PADDLES

QUIMBY’S PADDLE DESIGNS

                                                 

SIZING INFORMATION 

BLADE SIZES                  FREESTYLE                                     CRUISING

Small                                 7&7/8” x 22&1/2”                              8&1/4” x 21&1/2”

Medium                           8&5/8” x 23&3/4”                              8&3/4” x 22&1/2”

Large                                 9&1/2” x 25”                                         9&1/4” x 23&1/2”

 

SHAFT SIZES-              WIDTH X DEPTH                             LENGTH

Small                                 1&1/8” x 1&1/4”                                 Correct shaft

Medium                           1&3/16” x 1&5/16”                            length in ½”

Large                                 1&1/4” x 1&3/8”                                  increments

 

GRIP STYLES- Quimby Freestyle, Quimby Cruising T, Wilson Cobra Symmetrical,
                                Wilson Cobra Offset. All grips come in three sizes, small, medium,
                                large. Contact us for specifications.

 

HAND SIZES-  Small, 6&1/4” x 3”- Medium, 7&1/4” x 3&1/2”- Large, 8&1/4” x 4”

 

PRICES 

Quimby Quest & Qajaq – oiled $500.00

Freestlye & Cruising – straight $750.00

Freestyle & Cruising – 7 & 11 degree  $800.00

Eco Paddle – oiled                 $500.00

Ottertail – oiled                       $500.00

Fleece or Canvas Paddle BagsCanoe & Sea  $50.00

 

 

                                             HAPPY PADDLING 

                                          CRAIG & SUE QUIMBY
                                                    P.O. BOX 677
                                                MELLEN, WI 54546
                                                    715-274-3416

 

We started making canoe paddles in 1980. I was just starting to learn about woodworking and my method of designing paddles was strictly trial and error. My wife Sue, our paddling friends, and a gradually widening circle of top notch paddlers were my sounding board. The first few paddles primary redeeming characteristic was that they would push a canoe forward and several ended up in the woodstove. Progress seemed incremental at first, but after a couple of years knowledge and experience reached a point of synergy and virtually every paddle showed a significant improvement in design and construction. By the mid 1980’s it became obvious that our goal was not to produce large quantities of paddles because production line techniques would compromise our true intention, which is to make the highest quality paddles humanly possible. There has never been a paddle which came out of our workshop that I considered absolutely perfect in every detail and that is fortunate because if it were to happen the quest would be over and there would be no point in continuing.

 

CANOE PADDLES 

Our canoe and sea kayak paddles are the end result of years of R & D work. The design criteria was to produce paddles that combined the beauty and in water sensitivity that skilled paddlers enjoy with sufficient durability to survive long term use. Our paddles have proven their capabilities in the hands of champion freestyle canoeists, wilderness trippers, and on the open expanses of the Great Lakes and the ocean. We hope to see you out on the water.

Most of us who have been around for awhile have had our idealistic image of what might be rudely corrected by the reality of what is. Years ago I decided there would be one product among the many that come from our workshop for which there would be no compromise accepted. It is a rare thing for a craft person to be able to pursue perfection given the realities of the commercial world but that is what we have chosen to do with paddles.

ECO PADDLE

This  paddle is the next step in the evolution toward a high performance blade without the use of petrochemicals. It has a steam bent wrap around hardwood edge and hardwood reinforcements at all common wear areas. All of the blade shapes and sizes are the same as the glassed paddles. The finish is four coats of Tried & True Oil Which is a food safe linseed oil product. A fiberglassed paddle takes 30 hours of labor to produce while an eco paddle takes 20 hours, hence the lower price. This is the direction we will have to go with as many manufactured products as possible if we are going to break the grip that petrochemicals have on our lives.

OTTER TAIL

This is a reproduction of a blade profile sent to me by the talented paddling instructor Sue Plankis. The blade is 5&1/4” X 26” and has a wrap around hardwood edge. The lower two thirds of the shaft are protected by hardwood for those who like to pry off the rails. The softwood shaft core and interior blade wood allow me to keep the weight around 26 ounces. The finish is the same as the eco paddle and shaft and grip details match our other paddles.
 

BLADES 

Our canoe paddles are available in two blade profiles: A. Freestyle (picture) and B. Cruising (picture). The freestyle blade is designed to optimize fine boat control at a slow to moderate stroke rate. The cruising blades design allows for a faster stroke rate when your boat is loaded or you encounter wind resistance. Each blade comes in three sizes to match your body size and paddling style.

 

GRIPS 

Top grips are available in four styles and three sizes. The Quimby symmetrical and Charlie Wilson symmetrical for straight shaft paddles (picture). The Quimby T grip for bent shaft tripping paddles and the Charlie Wilson asymmetrical for bent shaft tandem freestyle paddles (picture).

 

SHAFT (LOWER GRIP) 

The shafts of our paddles come in three sizes, are oval in the lower grip area and taper toward both the blade and the top grip. Pre-tapering of the shaft core after flex testing with a dial gauge allows us to customize the flex of the paddle before gluing on the outer hardwood faces. The shaft length is customized to fit your body and your boat.

 

MATERIALS 

The bulk of the wood in our paddles is red cedar and sitka spruce which keeps the weight down while providing necessary stiffness. Black walnut, cherry, teak and hickory add durability to the parts of the paddle subject to the most wear. Other woods and customized wood combinations are available to create your own personalized look. Two ounce fiberglass and epoxy encapsulate the blade and the lower shaft up to the lower grip area. Upper and lower grip areas generally are oiled only, but can be varnished. Blade edges are reinforced with fiberglass and epoxy which allows us to create a thin water slicing edge that is also very durable. The finishing layer is three coats of marine spar varnish to protect your paddle for many years on and in the water.

 

KAYAK PADDLES  

Living near the Apostle Island, which is a mecca for sea kayakers, made the production of a sea kayak paddle an obvious fit for us. Many kayakers use synthetic paddles but we wanted to produce a paddle that was a complement to the natural environment it was used in. Towards this end, we use primarily locally grown woods to make our double blades. White pine and black walnut or cherry are used to make the shafts and white cedar, hickory and black walnut or cherry are used in the blades. As in all our paddles other woods are possible if they fulfill the design parameters for that part of the paddle. The ends of the paddle blades can be left natural or more commonly are fiberglassed to protect this primary wear point from damage. The shaft of these paddles may be customized for both length and hand size.
 

The Quest is designed to work well with kayaks whose hulls are on the wider end of the size spectrum. Hickory tips and blade edges protect the most common wear areas in the blades. The symmetrical blades lie in the same plane and are 4&1/8” X 28”.
 

The Qajaq  is designed for narrower hulls that are closer in size to aboriginal kayaks. A shorter storm version is available for those who may enjoy paddling in very difficult conditions. It’s 3&1/2” X 34” blades are less affected by the wind in challenging conditions.

 

 

Quimby Wood Designs