Kayak paddle for canoe?

[snapcrackpop]

Okay, I can count the times I've been in a canoe on one hand, but plan to purchase one soon.

My question: For one person (17' canoe), would using a kayak paddle be easier or harder than using one paddle?

I'm thinking about being on a lake and needing to cover some distance as easily as possible.

Trying to sneek into a bowhunting spot in some cattails...

[Powerstroke]

Many solo canoists use a kayak paddle. As to use on a 17ft canoe it may be a little difficult. The kayak paddle lends itself to manuverability and the long canoe means straighter tracking. It can difinately work, but usually the kayak paddles are used on a shorter boat. Best thing to do is test it out when you try out the boat you want to buy.

[billybahbah]

It will be much easier to use a canoe paddle. Also when you are the only person in the canoe turn it around so that you are in the bow, this seat is more in the middle then the stern and it is easier to steer.

[NorthWoodsGuy]

Unless it's a square stern!

[snapcrackpop]

I guess I'll be using the J-stroke a lot.

I got a good deal on a kayak paddle so I'll try that anyways and see how it goes.

[Powerstroke]

There's been a discussion about it on another site I go to and its more of a personal preference. It seems that alot has to do with the length of the paddle, if you sit or kneel when you solo paddle and the size of your boat. If all of those things combine to work with a kayak paddles than you'll know it.

Personally I like the feel and power of a single bent shaft paddle so I will stick with it.

[swamptiger]

It has a lot to do with the design of your canoe whether a double bladed paddle will work well or not. Kayak paddles are often used on narrow solo canoes. If your canoe is wide, you may want to consider rigging it with oars for best results.

[snapcrackpop]

Oars...that might be a better option...

Although it might be louder than I would like for getting to a bowhunting spot.

Thanks for the thoughts.

[snapcrackpop]

So I tried the kayak paddle last night and found out another reason to not use one... You get wet!

I was using it with my small plywood canoe I made and it worked good, but water dripping off the paddles kept getting me and the floor wet.

Fun little adventure however; the boys and I saw lots of carp and got out before the mosquitoes ate us alive.

[Duffman]

You might want to try installing some drip rings on the kayak paddle if it doesn't already have them. That should help with the wetness. I know some guys that only use kayak paddles while solo canoeing, and they love 'em. I've stuck with the regular paddle so far, but the kayak paddle might be something for me to try in the future.

[snapcrackpop]

Yea I have them on, but the water was dripping off the paddles into the canoe. Maybe a longer kayak paddle or better technique would have helped somewhat.

Otherwise I was happy with its performance.

[Redlantern]

I started using a kayak paddle a few years ago and really like it. It's a cheap one since I wasn't sure if it was going to be worthwhile or not. It can be rotated into three positions depending on what you find comfortable. I first started using it on a trip with my dad. I was in the stern and he in the bow. He used a regular canoe paddle. We were a bit overpowered on one side so we didn't really go very far, just in circles. It got a bit boring but was still a fun trip. Made me feel like I was in Nascar. Seriously, though, I would have prefered to have two kayak paddles for the two of us. The problem I found is trying to find paddle long enough for the bow paddler. I have a 230 cm paddle and since the canoe is wider at the front seat of my canoe than at the rear, it makes it a bit more difficult paddling. When I paddle solo, I kneel behind the center thwart and don't seem to have any trouble.

I do have drip rings but still manage to get everything pretty wet. Fortunately, I'm going so fast with that paddle that things dry out pretty quickly.