October, 1918 
FOREST AND STREAM 
589 
WHEN AND HOW TO USE THE DOUBLE BLADE 
THERE ARE OFTEN TIMES WHEN THE DOUBLE BLADE IS AN ESSENTIAL ACCESSORY, 
ENABLING THE CANOEIST TO GAIN HEADWAY AND SPEED AGAINST ODDS OF WIND OR TIDE 
By JULE MARSHALL 
A DOUBLE blade paddle consists ot 
two identical blades on each end of 
a single shaft. The double blade 
and the style of paddling is derived direct¬ 
ly from the Esquimo and his kayak. It was 
introduced into modern canoeing by Mac¬ 
Gregor and has now 
become indispensible 
to the all - around 
canoeist. 
This type of blade 
permits the canoe to 
be propelled by draw¬ 
ing first one blade 
through the water on 
one side of the canoe 
and then the opposite 
blade on its corre¬ 
sponding side. While the patterns, shapes 
and styles of double blades may differ ac¬ 
cording to use and locality, the method of 
paddling remains constant. 
There are, however, three kinds of 
double blades, with reference to the shaft: 
—the one-piece, the spliced and the fer- 
ruled. The first kind is that represented 
by the original of its style or that used 
by the Esquimos which is cut from one 
solid piece of wood. The blades are long 
and narrow and are always in the same 
plane and invariably have special grips 
for the hands. The spliced double blade 
is also one piece when finished and is so 
put together in order that the blades may 
be at right angles to each other. It is 
used mainly for racing and is favored be¬ 
muse it never comes apart. The shaft is 
usually long and stout with chunky spoon 
blades. The shaft has a nine-inch diago- 
ual splice in the center. The two parts 
tre glued and copper-riveted together and 
ire lastly wound tightly with fish line and 
varnished. Because of the ungainly length 
)f the one-piece blade, it is impractical 
Eor cruising. The best kind for universal 
ise is the ferruled or two-piece blade. It 
vill not only answer every purpose re- 
luired of the double blade, but can be 
inverted into one or two single blades, 
rhe parts are easily stowed away in canoe, 
ent or locker. They can also be used 
or such useful articles as temporary tent 
>oles or a carrying yoke. The ferrules 
ire a metal joint 
mown as interlock - 
ng tubing, one tube 
itting snugly inside 
he other. Brass is 
he best metal for the 
mrpose. The butt 
:nds of the matched 
ilades are rasped or 
urned down so that 
he tubing becomes 
lush with the wood, 
small flat head brass 
crews are inserted 
o prevent the tubing 
Tom turning on the 
wood. To prevent the joint from turning 
while paddling, a lock is made by means 
of a round head screw left slightly extend¬ 
ing just inside of the wood edge of the 
inner tubing and a notch in the edge of 
the outer tubing. (See illustration.) One 
notch will lock the blades in the same 
plane and another, 90° around the fer¬ 
rule, will hold the blades at right angles 
to each other. 
The blade proper can be either flat or 
spoon according to personal taste. Of 
late years, the spoon blade has become 
the favorite. As the stroke applied usually 
sweeps well out beyond the gunwale, it is 
considered that the spoon blade thus holds 
a better grip on the water. For close 
paddling, the flat or straight blade is pref¬ 
erable. The ends of the blades are tipped 
with thin pieces of copper folded over and 
riveted. These tips guard the blade against 
splitting and puckering when used' for 
poling in rapid or shallow water. 
T HE correct position for paddling 
alone is to place your weight exact¬ 
ly in the center of the canoe in a 
stable manner, either sitting or kneeling. 
Undoubtedly the very best power can be 
gotten from a low seat with the feet well 
apart and placed against a prepared foot 
brace. The brace may be a thwart or two 
blocks of wood or other contrivance screwed 
to the bottom boards or some duffle. At 
any rate a brace of some kind is most es¬ 
sential in maintaining perfect balance. 
With your position attained, you will 
grip the double blade with your hands 
about 30" apart and equidistant from the 
center; you will prepare to pull a stroke 
on your right side by reaching with arm 
and shoulder length forward on that side 
while your left grip 
takes up a position 
about eight inches in 
front of the top of 
your head. Bear in 
mind right here that 
all of your arm work' 
is practically done a 
full reach in front 
of you and not 
cramped up near 
your chest. Now 
lower the paddle so that the right hand 
blade enters the water cleanly and com¬ 
pletely, then apply the power gradually, 
increasing it by means of a combined 
pull back with the lower arm and a 
push forward with the upper arm. This 
is known as the push and pu,ll stroke, which 
is not only the most scientific method of 
paddling with the double blade, but is the 
only way that will exercise all of the mus¬ 
cles of your arms and abdomen. Gradually 
you will learn to throw all weight and 
muscle of your shoulders and back into the 
stroke, thus making it easier on the arms. 
Your elbows will be inclined to drop, so 
correct this fault from the start by keep¬ 
ing them up so that they are almost parallel 
with the shaft of the paddle. Finish each 
stroke with the lower hand about even 
with the tip. Take the blade out of the 
water cleanly and guard against lifting or 
throwing water. It is a waste of effort. 
Learn to empty your blade of water just 
as you draw it out. A little upward turn 
of the wrist will accomplish this. 
As you complete one stroke you will find 
each time that the opposite blade has re¬ 
covered overhead for another on its cor¬ 
responding side. Start from the beginning 
to have the upper blade always feathering 
the air, that is, the blades will be turned 
at right angles to each other. In this way, 
while one is pulling water, the opposite on 
the recovery presents an edge to the air, 
thereby making the stroke much easier by 
eliminating air resist¬ 
ance. This is accom¬ 
plished by the pad- 
dler holding a con¬ 
tinuous firm grip with 
one hand and a loose 
grip with the other 
through which the 
shaft will turn. 
You may now be 
drenched by a stream 
of water that is 
running down the 
upper paddle. This 
(continued on 
PAGE 622) 
- o 
ELsaiu mo Paddlb. 
F T KA) fr ' ) ' l; 
Aerricta showing lock 
