Using a double bladed paddle in a canoe
A few weeks ago I had the chance to paddle with some friends and their children who had never paddled a canoe before, also on this trip one paddler's partner didn't show up so he paddled a 18 1/2 aluminum canoe solo with a bent shaft canoe paddle. After watching both canoes struggle to keep the canoes in a straight line with a good amount of current and a very stiff headwind, I realized why recreational kayaking and the small pack canoes has become so popular. Using a double bladed paddle is an easy way to move a canoe or kayak in a straight line, every stroke on your left is matched with an equal stroke on your right. In a tandem canoe sit and switch style mimics this left-right stoke of the double bladed paddle but the stern person has to be able to know when to call the switch. I think they would have been able to make more headway in to the wind and they would have found it easier to turn a moving canoe with a power stroke than trying to use a rudder with the wind that we were fighting. Last week I took my Grasse River Classic XL solo canoe out with a few double bladed paddles on a beautiful fall day and reaffirmed some things that I have learned over the years
The first is that with the higher seat and no deck you will get wet with a shorter paddle, here I am using a230cm Splash. To reach the water I had to use a high angle stroke which throws a lot of water in my lap, also this stroke can put stress on rotator cuffs in our shoulders
Here I am using a 260 K3, you can notice the lower angle plus with the longer shaft length the blades are outside the canoe so I stayed much drier. I like the K3 for these long paddles because of the light swing weight and the stiff carbon blade. The double blade in a canoe is a good choice for windy days and upstream travel,or if you are paddling a tandem canoe solo
Happy Paddlin'
Dale
