All of my paddling experience has been with single paddles in a tandem
canoe. In a few weeks I'll be spending quite a lot of time in a solo canoe
(a Prism) in touring mode. Is there any advantage in using a double paddle?
Disadvantage?

I have some friends who do some overnight whitewater kayak trips; a guy
sometimes tags along in an OC1. He carries a break-apart kayak paddle
for the steadies, saying that it's more efficient.
Bubba wrote:
All of my paddling experience has been with single paddles in a tandem
canoe. In a few weeks I'll be spending quite a lot of time in a solo canoe
(a Prism) in touring mode. Is there any advantage in using a double paddle?
Disadvantage?

I've seen people on rivers using kayak paddles in canoes. I'm a yaker, but
also have 2 solo white water canoes. I HAVE tried using a double blade, but
actually found it much more rewarding to learn to properly do the canoe
paddle thing. And it was not any more difficult. But try both


"Bubba" wrote in message
...
All of my paddling experience has been with single paddles in a tandem
canoe. In a few weeks I'll be spending quite a lot of time in a solo
canoe
(a Prism) in touring mode. Is there any advantage in using a double
paddle?
Disadvantage?

My limited experience suggests that a kayak paddle is more efficient for
a solo paddler, especially if the solo paddler does not have a lot of
hours paddling a canoe solo with a single bladed paddle. To some
extent, it is a skill thing, and I have seen inexperienced solo paddlers
do poorly with a single blade, and improve when they switch to a kayak
paddle.

As someone else said, why not take both? You need a spare paddle
anyway, why not make one a single blade, and the other a double blade.

Richard



Bubba wrote:

All of my paddling experience has been with single paddles in a tandem
canoe. In a few weeks I'll be spending quite a lot of time in a solo canoe
(a Prism) in touring mode. Is there any advantage in using a double paddle?
Disadvantage?




--
http://www.fergusonsculpture.com
Sculptures in copper and other metals

On Tue, 15 Aug 2006 19:27:13 GMT, Richard Ferguson
wrote:

My limited experience suggests that a kayak paddle is more efficient for
a solo paddler

I wonder if that's true. Consider this: Using a kayak paddle, each
stroke wastes a certain amount of energy in trying to make the boat
turn towards the opposite side.

The same is true of the single-blade canoe paddle.

There are two ways to correct the steering effect: (1) use
alternate-side strokes: left, right, left, right, etc. Or (2) Correct
the steering effect during the stroke, e.g., by using the J-stroke.

So the question most pertinant to the efficiency of double-blade
paddles vs. single-blade paddles may be: Which of the above two forms
of steering correction expents the least energy? Can anyone answer
that one?

Al D

Al D

I paddle my 12 ft solo canoe with a double blade paddle, but I sit on the
floor like a kayak and the stroke routine is comfortable.
I tried the same paddle in a Coleman brand fiberglass canoe and was more
comfortable with the single blade paddle in that boat.

$.02

Bill

"Bubba" wrote in message
...
All of my paddling experience has been with single paddles in a tandem
canoe. In a few weeks I'll be spending quite a lot of time in a solo
canoe (a Prism) in touring mode. Is there any advantage in using a double
paddle? Disadvantage?

Per Al Deveron:
I wonder if that's true. Consider this: Using a kayak paddle, each
stroke wastes a certain amount of energy in trying to make the boat
turn towards the opposite side.

The same is true of the single-blade canoe paddle.

The wisdom that I gleaned (correctly or incorrectly...) from a surf ski mailing
list is that outrigger canoes are not competitive with surf skis because of the
single-bladed paddling technique.

I'll leave it to greater minds than mine to explain why.
--
PeteCresswell

Bubba wrote:
All of my paddling experience has been with single paddles in a tandem
canoe. In a few weeks I'll be spending quite a lot of time in a solo canoe
(a Prism) in touring mode. Is there any advantage in using a double paddle?
Disadvantage?


Speaking specifically to the Prism, a kayak paddle works fine if the
wind is cooperative. If you get a long stretch of crosswind, break out
the bent-shaft and prepare to spend a lot of time on one side if need
be. Also, I much prefer paddling with a canoe paddle if the waves are
up. Too much time out of position if things go wrong, and I can fix
them much faster with a proper canoe stroke.

Marsh Jones
Ketter Canoeing
Brooklyn Park, MN

If you are a purist in a "regular canoe" you would use the j-stroke .
As a long time paddler and a new OC1 and OC 6 paddler, the j-stoke is
very efficient[if you know how to do it properly] even if you are in
the bow seat turned around (it is not good if the canoe you are in is
wide and sharply sheared where you are sitting). That also assumes that
you are paddling at 20-30 strokes per minute or less. If you are
wailing away at 50 + there is no way you can stay on one side.

On the other hand I have also used a kayak paddle in a canoe and while
it feels a little funny it's fun. Not real efficient because of the the
height so the suggestin to sit in the bottom of the canoe is a good
one. I like the suggestion of taking both kinds as long as you have a
kayak paddle that splits...



Bubba wrote:
All of my paddling experience has been with single paddles in a tandem
canoe. In a few weeks I'll be spending quite a lot of time in a solo canoe
(a Prism) in touring mode. Is there any advantage in using a double paddle?
Disadvantage?

I would think that a j-stroke is very efficient, but like stated at a
moderate pace. I'm thinking that a kayak paddle may be a little better
in some situations because you should be able to get a higher stroke
rate. My friend found the kayak paddle was more efficient on steadies
than his whitewater paddle, and he's a fairly competent canoeist. I
don't know how large of a difference there is between a WW and a
touring canoe paddle.

Andrew