Pushpole ???

[yak-aholic]

Does anyone actually use a pushpole while kayaking? I can see where it might be even more stealthy than paddling. Thinking of building one out of PVC before I drop any money on buying one.

[4x4fishin]

I screwed up one of my mariner paddles the other day. I kinda drug it for a while on the highway... OOOOOOPs. Anyway one end of the paddle was dammaged, the other is fine. I'm thinking about extending the damaged end and putting a duck bill or whatever you call it on that end. I'll keep a paddle blade on the other end. For places like magnolia or chico lagoon it should work pretty well. Also in places like buras where the broken marsh requires tight turns and crossing very shallow mud flats it should work much better than a paddle blade.

[yak-aholic]

I'm thinking of something more like 12' long. While a paddle-length pushpole would probably suffice for emergency situations, a longer pole allows you to push more before having to pick it up and re-position.

[yak-aholic]

Stiffy has some "kayak/canoe" push poles, they run $178 for 8', 10', 12', or 14'. The 5' model is less at $100, but I can't see where it would be useful for much more than a marsh anchor.

[bigredbobber]

Yak-aholic,

Go to Home Depot, buy a closet rod. Cut it to the desired length; I think they come whole at 16 feet. I didn't cut mine down for canoe use. Most are between 8-12 feet long but my philosophy is the longer, the better, if you've push-poled before, you know. Sand it smooth and round off the end you plan to keep out of the water. Shape it similar to the top of a shovel handle to fit your palm comfortably. Then head over to Academy. Dig around or ask around for a green metal duckbill for push poles. Buy the one that is only the duckbill and a screw. Make sure the part where you insert the pole isn't threaded or octagonal and you've got the right one. Take it home, dig around in the garage for a better stainless steel wood screw. Shape the rod end to fit using the sand paper again. Tap the rod into place with a soft mallet and attach the screws. DO NOT put any varnish on the rod. I've used a little tung oil or teak oil applied once when I make it and that's it.

Normal cost of store bought aluminum push poles plus the duckbill: ~$40

Closet rod: $20 or less. They might even cut it to size at HD and charge you only for the footage you need
Duckbill from Academy: ~$10.00

total cost: ~$30 for a "Daddy-made" family fishing heirloom that is strong enough to last multi-generations.

The first one I made would still be in service had I not left it on the side of Hwy 1 last summer. D'OH! Hope somebody's using it and it didn't get crushed.
Made the second one the same as I described. Same as the first.

Good luck, man.

[yak-aholic]

Thanks Jorge, I'm actually playing around with the idea of using my 5' stakeout pole and a sleeve on a 7' piece of 3/4" PVC re-inforced with wooden dowell marine gooped inside. If I remember, I'll post pics of the process. I have the idea in my head already and made my stake-out pole with this idea in mind.

[snake doctor]

I built one out of an old pool cleaner pole, drilled a hole through it, added the duck bill, and attached it with a big Cotter pin. It already had a plastic handle on the end, so it was good to go. It is about 10' long. I took it out for a test at Myrtle Grove and it was almost useless. The muck was so soft the pole had to be pushed about 3' down and then extracted before I could move. If you have any kind of firm bottom then a push pole will work great, but lots of the marsh I fish is just too mucky for a pole.

[bigredbobber]

I'd like to see the final product Landon. Please post pics when you build it.

[4x4fishin]

If my rebuild plan for the damaged paddle works it will likely be 8-10 feet. As far as the ultra soft bottom, your going to have to increase the size of the buisness end. I'm thinking of maybe a wider duck bill, or even a perforated cone.

[Hobie1Kenobie]

Glad someone else addressed this. I've been heading out without paddles at all - Mirage Drive - and have taken to using my stake out pole as a push pole. I like bigredbobber's advice and may forge one of my own. I think I will change it a little though. I'd like to be able to get double duty out of any push pole I make to be able to use as a stake out pole as well. Gotta find a happy medium there I guess.

[snake doctor]

This one looks pretty good (and cheap).

http://www.angelfire.com/ultra/edaskew/pushpole2.html

[Nobody]

Academy online has a telescoping push pole for $42

[brian22]

Thanks to Tugowar, I have a $3 tomato stake I use. Get the thick one about as big around as a thumb, not the skinny skinny ones, that one has a steel core. feel free to mod it out as desired.

[valvguy1]

Academy online has a telescoping push pole for $42

They have a 29.00 one on siegen as well.

[KingfisherB]

I made one similar to BRB. I used a 12 foot piece of "round stock" from Home Depot and a hard rubber Y bow stop made for a trailer. I shaped the bow stop with a hack saw so it wouldn't look so clunky and then lag bolted it to one end of the round stock. It cost me a little less than 40 bucks.
-Brian

[4x4fishin]

I made one similar to BRB. I used a 12 foot piece of "round stock" from Home Depot and a hard rubber Y bow stop made for a trailer. I shaped the bow stop with a hack saw so it wouldn't look so clunky and then lag bolted it to one end of the round stock. It cost me a little less than 40 bucks.
-Brian

Great Idea for the buisiness end.

[KingfisherB]

Great Idea for the buisiness end.

Thanks, but I can't take the credit. I saw it somewhere on microskiff.com

[OldMan]

went to lowes and bought a a three piece alunimun paint pole, removed the small section and put a duck bill on that, you can keep it in the yak as a 4 ft. and extend it to 8 ft. cost under $50 bucks.

[Troutman]

A few years back my father wanted to make a quality pushpole for his boat. He works in the athletic dept at LSU and he got a pole vaulting pole that the track and field team wasnt using any more. He installed a fiberglass duck bill on the end and blanked out the ends. Probably the best looking push pole I've ever seen. Good idea for someone, if you come across a pole vaulting pole.

[Evilvalis]

Glad someone else addressed this. I've been heading out without paddles at all - Mirage Drive - and have taken to using my stake out pole as a push pole. I like bigredbobber's advice and may forge one of my own. I think I will change it a little though. I'd like to be able to get double duty out of any push pole I make to be able to use as a stake out pole as well. Gotta find a happy medium there I guess.


DO NOT DO THIS! I and a Buddy just brought out PA's. Took them to Hopedale, my friend didn't know to stay out side of the PVC pipes "he's from texas" He bent the crap out his shafts on both fins, and the shafts went thru the fins rendering them useless. It was a costly mistake, then he dropped the locking ring thru a scupper hole in the PA :frown: Luckily I was there and towed him back in. :thumbdown:

[Kurt_Loup]

I have an 8 foot fiberglass tube if someone can use it. It's stonger than PVC.

[Cobia 1]

I have an 8 foot fiberglass tube if someone can use it. It's stonger than PVC.

What's the diameter and wall thickness?

[Kurt_Loup]

1" diameter, 1/8" wall thickness.

[Gray Ghost]

http://www.amleo.com/fiberglass-tree-stakes/p/VP-FSXX/

Fiberglass Tree Stakes Cheap Too

[trout25red]

I agree. Do not go with just a Mirage Drive. On way in for FNT Saturday, I had the mast on one of my fins come loose. The set screw slipped as I went threw some shallow mud accidentally. I got lucky and was able to fix it on the water, but I thought that I was gonna have to paddle in. Even with the Mirage Drive, it still took 1.5 hours to get back into wind and current. My arms may have fallen off if I had to paddle the outback that far. Either way, I was prepared. This is the first problem I have had in 5 years with either of my drives. While the Mirage Drives are durable, nothing lasts forever.

[valvguy1]

Thank Goodness for the new 18' Cabelas Push Pole. A couple of us went out Sunday and we went as shallow as the bay boat would allow. On 3 occasions we had to use the push pole to get back to trolling motor depth.