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

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?

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?"

[quote author=marlin55388 link=1303438636/0#4 date=1303614523]How about this?

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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