Ranger wrote on May 13
th, 2014 at 12:31am:
Looking forward to trying this. I used my long double blade with the canoe (solo) a few weeks ago. Works great, but I always end up soaked.
You do have drip rings on double shaft?
Also how long is your double paddle?
I can't remember your canoe Ranger, but on-line research told me that for a tandem width canoe, you need a paddle at least 9 ft long.
(You need to Login or Register to view media files and links)I'm 5' 9", so a 9ft paddle is just a little longer than they recommend,
The added length is needed because a tandem canoe or even a big solo is much wider than a kayak.
Shorter paddle might seem the answer, but with the higher gunnels in a canoe, a paddle that's to short forces you to "windmill" paddle, which puts the shaft/blade more vertical which in turn puts more water in your boat, drip rings or not.
You want what they call a "touring" stroke, with the paddle being almost horizontal compared to the "windmill" stroke.
The experts call it high angle or low angle paddling.
(You need to Login or Register to view media files and links)I paddled almost exclusively with the double in tough head-on winds and got very little water in boat considering how hard I was paddling.