I thought it would be interesting and perhaps even instructive to share info about our paddles. Maybe someone will see a paddle they have been thinking about buying and can ask the owner questions.

Mine are arranged in the order I purchased them from right to left, I have never lost or broken a paddle I own. One of the reasons for this is that every couple of years I refinish them. This year I did every paddle I own. Lack of snow gave me time to do it, not much opportunity to ski or snow shoe near home.

The one on the far right is 60”, like most people the first paddle I bought was too long. It still accompanies me on trips as a second paddle on rivers I may have a need for a pole.

The next one is 54” and is still used in the bow position of my tandem canoe if the paddler doesn’t have their own paddle.

The third to the right I bought for paddling my tandem from the stern position, also 54" and is now also used in the bow position as an alternative.

4th is my first bent shaft was bought due to circumstances, it is a wood racing paddle, very light weight, but too long (54") for racing. I bought it because it was ½ price and I wanted a bent shaft to paddle my tandem solo. I did not have a solo canoe at this time. And the long length worked well with my 18’ Jensen I paddled solo.

The second from left is the first Bending Branches I considered worthy of buying. It is a 50" Starlite which is considerably lighter than earlier BB paddles. It has a layer of fiberglass on both faces of the paddle which is non standard. My go to paddle when tripping, I have used it for 14 years now.

The leftmost paddle was bought simply because it was a great deal I couldn’t pass up. It is a Sunshadow by BB that is the same design geometry as the Starlite but as you can see it is constructed differently and does not have fiberglass reinforcing like the Starlite (which again is non standard for that paddle). It is the paddle I use for paddling around town and often is my second paddle for tripping to places like Wabakimi , Woodland Caribou, or Quetico. I don’t want to be caught paddling long distance with one of the others.

I plan to buy a two bladed paddle this spring, I plan to use it to paddle solo my Jensen 18’ tandem when I go to Utah. So if you have a kayak paddle that you use for paddling solo, I'd like to hear about it and see it.

I don't have the nice picture but I can tell you what I use. I have two paddles I use for all tripping and am looking for a third. The two I take are:

1. A handmade paddle I put together a couple of years ago. t's a Sugar Island blade with an oval shaft and modified pear handle. Overall length is 62". There is a black fiberglass covering on the tip for protection. It is probably long for some paddlers but at 6'3" and using a solo canoe I like long paddles.
2. A Bending Branches BB Special bent shaft at 56" for a change of pace on the lakes.
3. A Werner Skagit 230cm Kayak paddle. I haven't quite got the hang of a 'yak paddle but I'm willing to give it the effort. I think because of my height I use a higher stroke and end up with a bunch of water in the bottom of the canoe.

I am looking to get a bent shaft carbon fiber paddle for longer tripping but that's probably a ways in the future.

Sierra1, a 230cm seems way to short. I'm 6'1 and use a 280cm. The shorter paddles lead to more water in the canoe. If you can, try a longer paddle. (imho).

A 230 works fine for a sub 27 inch gunwale width solo.

But we have no specs on the OP's height nor gunwale width of the boat at the paddling station.

Our answers are meaningless in context of that lack on knowledge.

I did look at a picture of a Jensen 18 and wonder how the OP has it outfitted. Its a huge boat for one..And if the Green is the destination the wind is a big factor there.

Two of us needed the space of an 18 for the toilet and water. Not sure that one will need that space and a lighter boat can get blown around with too much hull showing. Utah sometimes kicks up 40 mph winds on the rivers and boy to the winds funnel.

If its a solo..take a table. A chair. Heavy stuff!

But back to the question.

I'm 6'0" tall, normally paddle a Wenonah Voayager solo, but for the Green trip I want to paddle my tandem. Why, you ask?

Because the Voyager simply cannot take all I need (YC: water & toilet, and fire can), plus it is Tuffweave rather than Kevlar. When I was younger I paddled the J-18 solo all the time including trips to Quetico, it worked well on the longer lakes there. No portaging on Green. I paddle it from a seat in the center, so a longer canoe paddle is necessary compared to what one would normally use. It is very fast paddled solo, faster even than the Voyager which is a very fast solo. The 18 is 32" wide I think, the Voyager is very slim, fits me like a glove.

ZaraSp00k
i have an aquabound seafarar 240 cm kayak paddle i am trying to get rid of. also a generic, hideous black plastic thing i was too lazy to pull down from the rafters.





these are, left to right, clement 8" blade, 1977, made in trois riviers, quebec. cracked and repaired, still very nice. seda WW paddle, ugly and paddles even worse. tiny grey owl bent shaft 1982 and still good as new (my wife's), grey owl, big ass, heavy, bigfoot beating paddle, cracked and repaired, my choice for whitewater. bending branches expedition, cracked and repaired, nice but retired unless an extra is needed. bell paddle, very nice. last and newest is a North Shore Paddle Company paddle my son bought in two harbors. very sweet paddle.

whitewater paddling is heck on a paddle. these are a paddles that have survived. i take very good care of them. they hang, the blades never touch ground (except in this photo). and they are never used as poles.

quote ZaraSp00k: "I'm 6'0" tall, normally paddle a Wenonah Voayager solo, but for the Green trip I want to paddle my tandem. Why, you ask?


Because the Voyager simply cannot take all I need (YC: water & toilet, and fire can), plus it is Tuffweave rather than Kevlar. When I was younger I paddled the J-18 solo all the time including trips to Quetico, it worked well on the longer lakes there. No portaging on Green. I paddle it from a seat in the center, so a longer canoe paddle is necessary compared to what one would normally use. It is very fast paddled solo, faster even than the Voyager which is a very fast solo. The 18 is 32" wide I think, the Voyager is very slim, fits me like a glove.


"

I know. My Green River trip last October was a blast. But the last day was literally a blast. Take heavy stuff. Deadman your tent on all sided!
Folks at our campsite lost their entire tent and contents while away on a day hike to the Doll House.

On a side note the Green can go very fast.We made 8 mph paddling, 4.5 not. Don't speed by the great hiking!

I would try to find a 260 to borrow. Normally that make the boat yaw too much, but not yours. And I was not kidding about a table and chair. They are not necessary but useful as is a golf umbrella for camp shade.

got some pix here

give me a day or two and i'll post mine.i bought a new one when i retired but keep going back to a old tried and true.

I bought a Wenonah Quetico 52 inch as a first paddle because I was still living at home and bumming my Dad's Paddles for river work. I then bought 2 straight shaft bending Branches, a 56 inch Expedition plus and a 54inch Explorer. Then came a 60 inch beavertail, a 50 inch Quetico, and 52 inch no name straight shaft and a 51 inch Fox.

I need to add a better whitewater paddle, I am planning on a 56 inch Aquabound Edge. I have been playing in whitewater the last few years.

My favorite paddle.62" Sawyer Ottertail

SunCatcher

I use a 62 inch ash ottertail from the 1930s. Just ordered a 63 inch ottertail from dri-ki for my spare.

just two ugly black ones. they arent very photogenic.

hey kanoes... sorry if you've told us before but.... are your bungies you installed just tied in a knot on the underside or is there something else holding them on? thanks

just overhand knots

quote kanoes: "just two ugly black ones. they arent very photogenic."

... but expensive, now we know who the high roller in this place is

one of these days I'm going to get me one, but right now I'm looking to get a double blade and am wondering the length

my solo is 28.75" wide at max, 21.5" gunwale, 27.5" at waterline
tandem is 34", 33", and 32"

shsylvester, at first i thought, 63" ash ottertail, from the 30's? i'm thinking, what a nut job, that's what i want. so you are doing the vintage thing, wool, i reckon, and the leather boots, gokey's maybe?

the challenge is on. i was at fort williams, (thunder bay), a woman came up to me and asked why i wasn't doing anything. i was, i was a tourist with my family. in anchorage, i was hanging with a really rough crowd, pathetic vietnam war vets and lost alcoholic eskimos. Japanese tourists (this was a while ago) couldn't get enough photos of us. it was sad.

we need to start a new group here. i am not a re-an-actor (word per google), i just can't afford the new high tech stuff.

My first and only paddle so far is a 56" bending branches Arrow paddle. I'm 5' 11" and like to kneel when I paddle. I would have bought a 54" one if I sat on the seat most of the time. It's been an ok, reliable paddle so far.

paddle