Cruiser Paddle

I'm now beginning my third paddling season with my Cherry Nashwaak. It has become my favorite paddle, by a wide margin. The only time I pick up a different paddle is when the water gets too shallow and I don't want to grind the end of this beautiful paddle on the bottom. It is remarkably light which when combined with its perfect balance makes it a joy for long days of paddling. In the water it is smooth and stable. Underwater recoveries have no buzz or gurgle. On edge it slides through the water like the proverbial "hot knife through butter".
It has a little less surface area than some of my other paddles. This lowers the effort per stroke, but requires a slightly higher stroke rate to maintain the same hull speed. This trade-off actually feels less fatiguing over the course of a long day of paddling. I gave similar high praise to a Ray Kettlewell Modified Otter-tail. The two paddles are very similar in their quality of workmanship and paddling dynamics. I have to give the slight edge to the Nashwaak Cruiser purely on the fact that it is perceptibly lighter weight (for the same paddle length).

This paddle is without doubt my very favorite for paddling my solo canoe. If you prefer to paddle in the "classic style", rather than the "hit and switch" style, then you owe it to yourself to seek out one of these pieces of working art. Yes, they are just as beautiful as they are functional!

I very much like my Nashwaak Cruiser paddles. Carved of one piece of wood, each is a true continuation of the old art of paddle carving using traditional beavertail design. Mine have not broken, nor do I expect them to, as I am using them on deep high mountain lakes. There is a noticeable difference when using these paddles, a "feel" in their performance that just seems right. Having the correct balance points right at the lower hand grip helps to give this effect also. I have cherry wood paddles, and they do burnish and age wonderfully with use, and the wood itself darkens over time. If you are looking for a paddle with true traditional heritage and craftsmanship, and that really does work remarkably well in the real world, these elegant paddles are well worth seeking out.

I bought a Cherry second last spring...and broke it. When it broke, I was doing an eddy turn in pretty deep water. I had absolutely no trouble getting it replaced. Jeff Solway is the best. Although he didn't have a Cherry paddle handy (and I was really itchin' to get a Cruiser back into the water), he did offer a first quality Ash. This is one beautiful paddle. It's allowed me to sneak up on Bald Eagles (RIGHT beneath them), paddle quietly among waterfowl in the tidal marshes of Virginia, and it's made for some very nice long-haul paddling that wasn't tiring at all. I've had other paddles over the years, but the Nashwaak Cruiser is absolutely the best bang for your buck!

This paddle is a beautiful work of art. And it paddles great in deep, quiet water. Excellent for long hauls, as it doesn't seem to tire you the way wider blade paddles can. I am still learning to take full advantage of it for tight maneuvers, but that isn't what it is made for. The flex feature seems to work, and it is very quiet with no cavitation. For its intended use, you couldn't ask for better. Ask for the satin finish -- it looks better than the gloss.