Do you carry a Paddle on your boat?

[Brian N.]

As we approached the ramp today after sailing, we noticed three boats already waiting to pull out, so no room at the finger pier. Our options were limited, and we could have deployed the anchor, but the bottom there is a sticky mud, and it would be a lot of work for a few moments sitting still waiting. The current and breeze kept us moving towards a weed riddled shore, so we used the boat hook as a paddle (very inefficient but it works) to keep us oriented. A regular paddle would have been perfect. Do you carry a paddle and if so what type (for example canoe, raft, telescoping, repurposed from a kayak or SUP).

BTW - The marina fairway space was very limited, boat slips on one side and shallow weeds on the other. Using the engine to "circle" around was not an option and the courtesy dock was also occupied.

[Riggerdood]

Brian, Rum Line came with two 5' fixed length paddles, but I don't keep them aboard. One, there is no good place to store one or both, and two, with the RS22's relatively high freeboard, even aft, I doubt they would be very effective. I carried a telescoping paddle on the DS, and did use it a few times.

[Straander]

I've always kept this telescoping combination paddle/boat hook aboard. Have not yet had to use it though.
Think i got it at west marine.   

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[Six Bells]

Being a kayaker and canoeist I have a choice of paddles, but found a cheap telescoping kayak paddle the most useful in terms of light and easily stowable.  One nearby lake is motor free so paddling in/out of the dock is a must.  A bit tricky when there is a strong breeze blowing.

[Quantico Frank]

Brian, I used to have one for my P15, but stopped carrying it on the P165 because of the boat's beam which made me question how useful would be. Have you considered some sort of small "lunch hook" that might hold you, but not hold you too fast to that bottom?

[DBthal]

I keep a ~4' canoe paddle on the starboard shelf in my P-165.

There are granite ledges about 60' from my mooring, so consequences could be high if my outboard quit when departing or returning.

As a lifelong canoeist, I know I could maneuver the boat, but it wouldn't be easy.   I don't think a small paddle would work well on a larger boat.

[Brian N.]

Good idea about the "lunch hook". The freeboard of the P165 is very low, so a paddle would work too. If the motor quit near the dock, I certainly would be able to bring her in with a paddle. On the Ensign when I raced, a paddle was required  by the rules. Anyway, I'm off to West Marine later to spend a gift certificate.   

[Eddie C]

Have always kept 2 paddles on every boat I've had - not that they have ever seen much use. If there are 2 people on a boat, a paddler on each side might be effective. It's pretty hard to solo paddle a sailboat and manage the tiller. In VA it is required that all boats have a paddle.

[tjspiel]

Boat came with two canoe paddles and because I typically use an inflatable kayak to get out to the mooring, those are almost always available too, - though they are pretty flimsy.

Only time I've used a paddle on my boat was during my first season with it. I was shuffling a pair of jump start batteries to and from the boat every week to power a trolling motor.

The trolling motor is rarely used to do more than move the boat between the dock and the mooring so the jump start batteries were fine, - until I took a small group of people out one night and we did a fair bit of motoring.

Got almost all the way back to the dock but were going slower and slower so I got the paddle out and paddled back the rest of the way. It was that incident that convinced me to use a standard sized battery and install a solar panel to keep it charged.

Like on Brian's Ensign, paddles were required equipment on sailing club boats since they had no motors. They got used with some regularity since having the wind die during club sailing happened at least a couple of times a season.

[Brian N.]

Got the Telescoping paddle from WM, the gift certificate I had covered the cost. At some point in the near future I think I'll get a "Lunch Hook" as well.

[Shesaidno]

Brian, yes, I have a telescoping paddle that I keep onboard. Came with the boat. Have not had to use it yet, but takes up almost no space. I think it is West Marine brand too.

[Charles Brennan]

Brian, I do indeed carry a paddle aboard Urchin and have done so as long as I've had the boat.  Way back when, a paddle was recommended equipment for boats, in case the engine flaked out. One would get hassled by the Coasties, if one's paddle was missing, during a routine inspection.
 
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There it is, amongst all the other glop I keep aboard my boat, because, well, you never know what you might need "Out There".   

Had it aboard 45+ years and used it about three times; however, all three times were memorable!   
The one that always comes first to mind, was a Columbus Day Cruising Regatta in Miami.  The motor which ran perfectly in the driveway refused to start and the winds were too light and from the wrong direction to sail out from Crandon Marina and there was a lot of boat traffic.  I elected to use the paddle and row through the mooring field to reach the bay instead of using the channel.

For most trailerable boats in our general size range, rowing is cumbersome.  You have to kneel on the cockpit seat to lean over far enough for the paddle to reach the water.  Rowing is awkward but doable, although I was mightily tired of rowing, after traversing 300 yards to the open waters of Biscayne Bay.

Just one of those things you don't need often, but when you do, you need it badly.

One guy's opinion,
Charles Brennan

[Brian N.]

Charles - that is a large accumulation of "essential" gear, for sure! I've never taken inventory, but unloading the gear in the fall and bringing it back aboard in the spring is a big chore.

[RichardS]

Yes! I always carried a long handled wooden paddle, easy to stow in aft berth area. The long handle essential for being able to reach the water without being hunched over. This saved me once when I took out the boat without sails and for first time use of my then new Torqeedo 1003L. I hit an unmarked gill net top rope (about 1 inch poly, nasty!) and it slammed the motor up and into my transom (I had failed to lock the motor in the down position). The motor was out of commission, and I sat on the bow and paddled my P18 back to my slip. The one thing I DID do right was to head up river so that the current would carry me home rather than out to sea....

[Brian S]

I carry a collapsible paddle on board the O'day 192. One time I actually used it. I was feeling particularly stubborn when the wind died, and a friend a hundred yards or so away couldn't get her motor started. So I decided to paddle over. The 192 is a fair amount of boat to paddle singlehandedly, and it took me a while. Being stuck a mile from home with no wind or motor would not be advisable... I guess two people with two paddles could make fair work of it...