Brian Nystrom wrote:

Feathercraft sells a takedown GP, but it's rather heavy. The problem is
that the only commercially available center ferrules are too small and
the wrong shape (round) for a GP loom.

On Qajaq USA, someone recently posted a link to a web site selling carbon fiber
sleeves of different sizes. These are carbon only, no resins. By stretching or
compressing the weave, you can vary the diameter somewhat compared to the
nominal diameter. As well, you can set its cross section to be oval or any
other shape. Add a little epoxy and you can make a custom ferrule for a GP.

Mike

Michael Daly wrote:
Brian Nystrom wrote:

Feathercraft sells a takedown GP, but it's rather heavy. The problem is
that the only commercially available center ferrules are too small and
the wrong shape (round) for a GP loom.

On Qajaq USA, someone recently posted a link to a web site selling
carbon fiber sleeves of different sizes. These are carbon only, no
resins. By stretching or compressing the weave, you can vary the
diameter somewhat compared to the nominal diameter. As well, you can
set its cross section to be oval or any other shape. Add a little epoxy
and you can make a custom ferrule for a GP.

Sure, but what do you use for molds? You need to make both an outer
sleeve for both sides of the paddle and an inner connecting tube that
fits into one side of it to form the "male" portion of the ferrule. That
means an internal mold for the outer sleeve and a matching external mold
for the inner tube. I'm sure it can be done, but I can't think of an
easy or inexpensive way to do it.

Brian Nystrom wrote:

Sure, but what do you use for molds? You need to make both an outer
sleeve for both sides of the paddle and an inner connecting tube that
fits into one side of it to form the "male" portion of the ferrule.

I was thinking that you could simply wrap the sleeve over the loom (pre-cut and
covered with a mold release). Once cured, glue one half of the paddle into the
resulting tube. Alternatively, just put release film/PVA on only one side and
have the ferrule cure directly on the other half. If you don't want to have a
ridge at the end of the ferrule, you could carve the loom down by the thickness
of the ferrule.

If the loom's not round, there's no problem with the removable end rotating,
just sliding out. A slit cut into the female end of the ferrule will allow a
clamp to close it tight.

Not much of a clamping device would be needed as long as there's enough friction
inside the tube. I once went paddling with a Euro where the tightening widget
had fallen off at home and I hadn't noticed till I got to the water. I wrapped
the shaft with a bit of bungie and it was fine.

Mike