Need paddle advise

[LandCruiserPhil]

My wife has a Sevylor inflatable canoe and this past weekend we did a mild river trip(class 1-2). Is it me or do canoe paddles suck? Granted we have low end wood paddles. In the past I have had some experience in inflatable kayaks with Kayak paddles and it seems to me that a kayak paddle would be so much more efficient then a canoe paddle? Is it wrong to use a kayak paddle in an inflatable canoe?

 

[RHINO]

nope, but keep in mind you'll want a long kayak paddle.

 

[LandCruiserPhil]

nope, but keep in mind you'll want a long kayak paddle.

Cool I figure with my height and the beam of the canoe at 39" I should look for something around 220Cm-230Cm?

 

[RHINO]

i run a 230cm paddle, my yak is 30" and sits lower in the water i'm sure than your inflatable, were not too far different in height or reach and i sometimes want a 240cm paddle. your welcome to try my 230cm out before you buy.

 

[kerry]

I think it partly depends on your paddling position and the height of the seat. If you're sitting on the bottom of the boat, a canoe paddle can be awkward. If you are kneeling or sitting higher than the bottom of the boat a canoe paddle is fine. Keep in mind that using a canoe paddle requires different strokes than a kayak paddle especially if you want to avoid switching sides.
But it's never 'wrong'. It all depends what you want to do in a specific set of circumstances.

 

[paulj]

It appears with that 'canoe' that you are still sitting low enough that a kayak paddle is best. A single blade paddle might work if you were kneeling. In a conventional canoe, you are seated within a few inches of gunwales, 10 or so inches above the water.

For an inflatable, a 4 piece kayak paddle is nice, since it packs to a size comparable to the packed boat. But it is also more expensive than a 2 piece.

 

[Nullifier]

My wife has a Sevylor inflatable canoe and this past weekend we did a mild river trip(class 1-2). Is it me or do canoe paddles suck? Granted we have low end wood paddles. In the past I have had some experience in inflatable kayaks with Kayak paddles and it seems to me that a kayak paddle would be so much more efficient then a canoe paddle? Is it wrong to use a kayak paddle in an inflatable canoe?

LOL sevlor is a crazy company. That is an inflatable kayak not a canoe. You will be looking for a minimum of a 230cm kayak paddle. 240 will be optimal for open water areas but the longer length will hinder you if you are paddling in rapids or super narrow creeks.

This is an inflatable canoe. Innova Vagabond

 

[paulj]

and the Vagabond paddlers are kneeling. I'd like to see an inflatable that could be poled, standing

 

[kerry]

Here's another:

http://www.soar1.com/soar_16.htm

 

[RHINO]

i was really thinkin about a 2 man foldcat for a while, it has its purpose.

http://www.seaeagle.com/FoldCat.aspx

 

[grahamfitter]

and the Vagabond paddlers are kneeling. I'd like to see an inflatable that could be poled, standing

Its not quite poling but here's Jeff Snyder striding Ohiopyle Falls in Penn:

And on a video on playak.tv: Link

His brother, Jim, makes long paddles for striding: RivrStyx

Cheers,
Graham

 

[paulj]

That waterfall picture reminds me a new derivative of surfing that I saw on TV - stand up paddling of a surf board. That was using a long, single blade paddle.

There's a lot more on the net SUP than I realized:
http://www.standuppaddlesurf.net/

 

[T.Low]

That waterfall picture reminds me a new derivative of surfing that I saw on TV - stand up paddling of a surf board. That was using a long, single blade paddle.

There's a lot more on the net SUP than I realized:
http://www.standuppaddlesurf.net/

Its very effective in places like Sayulita where the long boards are often the board of choice to catch the smaller waves. The paddle boardies catch many more waves.

Keep in mind that the relative body measurement is torso length rather than overall height. While I'm under 5'11, I'm taller than most when sitting in a kayak as I have a short inseam and long torso. (Shoulder to water distance)That being said, I have a high angle stroke even in a sea kayak, and I like to use an arsenal of different strokes rather than a rudder, so I use a 216 in a 21" wide sea boat.

I would recomend trying the 230 to see if you can get away with it, 240 is just huge. Please keep in mind also, that even though I currently have 13 kayaks in my quiver, I've never paddled a Sevylor.

I do agree with Paul, see if you can find a 4 peice on CL or on paddling.net. Or buy two extra ferrels and build your own 4 peice.

And beware: inflatables are also known as deflatables!

 

[LandCruiserPhil]

Thanks to everyone for there suggestion and advice. I ended up ordering Canon paddles from Dennis at Portablekayaks. The customer service from both companies was over the top in my book.

When I contacted Dennis at Portablekayaks he listens to my needs and made suggestion based on my needs and never try to oversell me. I ended up with Canon four piece paddles to make the fit in my wife Highlander easier. I ordered Canon Escape paddles in 220cm and a 230cm size. I choose the Escape as an entry level paddle with nice features at a fair price.

My paddles arrived in just a few days well package but no foam grips, a featured buying point for me due to the high AZ temperatures. I contacted Dennis at Portablekayaks about my finding. After contacting Canon he replied that Canon had changed the design and had not notified him of the change but not to worry Canon did locate some remaining foam grips at the plant and will be sending them out for both paddles. Canon replied with an email, tracking number, and installation instruction for the foam grips. Canon also included a phone number to assist me if I had any more question on installation. All my communication was friendly and all phone calls and emails were promptly handled.

It was refreshing to see that customer service is alive and still available even on a basic entry level order. I had a great experience with both companies and enjoyed giving them my business. With hesitation I would recommend Dennis at Portablekayaks for all your Kayaking needs.