WD12 and Greenland Paddle

I'm nearing the completion of my WD 12 and will soon start on making a paddle.  I've read lot of the comments here on the Greenland paddle and I've 2 questions -

First - there were quite a few comments about using the paddle and getting wet in a WD.  Is this because of the paddle or because of the open cockpit.  The only time I saw anything about the WD being a wet kayak has been in discussions related to the greenland paddle.

Second.  The Holst paddle instructions say you should lengthen the paddle if you have a wide cockpit.  I'm 6-ft with long arms.  Has anyone lengthen their paddle for use in a WD12?


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RE: WD12 and Greenland Paddle

I don't have specific info on the combination of the wood duck and the Greenland paddle, however I have been a lover of the Greenland paddle since childhood. (actually an Alaskan offshoot)

Greenland paddles are not used in the same way, and I would argue they have a very different stroke, and thus might be an issue with an open cockpit. Also, there is no such thing as a standard Greenland paddle, each one is a little different. Currently I have thee Greenland style paddles, one that is my old one and I keep as a backup, one that in good for cruising, and one storm paddle that is easy to get out as a back up.

I only recently started making my own using laminated woods and plans (it's worth it) before I made them out of random 2x4's. The nuance of size to paddler is one that I have only recently discovered and have found longer paddles are better for me with a similar frame to yours. That old paddle is about 14" shorter and based off of ones friends used growing up. (they where much shorter than me.

Greenland paddles are really designed for ocean and surf use, the types of paddling where not much on rivers and lakes. to my knowledge canoes where more typical on those and used different paddles. The strokes I take tend to be more vertical than spoon blades and shorter

In conclusion, if you are on lakes I might suggest sticking to spoon paddles due to the open cockpit. but if you close the cockpit I would always go with a Greenland paddle.

RE: WD12 and Greenland Paddle

Spray skirt will fix the wet cockpit.

Laszlo

RE: WD12 and Greenland Paddle

   Greenland paddles are used differently than european paddles.  The GPs don't have drip rings. Your hands are also on many parts of the paddle making drip rings impractable since you must run your hand thourgh that area. Thus wetter................paddle drips into the cockpit. 

Greenland paddles like deep water........lets say three feet is deep.  In shallow six inch you only have 6" x" 3.5" of paddle in the water. While a spoon blade paddle often has 6"x 6".   

I always use a skirt on my kayaks. In the canoe I get wet using the GP.  I would guess the WD has a larger cockpit than my kayaks.  Which makes a skirt impractible, but as Laszlo said a spray skirt might work.  However the drips will be in you lap not your feet. 

RE: WD12 and Greenland Paddle

   If the 30" beam of the WD forces you to take a low angle short stroke I think it is more akin at european paddle friendly thing.  For me my GPs work best with a deeper stroke close to the hull. Which in my case is 24" or less. 

RE: WD12 and Greenland Paddle

I use the WD spray skirt sold by CLC. It works just as well with the large cockpit as the smaller spray skirts do in the narrower cockpit boats.

For less challenging conditions I use the Seals Splash Deck.

I've had mine for years and have been trying to convince CLC to stock it and offer it as a standard product for the WD series, It stops euro-paddle drips, not sure about Greenlander paddles, allows good ventilation and provides shade on legs. An adjustable batten maintains the curve that keeps drips from pooling in the middle and soaking through. Again, I've never used Greenlander paddles, so I don't know if the proper stroke would let the water drip  through the opening or onto the deck.

FWIW, I tend to use deep strokes when I'm paddling my WD12. I only use the shallow strokes in shallow water. While the WD12 is wide, it's actually only 5" wider on a side than a Petrel. It also has a pronounced tumble home that allows the paddle to take a fairly high-angle stroke, so a Greenlander paddle may actually be quite viable and efficient.

Laszlo

 

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