| The
Bending Branches Journey looks like the hybrid of
a Greenland paddle and a more typical Euro blade. The shaft is
laminated from 18 layers of basswood, a light hardwood. The long
blades are laminated basswood and alder. The satin polyurethane
finish coat seemed a bit thin, and it had a few rough spots and
quite a few surface particles. The finish was not too slippery;
it gave a secure feel with a light grip on the elliptical shaft,
even though the shaft is slightly smaller than I prefer. The ferrule
fit is very good, with little discernible wobble, yet it’s not
so tight that the ferrule seems likely to be jammed by the first
trace of grit. Inside the ferrule, the end of the shaft appeared
to be well coated with resin, but I could see a few gaps in the
resin between the wood and the ferrule. With its long blades and
a shaft that is thickest where the wood and ferrule meet, the
swing weight feels quite light, without the paddle feeling overly
flexible. |
|
In a
straightforward stroke, I could feel more-than-average slippage
of the blade through the water, although the blade entered the
water cleanly without dragging much air below the surface (ventilation),
which would loosen the paddle’s grip on the water. While the
slippage might handicap initial acceleration, it leads to a
very comfortable cruising stroke at a high or low angle. An
outward-slicing stroke seemed a bit more powerful. The only
time I felt any flutter of the blade in the water was during
the first two or three strokes of a fast start. Even when I
paid little attention to technique, the entry was quiet and
there was little splash. Despite the short shaft, the blades
cleared the gunwales easily.
Sweep
strokes were adequately powerful for steering. In moderate wind
and choppy waves, the paddle felt comfortable. It seemed unaffected
by wind, and rolled easily into braces. During short rides on
wind waves, my stern-rudder strokes were quite effective if
I took care to get the entire blade in the water. In the un-feathered
position, the paddle could be used with the more horizontal
Greenland-style stroke.
When
performing sculling braces and sweep rolls in the pool, the
Journey felt the best of the paddles tested. The airfoil blade
is buoyant and lifted strongly, whether at the surface or submerged.
Water flowed over the blade with minimal splashing or separation.
The shaft profile allowed easy control of blade angle and, in
a light grip, the blade remained steady and predictable. Support
for downward braces or C-to-C rolls was adequate.
Overall,
the Journey seems to be a fine choice for an inexpensive, general
touring paddle. While its overall weight, 39 ounces, is on the
high side, its low swing weight and good feel with a low-angle
stroke should minimize fatigue at a cruising pace. Although
it lacks the acceleration needed for surfing, it’s a playful
paddle for rolling and other technical strokes.
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