I'm a convert to the GP. But I wont dis the euro blade, as I think for every reason their is a season.

For more novice paddlers, a euro blade is easier to keep up to speed with a group. For more experienced paddlers, a GP will radically change your stroke from what one might be used to with a euro.

Once used to the GP, you realize you dont lose ANY real bracing power. You simply convert to using more skulling braces. Take yours out, and compare rolling with a euro and a greenland... no real difference... if anything the GP is much easier on the body.

I paddle around 100+ days a season, and often end up suffering repetative strain injuries by the end of it (with a euro blade), such as tendonitis in the wrists, and bursitis in the shoulder. This is even with a very low-angle stroke designed for touring. This last 100+ days with the greenland have caused me no pain. I feel better than I have for years.

Decided to try GP this year due to a rotator cuff sprain which bit me in early spring (non-paddling in origin, too, bummer).

I wanted a very light, multi-wood panel take-apart paddle w. a carbon ferrule. Beyond my skill to make so I relied on the excellent craftsmanship of Ed Drieger of Talon Woodworks in North Bay, Ontario. At his shop they build custom paddles & boats. Ed was A+ to work w. with his own experienced design plus being receptive to my ideas.

He delivered a 78" paddle, soft shouldered, 17" loom, 3" blade, with a core of white ash (strength) wrapped w. western red cedar (save weight, add flex) tipped w. cherry. Cherry cuz I liked the wood. this met my criteria to go a little shorter to be friendly to my height, shoulder span, very small mitts, & mate well w. my low profile, 20" beam seakayaks.

Add Carbon ferrule & tung oil finish. Total weight 25 oz so very close to my 23 oz 210 cm Werner Cyprus. It was like Xmas in July when the paddle arrived & the next day it got wet.

I spent a few weeks letting the stick teach me intuitively. It's very friendly to use and stroke control is great. You do have to really bury it to get the max effect. It's definitely shoulder friendly and less fatiguing overall.

Then I took a class at GLSKA - Grand Marais in July so had to unlearn a couple newly minted bad habits... but I still prefer to paddle at a little higher angle than the instructors taught... but it's all good.

I like each paddle for what it will do and will keep using both. The Euro, for me, is superior on river routes, accelerating and getting thru what occasional surf I deal with. FWIW the take apart greenlenad is very convenient to store in my vehicle, fits in the paddle bag, and makes a very low profile on the foredeck when it's serving as my spare.

magooch, just to throw this out there - you may want to consider storing your spare paddle up front:

- easier to switch paddles since each piece is in front of you
- if it's behind you it can come off and float away without
your knowing
- it will keep the back deck clear for
rescues - your own or helping someone else.

Really good discussion all.

Katabatic, thanks, but I'll carry my spare on the back deck. There is virtually no way my spare could go adrift unless the very stout bungies break. It would be very awkward on the front.

One thing I've learned about myself from trying different paddles and modes and that is to do everything in moderation. Maybe especially when powering up with a high angle. I seldom go all out anymore and I haven't had any shoulder, or any other issues for a long time. I'm even back to doing full pushups and other exercises that I couldn't do for a couple of years, because of stains and pains.

I finished building another GP paddle, but I haven't applied the finish yet. I'm kind of anxious to try this one out, so I'll be starting the finishing process today.

I built this one with a red cedar core and I used poplar for the blades. Why poplar? Well I found a board out in the shed and thought it would be light and strong enough. I also thought the red cedar would be lighter than the Tennessee Cedar that I've used before. I made the loom, or handle area of the new paddle, hollow, but it still feels a little heavier than I thought it would.

The blades are just a litte wider and I left the core a little thicker down the blades to make it a bit stiffer. I don't think there's going to be much flex in this one. Don't know if that will be better, or not.

I'm anxious to see if the slightly wider blades will make a bow rudder feasible. I'll probably use this new stick mostly on the Expedition where a bow rudder stoke is sometimes useful.

I took the newly completed and finished GP out for its first trial, yesterday. It works. Thats about as much as I can say about it so far. It has way less flex than my other GP and that's about all I can say about that. Don't know if that will prove to be better, or not.

Not having drip rings, the GP is wetter, but mainly only when doing maneuvering strokes.

I didn't have my GPS along, so I wasn't able to check the cruising and all out speeds, but I will say that it seemed to me that compared to a euro blade, the GP requires more effort to attain similar results. For maneuvering, especially in applying a bow rudder, or reverse bow sweep, the GP is no match for my favorite spoon.

The river was as flat as a mountain lake yesterday and I was able to determine from the bow wake that the euro is much more efficient. More testing will be in order, but my conclusion so far is that a stick is a nice diversion and conversation piece and they might also in fact be easier on the old body, but in the end, they are not going to fully replace a great euro.