Rob,

Thanks for explaining the logic behind the interpretation. I am not at all surprised to read that after testing you have eliminated the step from your paddles. But have you kept the cross cut at the transition onto the blade?

It is this 2nd cross cut that intrigues me: the shape is a "D" and if the flat is held against the palm of the hand (with just thumb and one finger on loom) then the blade will assume a rather strong tilt; it may still work, and not dive. This would have the flat as the power face.

If on the other hand the round side of the "D" is held in the palm, then no tilt is necessary but with the fingertips on the flat any tilt could be assumed, or none at all, which would be natural for a "dihedral" type power face.

This latter grip seems conceivable as well. All in all it is that series of cross cuts (with the cross hairs) that puzzles me: are they really as shown in the picture. Why the odd step that you have eliminated: if the loom fits the hand then running the same straight into the blade would be no problem, and would give a stronger transition.

Has this paddle been drawn up by David from his own observations, or has he taken it from some document and combined the two: kayak from st Petersburg, paddle from Washington? In any case it seems clear that you have taken this picture as a starting point only, and have created an independent design that may well be quite superior to the original, eg. in strength.

Too bad the Smithsonian hardly allows any field testing of its artefacts.

risto

: I have made my own interpretation of the drawings David Zimmerly shows in his
: book of the Aleut paddle. I’ve gone through a number of test paddles and
: settled on a design similar to the Aleut paddle shown in David’s book.

: As a woodworker, looking at the side view of the paddle, the surface that
: defines the spine, I feel this must be the non-powerface because the
: “step” in the transition at the blade and loom creates a stress riser, a
: point that would focus forces inducing a break in the wood, especially if
: the step side were the power side. I’ve eliminated this “step” from the
: paddles I build.

: Also the spine angles down like a long wedge or ramp from the loom to the tip
: of the blade, with the wood grain running out along this surface. I
: believe constant pressure on the spine side, if used as a power face,
: would cause the wood grain to split, where pressure on the flat side
: (power face) would compress the wood grain on the spine side, preventing a
: split.

: I sent David Zimmerly and e-mail expressing these thoughts and he said he
: also thought the flat surface of the paddle to be the power face.

: All the best,

: Rob Macks
: Laughing Loon CC&K
: www.LaughingLoon.com