I am looking to get a wooden paddle. I used to have a Silver Creek back in the day but have been using carbon for many years, and I am thinking it would be better for my older elbows to back to wood. Any suggestions?

Have a look at WaveDog Paddles. I've heard from the people that use them that they quite enjoy them.

www.wavedogpaddles.com/

Look very well made to me..

All I use is my wavedog... I sold my AT2

They have an agent program, where do you live? If you are around Asheville (or SE paddling) I can hook you up a demo...

For a list of Agents

www.wavedogpaddles.blogspot.com
www.wavesogpaddles.com. Can email Brock through there...

On a side note, Im abusive to paddles, Very abusive! And my Golden has not let me down yet... Saved my a$$ a couple times today on the Russell Fork.

Laddie wrote:

www.wavesogpaddles.com.

Don't you mean www.wavedogpaddles.com?

What do you know about pothole paddles????

Iphone... My bad

mfcx5 wrote:

What do you know about pothole paddles????

Have never used one...

Based on what I can read from their site... Seems that their standard paddle is straight shaft, all ash. To get better flex you would need to upgrade. The other thing I notice is you would need to upgrade to get a bent shaft. Wavedog paddles come standard bent shaft, you pick the feather and the lay up is several layers of ash and ( if memory serves aircraft geade either pine or birch... Sorry I'm tired). This gives the paddle the best of both worlds, strength and flex.

Now I don't know his production method. The easier way to build a wood paddle is to make a two piece shaft then join them together. That will create an obvious weak point. He may not do that. I KNOW wavedog doesn't. The gents up there at wavedog spent 2yrs designing and testing to make the strongest paddle on the market. And as far as I can find, they were successful. The fact that they have cut the weight while still keeping the flex and strength( the new gen is a little stronger) is a real boost.

Wood paddles tend to get expensive, especially once you start looking at bent shafts and MFG quality. For an msrp of $360-380. I think it's a steal. I haven't met another wavedog owner who didn't love their paddle.

Wavedog looks great, it looks like the best of bothe worlds, I am going to check them out.

if you have any specific questions feel free to post back...

Laddie wrote:

To get better flex you would need to upgrade.

If you are looking for a more flexible paddle, why not try to get a shaft with a higher glass content?
It is quite possible to produce composite shafts that are as flexible as wood. In fact, most canoe polo goalies use a more flexible shaft (higher glass content, lower carbon content) to cater for the balls that hit the paddle.

The other thing I notice is you would need to upgrade to get a bent shaft.

Honestly, not to talk out of disrespect, but I have been paddling (a lot, several times a week, including almost 20 years of weekly competition) for 25+ years now and I cannot see why one _needs_ to upgrade to a bent shaft. I tried a pair of carbon RoughStuff bent shaft Black Magics for about three months and I went back to a regular straight shaft (and happy ever since).

Some people will benefit from a bent shaft, most people simply should learn to paddle properly.

Just my 2 cents,

Michiel

What paddle has a high glass content?