I use these for hand grips. I find the light foam does reduce hand fatigue and keeps me from putting a death grip on the shaft as I power with it. Insulates in colder weather too. Worth a look see.

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So here is the final result:

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Black bands are the original hand grips.
Blue bands are the new hand grips.
Shiny silver tube is the extension (actually I already had this tube; it was the pipe stand for a solar lawn light that had exceeded its useful life).
Quick-Release Button Connectors for Telescoping Tubing (one from McMaster Carr; the other was original to the paddle design) lock the tubing pieces together.

Not shown are shims:  One end was shimmed with a piece of plastic hand grip from an old set of free weights; the other shimmed with a wrap of duct tape not more than 2 layers thick)

Sounds cool. All this talk of Kayak paddles is slowly piquing my interest level in trying one out in a canoe.

So what's up Doc? No pics? I always look forward to seeing what your up to .

I guess I forgot to provide the update for my completed project. 

I did manage to successfully extend the yak paddle about 8 inches.  So, its not quite a 9 footer.  The paddle now has an extra thin-walled stainless steel tube in the middle.  It has a quick-release detent button on each end of the tube that secures it to the former mid-paddle connections.  Going this route I can use the exiting holes to provide a light angle to the paddle face (but I doubt I'll need to do this).  This solution also permits me to completely remove the extension and go back to the original configuration if ever needed.

The extension did produce a minor problem on my 10-mile test drive.  With the extra length, my hands no longer naturally fall on the hand grips that are on the paddle.  This is not so much a function problem as a "comfort" issue.  First, after a day's paddle the aluminum oxidation on my hands was clearly obvious.  Secondly, gripping metal in cold weather would not necessarily be pleasant.  However, I found a quick and cheap solution.  I found a rubberized grip tube for tennis rackets at Wally World.  I bought a pair and installed them in just a couple of minutes.  Now I have grippy spots for my hands plus a little padding should I whack something unexpectedly.

I did feel that I was "chili dipping" as I paddled along.  But I guess the more rapid stroke rate makes up for my deeper digging action with a bent shaft.  Oh, and I did find another benefit.  With the extra length of a kayak paddle, it is a much more simple task to push obstructions out of the way.

Fun little project ... something to keep the brain cells active.

dd

dd,

I have a Mohawk double paddle they advertised as being for canoes, at 9 ft, it allows you to keep your stroke " flat" even in a tandem paddled solo. You have a true solo, so your extension should let you flatten your stroke and save your shoulder.
I have the click lock, set at 0 and 60 degrees ( I believe that's correct, never really checked)
I tried both positions and found that that for me, the 0 degrees was easier on the wrist/forearms and seemed more suited to the flatter " touring" stroke. From what I could tell, the angled feather setting was more suited to a higher angle/cadence windmill type stroke.
Kayak guys might see it different but that's what I found.

I think if you have rotator cuff issues the 0 degree setting or maybe a compromise between the 0-60/70 degree setting might be the better choice. If you can get on the water locally, I'm sure your shoulder will tell you what feels the best

PS, I believe Mohawk sells an inexpensive T-handle kit to make single paddles out of their double ones.

marlin55388 wrote on Apr 23^rd, 2011 at 12:37am:


I think I found a aluminum tube dimension that I think might work (but I have to order 3 feet of it for roughly $25.00).  I may still do that.  I will definitely be buying tube connectors (in stainless steel).  They are packaged in lots of 5 for a little over $2.00 each.  Anyone need a couple of these "tube clips?"

marlin55388 wrote on Apr 24^th, 2011 at 3:08am:

The inside dimension of their tubes is 1 3/16 in.  What I have seems to be a odd inside/outside dimension, but I think the 1 3/16 would be too large.

I got to looking around in my shop for scrap items for something that I might use for this project.  I did find a 1 foot section of stainless steel thin-wall tubing that might work.  It is just a tad too large to fit snugly over the existing tubing, but about 1 1/2 wraps with duct tape snugs it up pretty good.  On the smaller end, I needed to narrow the dimension more dramatically.  I found that some old hand grips from a set of free weights was EXACTLY the correct size to snugly fill the gap.  So, once I get a tube connector clip installed in the other end, I may be set.  That should not only help the duct tape end from slipping off, but keep it from rotating as well.  Still this only pushes the length to a little over 8 1/2 ft.  I may have to settle for that.  In any case, I'll have a chance to take it for a test drive before I commit myself to using it on a trip.

My current paddle has setting for 0 and + or - 60 degrees feather positions.  I noticed the product from CLCBoats had settings for 0 and + or - 70 degrees.  Since I'll be drilling additional "tap" holes if I want something other than 0 degree rotation, does anyone have a feeling for which additional feather rotations are desirable.  (My other paddle essentially has an infinite feather range since the two pieces are joined by a friction fitting.)

dd

How about this?

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Call BB...they use the carbon so maybe the could help you out with that small of an amount. Does MacMaster have it, probably spendy if they do?

marlin55388 wrote on Apr 22^nd, 2011 at 4:17pm:

Thanks for the MacMaster-Carr tip.  They do have the detent button I would need for the extension.

Titanium Goat does have carbon fiber tubing you mentioned, but .6" seems to be the maximum diameter.  Unfortunately, the aluminum tubing I'm having to fit is thin-walled and caliper says 1.08" outside diameter (inside diameter is just under an inch).  I'll try some other sites to see if I can come up with something a bit closer.  

I did do a quick check of the Bending Branches site, but didn't come up with anything (I'll recheck, however).

Thanks for the response.  Pushing the length of my 240 out a bit should flatten my stroke ... less wind-mill action.  That should make my rotator cuff happy.

dd

Carbon tubing, epoxy (west), and make the top hold yourself with wood (laminate) and the west. I think I remember seeing the tubing on Titanium Goat (may not be the right size) or could possibly source elsewhere or Bending Branches. The toggles could most likely be found at a decent hardware store or MacMaster-Carr. An archery shop that sells arrow shafting to make carbon arrows could cut the shafting for you.