kayak paddle for a canoe: to do or not to do, that is the question

[downoffthemountain]

I'm fortunate, in that I don't have to drive to fish. I can put into the bayou from my yard. But I've got a pretty good distance to cover to get down to the marsh ponds I'm fishing on the edge of Lake Ponchartrain - it usually takes me about 45 minutes of steady paddling to get there. I don't mind the exercise but that's an hour & half that could be better spent fishing. "Traditional" paddles make a lot of sense when going tandem but I've been wondering if a kayak paddle wouldn't be more efficient and therefore faster to use when going solo canoeing.
I think I'd want as absolutely long a paddle as possible to span the width of the canoe (and I've got monkey arms anyway).
Any thoughts, comments, experience?

[Sandman]

Seems like it would work well as long as you don't have trouble getting the blades to reach the water. I have an extra paddle you can use to test your idea before you buy one if you want.

[northshoretiger]

I have seen a pair of older fellows in canoes and they both used kayak paddles. Seemed to work really well for them.

[Kurt_Loup]

I have seen a pair of older fellows in canoes and they both used kayak paddles. Seemed to work really well for them.

Hope you aren't referring to me.

I use a kayak exclusively in my canoe. My canoe is a solo model with tumblehome along the sides so I do not have a problem hitting the gunwales with the paddle. If you have a wide canoe, that is the only problem I see.

[CNSpots]

I have a 14' canoe and use a kayak paddle almost exclusively. I have moved the seats in mine more towards the center to make it more "solo" friendly, and bought the longest paddle I could find at Academy. I also added a removable swivel seat on top of the factory seats, which gives me a little more height, so I have a better angle over the gunwale down to the water. It is very efficient.
I am on vacation right now and don't have any pictures of the boat with me, but will try to post some when I get back.. In fact, my wife and I paddled around St. Joe Bay in the canoe yesterday. I used the double paddle in back, and she used a standard canoe paddle up front.. I'm thinking about getting another kayak paddle for her to use when we fish together..

[downoffthemountain]

I figured it would be an improvement, but wanted to validation. I guess I know what I'm picking up this week. I don't mind paddling the distance - it's good exercise (and I surely need more of that) but if I could cover the distance faster - that's more time to fish. Thanks for the feedback!

[Yellow Submarine]

I recently sold 2 alum. canoes one 17' and another 18' I've always used for floating downstream. With bench seats I could slide to one side or the other to paddle and there is an art to paddeling and I can paddle on one side without switching from on side to the other. With my weight off centered the canoe would slightly tilt and lower the gunnel to make my strokes longer and able to steer during the stroke, hence "J-stroke". alum canoes always tracked much better than others so it was easier for me. I like a long paddle and and a long waterline on the boat, the longer hull the faster the hull, after all its about point "a" to point "b".
I have yet developed my skills of using a yak paddle, it is a much different experence for me the curved cupped blade and the hull's reaction is much different than of a canoe. I'm learning as I go, and now with a pro-angler I picked up i will have to learn the art of Fred Flintstone.
Good Luck on your paddling, you are lucky to be on the water to start with, launching is always logistics problem in itself.
Marty

[northshoretiger]

Hope you aren't referring to me.

Ha! You don't have that much time on me. Besides, I've only ever seen you using a regualar canoe paddle.

[CNSpots]

I figured it would be an improvement, but wanted to validation. I guess I know what I'm picking up this week. I don't mind paddling the distance - it's good exercise (and I surely need more of that) but if I could cover the distance faster - that's more time to fish. Thanks for the feedback!

DOTM.. Here is a pic of my boat.. It paddles well with the kayak paddle..

http://i145.photobucket.com/albums/r201/TeamSeeinSpots/moto_0168.jpg

[Branch_Office]

Nice set up!

[CNSpots]

Nice set up!

Thanks..

Still working on it, trying to fine tune it as I go.. I have gotten lots of great ideas and information from the club.
I have really enjoyed getting to use it some in the last couple of weeks and hope to get more time on the water with it soon...

[downoffthemountain]

CNSpots,

Ditto on the nice set up. I'm envious of the swivel seat addition and am gonna have to look into that. Looking at your picture it looks like the original seat sits a few inches lower than sides. The seat in my Pelican is almost flush. I'm wondering how much the added height of a couple inches to accomodate the swivel seat will affect the overall balance. Did you notice any change in your "center of gravity" by adding the swivel seat?

[CNSpots]

I was a little worried about that as well, but it has not been a problem.. To make it easier to transport, I bought a slide in mount for the seat at Academy and bolted it through the factory seat. It lets me lift a lever and slide the seat off so I can carry the canoe on top pf the Jeep. The center of gravity is still good and I have a better angle to the water with the kayak paddle. The factory seat is about 4" below the gunwale, so the swivel seat sits about level with the sides. I'm still playing around with the ideal seat placement. We will have to plan a trip and compare notes on the boats one of these days.. How wide is your boat?

[Psycho Joe]

This looks to be a canoe thread so I guess I am in the right spot.

I am looking to get an "Old Town" Discovery 119 canoe next. It is only 12 feet long but can carry 500 lbs. It is set up for a solo paddler. And it's hard to beat that price to capacity ratio.

http://www.****ssportinggoods.com/product/index.jsp?productId=4184250&cp=2367438.2367826.2672651

[CNSpots]

Hey Joe.. the capacity is what made me want a canoe rather than a kayak. I fish a lot with either my wife or my brother, and enjoy being able to fish out of the same boat. I can carry a 48 qt ice chest, bait bucket, cast net, etc.. with no problem. My OT Sport is 14' long and 42" across the bottom, so it tracks well and is very stable.. I have stood in it to pole and cast on occasion, and am comfortable with that dependent on the conditions. There are certainly trade offs compared to a yak.. The canoe is more wind sensitive, and harder to load/transport than a yak, but looking at the Discovery, it weighs about 30#s less than my Sport, so that wouldn't be as big an issue. Also, the weight capacity is great for the size, particularly if you are looking at canoe camping trips. It looks like a great boat. I looked at the solo canoes at ****'s, and if I hadn't wanted a double, and found a great deal on mine used, I would have gotten one like the Discovery.

[Psycho Joe]

I was looking at the Ultimate but found this and I already have rigging ideas floating around in my head for it. So, today I will probably start putting them to paper. I still need to wait on pulling the trigger on this one. My finances aren't quite there yet. I figure about mid July I will be getting this and hitting the water immediately to see where I can put what.

[Branch_Office]

I was looking at the Ultimate but found this and I already have rigging ideas floating around in my head for it.

There you again with those voices in your head....:hide::biggrin:

[Psycho Joe]

There you again with those voices in your head....:hide::biggrin:

The "OTHER" reason for my screen name!

[downoffthemountain]

My canoe is a Pelican 15.5 touring - 3 seats. It wouldn't have been my first choice but the price was perfect - free. It's 37" wide and weighs 81lbs but it has an 800lb weight capacity. This weekend I'm going to scout a water route into a slough where I hope to hunt pigs. I'm 250lbs myself and having the capacity to paddle out with a pig instead of having to drag one 1/2 a mile or more thru flooded woods is really appealing. Plus, the more I fish out of it, the more I'm inclined to stay with a canoe for the higher vantage point as well as the additional space/weight capacity. I'm more than game to get together with you and Joe to figure out the best options for rigging a canoe. I must confess, I'm pretty happy with my anchor trolley & marsh stake set up and you've given me a good line on a better seat set up. In the mean time my folding camp chair will suffice. I truly think that migrating to a good kayak paddle will be the biggest improvement. I've also got an old trolling motor and am going figure out how I want to rig it up. It all boils down to budgeting - paddle, then new battery, then swivel seat.

[Kurt_Loup]

Let me know if you want some ideas on mounting a trolling motor. Eventually, I will have one on my canoe. I'll add foot pedals for steering and a remote switch. That way, I'll be able to swap out motors on my canoe and kayaks.

[stinkbait]

I use a Bending Branches double blade wood canoe paddle and love it. Like a kayak paddle but longer shaft.
http://www.bendingbranches.com/impression-solo-wood-canoe-paddle.php

[downoffthemountain]

stinkbait,
Thanks much for the line on the BB paddle. That's exactly what I was looking for. I placed my order yesterday. They have to build one - nothing in stock. I hope to have it in time to use the wknd of the 7th & 8th.

[downoffthemountain]

I picked up the Bending Branches solo canoe paddle - it's all wood with a kevlar rock guard on both paddle edges, 2 piece, very nice looking, much lighter than expected and at 280cm works great. A significant improvement over the single blade style. I ordered the paddle thru Masseys and they made it, shipped it, and I had it in my hands in 5 days. The price was about $185. For what it is, I can't even complain about the price tag.