Inuit blades are a little more complex than Peter implies, but the
extreme styles do have blades that are probably no more than twice the
width of the shaft and most of the length of it. Being long and thin
they don't catch the wind so don't need to be feathered, I think the
shafts are ovalled for hands though as most of us are used to on our
paddles these days!

Extended paddle position - you just slide your hands along to one end,
like when you teach beginners to do pawlata rolls. The very narrow
blades mean that this is much easier, which is lucky as it's necessary
to get the extra leverage for certain strokes.

Never had a chance to try proper ones myself, although a friend made
some roughly in the style many years ago.

JIM

roo wrote:

Peter Clinch wrote in message ...

Charlie wrote:


I conce tried
some Inuit blades that seemed little more than a stick flattened at
each end,

"Little more"? shurely "nothing more"? ;-)


I cant speak for Charlie directly but I think that he probably meant
"little more". Sounds like the blades were a bit more than a stick
flattened at each end? ;-) If they were "nothing more" wouldn't he
have described a stick flattened at each end that he conce tried to
paddle with.....


Rolling is fine, as is bracing and extreme leaned turns, as long as you
remember that using these paddles is at least partly about routine use
of extended grip.


Explain the extended grip to me for use with these paddles, please.

Cheers for the info people, I'm sticking with my blades for now until
I get an offer I can't refuse.

hf
roo