Greenland paddle leash

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  • #18936
    Thom Kline
    Participant

    Has anyone used a leash on their Greenland Paddle? If so what are your comments? Does it interfere with the stroke? Should the paddle be varnished bright or oil finished? One piece or two?

    And Happy Holidays to all.

    Cheers, Thom

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  • #18960
    Mick Allen

    I don’t particularly like or use them, but many times I have seen beginner to medium experienced kayakers drop their paddles upon exiting.

    If at sea and alone, in those typical situations, a leash would be a backup and keep other options open. And there’s nothing like backups and options.

    There are other situations like being in a narrow kayak while drinking/eating/photographing/dayhatching/bailing that a leash might be a temporary solution for paddle control. And of course, paddlers with ability/handicap issues might be well served by various types of leash solutions for the particular issue. On this particular instance, I could well see the utility of a pfd belt leash for an on water arm injury.

    And in re-reading the above, I guess these situation would have to include a greenland paddle as well – although it does seem to be a stretch in some circumstances . . . but if the option was paddle loss? For a beginner, alone and in conditions?

    #18955
    Mike Gilbert

    Personally I disagree with the use of a paddle leash – greenland or Euro.

    Possibly folks who like them might explain to me why they like them.  Curious.

    #18939
    Mick Allen

    I think a leash would have a possibility to interfere a bit with sliding strokes or extended paddle roll, sculling support, recovery techniques, or leanbacks . . . but might not be a deal breaker though.  Maybe worth trying out variations [coaming, waist, wrist connections] to see what works best while really thrashing around, heh heh.

    Paddle finish seems to typically be oil, but I see no real reason to eliminate a slight textured varnish finish.  Personally, I would just  use a hard ‘finish’ if I was concerned about paddle strength or abrasion resistance and wished to add a little appropriate [to a specific paddle issue] glass reinforcement.

    And not too many 2 pc greenland paddles out there, although I do have [given to me] one with a fairly un-aesthetic stainless ferrule that I wish wasn’t there.   I haven’t used it but it just seems counter to whatever looks and feels that a greenland paddle should be. If you are really interested in this, we could meet halfway somewhere and you could borrow it until things get more normal.

    anyway, some ideas

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