Brian Nystrom wrote:
Wm Watt wrote:

The canoe paddle serves as both paddle and rudder. Kayak paddles don't
do the rudder job well.

Why not? It seems to me that a kayak paddle should be easier to use as a
rudder since you can rudder on either side without having to shift the
paddle in your hands. Kayakers use various types of rudder strokes all
the time, though kayaks can also be directed using leans and sweeps
which are probably more difficult in a canoe.


Why would you want to "rudder on both sides"?
You only need or want to paddle on both sides in white water or some
other extreme conditions where efficiency is questionable, and when
poling is sometimes better.


A kayak paddle will allow you to extert more force at the cost of more
effort. It's the same canoe and nothing is free.

True, but a kayak paddle is more efficient, since there is less time for
the boat to decelerate between strokes, so you do gain a bit of speed at
no cost.

That's only a problem in a short boat. Once a canoe exceeds about 12 ft
in length a moderate paddle stroke will maintain a steady rate of
speed.

- a paddle blade is better formed to act as a rudder

- the handle of a paddle has a grip at the top to facilitate twisting
the blade. Twisting the blade in the water is part of a normal canoe
stroke.

- in a canoe the solo paddler sits amidships like a kayak paddler but
because a canoe is wider the paddler sits to one side where the paddle
can be dipped vertically into the water. For a solo canoe paddler, a
kayak paddle is not as efficient. The canoe is too wide amidships. A
kayak paddle with a sufficiently large blade may be more powerful, but
not more efficient.

For someone who mostly uses a kayak paddle it may feel more efficient
than a canoe paddle but that's because the person is conditioned to a
kayak paddle. I've used both kinds in the small boats I built. The
shortest boat needs a kayak paddle because it does't track well. It's
like one of those short white water kayaks.

I was interested in the account of using a kayak paddle when paddling
double in a canoe. Sitting in the end of the canoe would be narrow
enough to make a kayak paddle practical. I've never tried it but think
it would be interesting. There would still be the problem of the kayak
paddle not acting well as a rudder, but on a straight course it would
be interesting to try. People use bent blade paddles on straight
courses so there is a precedent.