I am wondering how many people carry a spare and/or if anyone has ever needed a spare.

The park rules require that you carry a spare paddle plus various other gear.  I couldn't fathom why anyone would not carry a spare paddle.  What do you do if you break one.  Carve a new one out of a dead tree.
Westwood

Lash it in the canoe and forget about it...until you need it.  In 34 years of tripping, I've only needed a spare once (well not me, but someone in the party) but wow were we glad we had one!

You don't need a spare in each canoe if you have multiple canoes.  I usually figure one spare per 2 canoes.

I think it's a no brainer... My son and I will have a spare between us when we head up to WCPP this week and a Kayak Paddle besides. Sometimes I like to trade off between different paddles just for variety. We're each paddling solo.

Love my Meany paddles, and also love to paddle shallow creeks.  We always take one plastic outfitter beater paddle to push off bottom, rocks, etc.

one spare for each two canoes might be enough, or not

the only time we ever broke a paddle on a trip, we (not me) broke two,
and luckily, we had a spare for each canoe.  we were able to field repair the wooden paddle which had a broken shaft - shaved an angle on the two parts to scarf them together, epoxied, and wrapped with wire, it still made a usable spare for the rest of the trip

Always one spare/canoe.  To go without is stupid.

Both my paddles get used every trip.  One is a straight otter-tail, the other a bent-shaft.

Things get lost & broken.  I've never lost nor broken one yet, but every type of calamity awaits each of us if we spend enough time out there.

One spare for 2 canoes?  That sounds like saying, "I have seat belts in my other car, so I'm covered."   :D

Preacher wrote on Jul 19^th, 2010 at 5:50pm:

Always one spare/canoe.  To go without is stupid. Both my paddles get used every trip.  One is a straight otter-tail, the other a bent-shaft. Things get lost & broken.  I've never lost nor broken one yet, but every type of calamity awaits each of us if we spend enough time out there. One spare for 2 canoes?  That sounds like saying, "I have seat belts in my other car, so I'm covered."   :D

A spare paddle is one form of trip insurance. Each of us has to make a calculated decision based on the amount of coverage we might need...

Old Salt wrote on Jul 19^th, 2010 at 8:20pm:

A spare paddle is one form of trip insurance. Each of us has to make a calculated decision based on the amount of coverage we might need...

Well said and cornerstone to what we do and why we do it.  

Quote:

One spare for 2 canoes?  That sounds like saying, "I have seat belts in my other car, so I'm covered."

No it is not.  If you are in the second car and it crashes, the seat belts in the first car do you no good.  If   you lose a paddle in the second canoe, the paddle in the first canoe is as useful as having the spare paddle in the second canoe.

A paddle is similar to many other "vital" items we take on trips: orienting devices, stoves, flashlights, paddles, canoes, tents.  We assess the liklihood and severity of failure, the weight, etc; and make a decision of how many (if any) backups to bring.  

I always carry a second paddle but I don't consider it a spare.  My preferred paddle is a Stringer style and is very light and responsive - perfect for resonably still, deep lakes and rivers. But when I hit big wind or shallow streams I need something else.  So I couldn't really imagine taking only one paddle with me.

azalea wrote on Jul 20^th, 2010 at 11:28am:

Quote: One spare for 2 canoes?  That sounds like saying, "I have seat belts in my other car, so I'm covered." No it is not.  If you are in the second car and it crashes, the seat belts in the first car do you no good.  If   you lose a paddle in the second canoe, the paddle in the first canoe is as useful as having the spare paddle in the second canoe. A paddle is similar to many other "vital" items we take on trips: orienting devices, stoves, flashlights, paddles, canoes, tents.  We assess the liklihood and severity of failure, the weight, etc; and make a decision of how many (if any) backups to bring.

Gear you're actually using at the time isn't the same as gear you're not using at the time.  Having a tent handy isn't going to prevent you from going over a waterfall or from being swamped in big water.  

What good is a paddle in a canoe you're not in when you've lost the one you were using?  Not having a spare paddle handy when you need it is at best a hassle and at worst life-threatening.  Again, back to those situations when things are happening fast and a spare paddle 20 yards away may as well be in China for all the good it will do.

Cornerstone said it well.  It's a calculated risk.  I think those calcualtions show a fundamental lack of arithmetic skills, but it's not my Darwin Award.

Kerry wrote on Jul 20^th, 2010 at 12:58pm:

I always carry a second paddle but I don't consider it a spare.  My preferred paddle is a Stringer style and is very light and responsive - perfect for resonably still, deep lakes and rivers. But when I hit big wind or shallow streams I need something else.  So I couldn't really imagine taking only one paddle with me.

This is how I feel about it as well.  The right tool for the right job.  Long narrow blade for deep water.  Short wide blade for shallows.

One spare lashed in per 2 canoes does just fine for the style of canoeing I do.  Flatwater for the most part, with plenty of portaging.  I want to minimize weight and minimize hand-carry items.  I wasn't suggesting that my solution was the best for all situations.

Your mileage (or arithmetic) may vary.  

Old Salt

One spare paddle per two canoes.  Makes sense if the two canoes are together, but what if the two canoes are not close to each other.

The other consideration as I pointed out previously, is that the park rules require a spare paddle for each canoe.  The rules also require a number of items, I bet a lot of people don't have such as a whistle.

Westwood

Westwood,

I just reread the 2010 Q Wilderness Guide section on boating safety. It makes no mention of any requirement for any canoe to have a spare paddle. It only mentions that each canoe must have at least one paddle, oar, or anchor.

I have no argument with you or anyone who feels that it would be prudent for each canoe to have a spare. Like an insurance policy, the law requires certain minimums, and each person has to do their own risk analysis regarding how much coverage to have...

If I read it right, the poll was more about our actual practice, than it was about law or what we think everyone should do...

This is how I/we do our risk assessment. This year, Snowdog paddled his solo, and I paddled my tandem with a friend. For the three of us, we carried four paddles. SD lashed in one paddle for our spare. Our reasoning was as follows: If SD lost/broke his paddle, he would be in immediate need of a spare, so he carried it. If one of us in the tandem, lost/broke a paddle, our canoe could be paddled with one paddle. Our assumption is that any lost paddle will float and can be retrieved, so the need for a spare is temporary. We also carry duct tape, which can be used with a splint, if need be, to repair any broken paddles. In all of my years of paddling, I've only had two or three occasions where my bow paddler lost his paddle. These were when we were fishing, and he was careless about where he put his paddle, and it slipped over the side. In each case, it was no big deal, as I simply picked it up for him. He always wondered how I got it, when he put it behind his seat... ;D

We broke a paddle on Alice and did not have a spare. Since, I've always carried one. And once we needed it.

azalea wrote on Jul 20^th, 2010 at 11:28am:

Quote: One spare for 2 canoes?  That sounds like saying, "I have seat belts in my other car, so I'm covered." A paddle is similar to many other "vital" items we take on trips: orienting devices, stoves, flashlights, paddles, canoes, tents.  We assess the liklihood and severity of failure, the weight, etc; and make a decision of how many (if any) backups to bring.

Spot-on accurate statement, as I see it.  We bring one spare paddle per trip regardless of how many canoes we have.  In 25 years of tripping, we've never broken a paddle, thereby making it a slim chance that even ONE paddle will break on a trip, let alone more than one.  Thus, the reason we carry only one paddle as insurance.

As Azalea said, one assesses "the liklihood and severity of failure" and makes a decision.  Based on past experience, one paddle per group is more than enough for us.

OS
You are correct.  The 2010 rules and regulations do not require a spare paddle.  The rule has, however, changed.  After reading your post, I wondered if I was getting senile, so checked the rules again.  I went back to the rules for 2006 and there in paragraph 7-Canoe Equipment- it read "An extra paddle or anchor (with not less than 15 m of rope or chain)."  I don't understand how an anchor is the equilvant of a paddle.  Maybe you throw the anchor out and then pull yourself forward.  Or do you anchor and wait for the wind to change?
Westwood

We agree about the anchor. I suppose that if you anchor from the bow, the wind will keep your canoe alligned to take the waves. But, if one depends on the wind to actually go somewhere, it probably will be a short trip. The winds never take me where I want to go...

I remember reading somewhere that an empty canoe anchored offshore is a distress signal. I can see why it's required in that regard. I don't understand how it replaces a paddle, though.

My carbon fiber paddle comes in at 10 oz.. After setting it down (on top of some pipe foam insulation of course) to make a cast I have had many times where the wind wanted to deprive me of it. Once I caught it out of mid-air. Spare paddle for solos? Oh yea!

My spare is a plastic/aluminum from cabelas. I lash it lengthwise to a long sealine dry bag and it becomes a handy handle as I portage.  [smiley=thumbup.gif]

we carry one spare paddle per group, a tiny collapsible plastic one that would be horrible to actually paddle with. but it is just in case, and we havent ever needed a spare. i cannot think of a time when youd need a spare RIGHT NOW. plus paddles float if you manage to drop it, and we always do tandem canoes so one paddle should be enough to move the canoe to pick up the lost one.

on a further note, if someone broke one of my paddles, bending branches rock guard tip bent-shafts, i would certainly kill them. therefore i could use their paddle if i needed the spare.  

paddlemaker wrote on Jul 28^th, 2010 at 1:51pm:

I remember reading somewhere that an empty canoe anchored offshore is a distress signal.

This just seems silly to me.  You're in distress, a survival situation.  So you're going to anchor your canoe offshore and then what, swim back?  It also just seems wrong to me to take a perfectly good canoe and remove it from your use and risk a storm taking it completely away.

Maybe a throwback from the fur trade days of flotillas of canoes & men.


Quote:

i cannot think of a time when youd need a spare RIGHT NOW

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I've been at landings that were much like the picture above.  Drop your paddle there and it's gone for good.
Also, they float away.
For me, one paddle/paddler would be one paddle most of the time.

One other concern.  Porcupines.  Those guys have been known to chew on paddles.  I hear they like the glue in laminates.

Anyone who has used a paddle that has been broken along the shaft knows they're a serious pita.

paddling solo, I always my favorite bending branches viper and (I don't care who knows,) a bending branches adjustable length kayak paddle. It breaks down for portaging. So I guess I have three paddles with me.  So I use a kayak paddle, please don't whine.

jaximus wrote on Aug 5^th, 2010 at 2:53pm:

on a further note, if someone broke one of my paddles, bending branches rock guard tip bent-shafts, i would certainly kill them. therefore i could use their paddle if i needed the spare.

HA! Good one!
How's it going Jax? Read your trip report......sounded like a good time.

I looked at the bending branches paddles in Piragis when in Ely last month. They felt nice. I'll probably get one even though I'm still in love with my Zav (although I can easily picture doing 10 or 12 hours with the bending branches too). Perhaps I'll start out using it when I'm fishing....the wind wants to take my Zav away at times.

I have always followed the one extra paddle for every two canoes rule.  In 19 years of trips, we have only needed the extra paddle once.  

Ironically, it was this year when I stepped and broke a nice wooden paddle.  The humerous part is that we were day tripping with two canoes and forgot the extra paddle.  My 10 year old son enjoyed the long row home from the bow as I did all of the paddling while he got to watch the sunset.  It was interesting to note that paddling my SR17 solo from the stern I was able to keep pace with my brother and my son's 10 year old friend with no problem (they were in a Old Town Guide canoe that goes ~ 75 lbs).

I carry a straight paddle for my spare and use a bent shaft as my principle paddle. However, in narrow streams or light rapids, I bring out the straight paddle. My preference is a Beaver Tail but need to replace my old Sawyer because it was lost when I loaned it out. Live and learn.

I have carried one with me every time I paddle and have never needed to use it...until this week.  I was out paddling solo on a local lake I hadn't ever been on and I was checking the water depth using the paddle when it popped out of my hand.  It went behind me and the wind pushed the canoe forward. Grabbed the spare and all was well.

I alway carry a spare.  I spent a lot of money for a 12 oz carbon fiber paddle so I don't like using it around landings.  When we get close to landing or in a shallow rocky area I put easily scratched paddle down and grab my good old standby wood straight shaft paddle.

I also worry about my fancy paddle getting stepped on and broke so I carry a spare for that reason.

I almost always carry a spare. I say almost because sometimes I forget or just get lazy when I'm just out paddling locally. It's a plastic straight blade that cost me around $16 at a local sporting goods store. The extra weight on a portage is insignificant, and there are times when I like using a straight blade vs. a bent shaft.

My bent shaft is that $40 plastic thing from Spring Creek, nice and solid, don't have to worry about busting it up on rocks. But it could happen, or I could lose it.

One time I almost needed a spare... I was fishing on Devil's Lake in ND two years ago in the spring, and anyone who's ever been there is probably familiar with how choppy that lake can get. Long story short, the wind picked up when I was ~1/2 mile offshore jigging a walleye reef, and I stupidly had the straight paddle just sitting on the gunwale and cross beam in front of me. Chop picked up, paddle went overboard and started drifting away fast, lucky I had a line in the water and I was able to quickly wrap it around the paddle shaft and pull it back to me.

I would have been in a bad spot right there, as the wind was blowing off shore at a pretty good clip. I would have drifted out into the big open water and had no good way to align myself against the increasing waves. Temps were probably in the mid 30's that morning too... wasn't too long after ice-out (ND doesn't close fishing seasons like MN does).

I always bring a spare paddle on long, remote trips, but seldom do in the Quetico-Superior.  

On trips in the North each person brings two paddles - one for flatwater and a tough synthetic one for whitewater.

I think I have broken two paddles in the past 30 years, both of which were pretty worn from gunnel prying during the J-stroke.  I knew they were near their end.

That being said, I am VERY careful with my paddle.  I wish I could get my kids to do the same.

I always have a spare.  It is an older straight wooden paddle with a big blade that is excellent to fillet on.  Fits across the canoe in front of me and dip it in the water when done - no mess.  I would hate to paddle for days with it but did many years ago when that was the only choice of paddles there were.

I've rarely taken along a spare (calculated risk) although I would like to buy a cheap aluminum/plastic one for prying in rocks (something I'd never do with my wooden one).  I'm extremely careful with my one and only wooden one- handmade by my dad, and with a painting on it as well, done by him.  NO ONE goes near my paddle but me!  (If you break it, I'd have to break you!) I realize accidents do happen, but I've been lucky so far (knock on wood- hope I didn't just jinx myself :)- will bring along spare next time just in case! :)

Quote:

[quote]on a further note, if someone broke one of my paddles, bending branches rock guard tip bent-shafts, i would certainly kill them. therefore i could use their paddle if i needed the spare.

[/quote]

Hey "Jax,"

That's hilarious. But I agree. I have two Bending Branches -- a Viper I use for when I'm in the bow, a Sun Shadow for the stern. Please don't touch them.

As for extra paddles, we've gotten lazy. We usually bring one extra one for the group (two or three canoes), but because I'm paranoid about dropping a paddle, I keep it within reach in my canoe.

It's usually a basic bent-shaft wood one, nothing fancy, because we clean fish on it.

- kypaddler

I need a "real" spare paddle. I have been wanting one for some time now to be my primary paddle when I'm fishing (My carbon paddle is always wanting to blow away when I set it down..... >:( )

I am leaning toward a straight shaft (takes up less room :question) probably a bending branches of some sort. It will do double duty as filet board as well  :o. I wonder if Stu at BWJ uses his Expedition model as a filet board  ;D.  

mastertangler wrote on Oct 8^th, 2010 at 11:30am:

I am leaning toward a straight shaft (takes up less room :question) probably a bending branches of some sort.

More room?  I'd say that is a function of how you put it into your canoe.  For me, as a solo paddler, I often take a Bending Branches bent-shaft as my backup paddle (although this year, I experimented with 'yak paddles as my backup).  When my bent-shaft is placed into my canoe, one lash point is the rear thwart (just behind my seat) and then the wide end of the paddle is secured inside a nylon strap loop that is anchored to the side of my canoe.  In this position, the paddle actually follows the contour of the canoe as it bends toward the aft end.  The paddle stays in this spot unless needed (meaning that I portage with it in that position ... it tends to offset the the weight of other gear lashed in toward the front).  

As for a fillet board, I was lucky enough to have purchased a triangular-shaped thwart bag (I seem to remember it was from Granite Gear) many years ago.  I use it primarily for fishing and related gear.  However, it has a 1/4 inch plastic plate in a zipper compartment in the bottom.  It was probably intended to be a fillet board since it has a hole with hanging strap in one end.  This is also where I store spare zip lock bags for storing fillets (after having to trek back to camp more than one to get one on earlier trips).

dd

DentonDoc wrote on Oct 8^th, 2010 at 4:36pm:

mastertangler wrote on Oct 8th, 2010 at 11:30am: I am leaning toward a straight shaft (takes up less room :question) probably a bending branches of some sort.  When my bent-shaft is placed into my canoe, one lash point is the rear thwart (just behind my seat) and then the wide end of the paddle is secured inside a nylon strap loop that is anchored to the side of my canoe.

DD
How did you mount the strap to the side of your canoe? I have been wanting to mount it to the side as well.
Thanks,

mastertangler wrote on Oct 8^th, 2010 at 5:58pm:

How did you mount the strap to the side of your canoe? I have been wanting to mount it to the side as well.

I picked up some cheap plastic clips from a local discount store (its called Big Lots here.)  They have a foam/adhesive back to them, which I get rid of in favor of a stronger bond to the canoe.  I then super glue them to the interior hull.  (I start with the gel form of the glue and once its dried, I'll fill in any gaps with the liquid form.)

The clips have a circular plastic loop that is a permanent part of the clip at one end and has a "latch" on the other end.  I slide one side of a plastic strap guide (it looks like a squashed number 8) into the circular clip and then run the nylon strap through the other side.  The straps I use are 1/2 inch nylon (with their own buckle) and perfectly fit the strap guide.  I use two of the clip arrangements, vertically about 8 inches apart, to secure the blade part of the canoe.

One word of caution.  I have a kevlar hull which will flex and I'm also dropping a back beside the lashed down paddle.  Eventually, the clip will pop loose.  So I always take a couple of spare clips and super glue for "in the field" repairs ...  1 such repair over a 2 week trip is not uncommon.  To minimize the flex issue, I'll generally place the clips near one of the internal stiffeners of the canoe. (It seems that the top clip pops much more often than the bottom one, so I suspect the detachments are more a function of a pack load/unload than portaging.)

BTW:  I use these same clips as mounts for the golf club sleeves I use as rod/eyelet protectors ... on each side of the bow ... and as a lash point for the back-end of the rod/reel.  I use velcro straps for the sleeves and "deal-e-bops" around the butt end of the rods.  This is part of the "counter weight" that the paddle balances out.  This makes for a pretty workable rod "holster" from which the rods can be easily extracted.

My canoe is sufficiently balanced with these "extras" inside that I rarely have more than 1 hand on the gunwales while I'm portaging the canoe ... if the terrain is relatively flat ... sometimes no-hands.

dd

I can't begin to picture the set-up. Speaking of picture......that would be worth a thousand words (as they say).

I wonder if some 3M automotive 2 way tape might not work better than the glue. My understanding is that it is pretty tough stuff. My paddling partner who works at R&D for Nissan suggested that line of thinking......I'll ask him again what and where this product can be procured. I remember being skeptical but he gave me some examples of uses. He also told me to be sure when I stuck it on that's where I wanted it cause your not getting it off. Then it would be able to flex with the boat......it's a thought :exclamation

mastertangler wrote on Oct 8^th, 2010 at 8:54pm:

I can't begin to picture the set-up. Speaking of picture......that would be worth a thousand words (as they say). I wonder if some 3M automotive 2 way tape might not work better than the glue. My understanding is that it is pretty tough stuff. My paddling partner who works at R&D for Nissan suggested that line of thinking......I'll ask him again what and where this product can be procured. I remember being skeptical but he gave me some examples of uses. He also told me to be sure when I stuck it on that's where I wanted it cause your not getting it off. Then it would be able to flex with the boat......it's a thought :exclamation

Here ya go!  Edge width of the clip is 1 inch.  They are called "Super Clips" and seemed to be marketed directly to Big Lots ... at least their name/logo is on the back side of the packaging.  You can see the latch release on the upper-right clip.

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Well, I thought about a stronger adhesive ... bottom line, I'd rather occasionally re-glue rather than patch holes in my canoe.

dd

Super DD. Thanks!  [smiley=thumbup.gif]

I always take a spare when solo or in a group of two that won't be splitting up at some point. A group intending to stay together for a whole week long trip? One spare might be overkill.

The last tandem trip I did was planned as a three week outing into new territory. Three/four hours from the put-in I heard a crack that sounded bad. Bow paddler's graphite (fairly new) paddle busted at the grip. I offered epoxy - he countered with return policy and our spare. He used the spare for the rest of the trip with good results.

My own paddle is a really old Styrofoam, kevlar, epoxy combo that you don't see any more. It came as a free perk with my canoe. The store personal said no, no, no - that's not the paddle you want for where you are going. Hey, it was the most expensive paddle in the store and the one I thought I could deal with. Still have it, use it and I trust it a whole lot more years later. Still take a spare incase mother nature's waves rip it out of my hands.

Use to go with a guy who would drop his paddle in mid stroke and yell "fish on!" If I were him I'd take two spares on a solo.

I bought some of this stuff for use around house.
So far it's proven to be as advertised.
Like All adhesives, surface prep is key.
I could see using this with a Velcro strap as a paddle holder or whatever.
Take some extras and alcohol prep pads in case you needed a repair in field.
It removes easily, if/when you want.

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I take a cheap but rugged paddle for my back-up and use it as a walking stick when portaging. The worse the portages and heavier the loads the more it protects me from injury.